Dear Oregon-

I just wanted to send you a thank you note to let you know how much the Russian delegates and I enjoyed spending time with you and your government last week.

I have to say, one of my favorite parts of the job is when I get to meet and spend time with the delegates from our Open World program. Each group is so unique and I learn something new with each delegation. Of course, with my enormous lack of Russian language skills, it is sometimes hard to communicate using only the help of the interpreter and the facilitator.

Have you ever had a hog on a log?

When I first heard this as a meal suggestion for the Russian delegates on their way to visit the South Carolina state fair tonight, I have to admit that I was a little bit worried this might be a bit too much culture too fast. That was until I realized that “hog on a log” was simply an expression for a huge turkey leg. I think that’s something we can handle!

Monday – none of us like Mondays. The weekend is over and it’s back to the daily grind for the next five days.

Hello all!