This is the first vacation I have taken in YEARS – no work / no speaking / no conferences / no family function – just fun!
I went to Russia to see my best friend who is from Russia and was going home for most of August.
What better time to explore Russia than with a local?! What an amazing gift it was too!
First of all, I met my best friends family. They are the kindest, loving, and absolutely hysterical people I know. Getting to know them was truly the highlight of the trip.
I currently only speak 4 words in Russian, so my pantomime skills were on POINT! For two weeks, I got to be still and quiet and daydream. While driving through the countryside to the Baltic Sea, I daydreamed of how I want to change up things when I got home. This was such a gift and hope to continue to make space to daydream more.
And, of course, the food!! So many yummy new things from borsh to pelmeni – I was loving it. Also, the potato chips where amazing. I LOVE chips and in Russia, the flavors were out of this world fun – from lobster to cheese and mushroom. So, of course, I needed to try as many flavors as possible while I was there.
The flight home was pure serendipity. I get to the airport 2 hours early, as any good type of A-person would, to find out my plane from Poland to Brussels was canceled. The kind ticket agent told me they would do the best they could to get me to home but I might end up in Brussels for the night. Yet, magically, they got me on a direct flight from Poland to Chicago, then Chicago to Austin, but it was a middle seat on a 15-hour flight!!! Oh well, at least I will get home.
Our flight got called and I was going to be the LAST person on the plane because, why get on any sooner to be in the middle any longer than needed?! As I got up to scan my boarding pass, the scanner alarmed, reading “Seat Error!” NO!!!!! Did my seat get over booked? The gate agent took my boarding pass and come back with a new seat: 5C!!!! What the what?! I just got upgraded to premium class on LOT Airlines, or what I like to call Queen Seating!
Since being back, I have been keeping my hair very Russian and making space to daydream. This vacation was filled with so many memories, laughter, and new friends. I can’t wait to go back!!!
Below are a few of the pictures I took on my vacation to Russia!
Remember to enjoy everything and take time for yourself!
Adrien Paczosa is a Business Strategist for Private Practice Owners and Dietitians and helps them grow and scale their practices to six and seven figures. She is the founder of Fearless Practitioners, the division of her business that offers business training and coaching to private practitioners, dietitians and wellness professionals.
Adrien is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, owner of iLiveWell Nutrition, her private practice with two locations in Austin, Texas and the surrounding counties.
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