Hehee! Well, I've traveled in Northern Russia too - and I was excited about that as well. Doesn't mean I'd want to live there. :P

The world is a pretty fascinating place once you pluck up the courage to go see for yourself. I very much recommend it. The States are a curiosity since they're on the one hand so far away, but on the other hand perversely familiar. There's not a kid in the western world that doesn't grow up immersed in U.S export culture. But from my experience, the last time I was there, talking to people, I felt so alien even though I knew we had a common language and a fairly similar background. It was uncanny. It is exciting! And fascinating! :D And, yeah. I'm a travel geek.

Sister made a joke that when he have to fill out this visa application - and it actually asks you ridiculous things like "have you ever participated in genocide" - we should write that our purpose is to ignite revolution, import Nordic pop-culture, and explain the concept of social democracy and a working health care/educational system, and then wait how long it takes before we get turned around and marched home by cranky fellows in suits.