Wednesday, April 16th, 2003
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, St. Petersburg, Russia.

My Last Day
Leaving St. Petersburg

This is our last day in St. Petersburg. Tonight, Goswami Maharaj and I will take the overnight train back to Moscow. Tomorrow evening we fly to Novosibirsk, Siberia, and a few days later we will take a car to Tomsk, about three hours north-east of that city.

The devotees here in St. Petersburg have been simply phenomenal: hospitable, generous, patient, eager to hear about Krishna consciousness... I'm going to miss them all.

At the evening class, just a few hours before I leave, I thank them for their hospitality, and say how much I am impressed with their individual and collective service attitude.

There is Vijay Ramana Prabhu, the manager of the St. Petersburg Math, who coordinates all the activities (and keeps everyone in line!); Ananda Moy Prabhu, the former policeman, now the resident pujari, who faithfully serves he Deities; Sundara Jyoti Prabhu who gets covered in thick black grease up to his elbows when he has to fix the temple gate/shutter; Ananda Vardana Prabhu, the former policeman and lawyer who cooks and serves all the meals; Yasoda Nanadana Prabhu, who helps in the kitchen and keeps the temple clean;

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