Well, I don't know what to write on a day like this. I remember very clearly, that day last year. I've been sleeping over at Mike's - we didn't live together at the time, but he was helpng me with one of my endless school projects, and so we woke up together and as I was about to head for school, he turned on the TV - to check on stock quotes, for work - and suddenly, we were hit in the news. At first, it didn't register because there was only one plane, and they didn't give any details - the plane literally just crashed, and only one.. and so we thought it was some terrible accdident. Then as I was about to step out the door, they said there were two separate planes and it was a terrorist act. I felt so devastated - we have several friends living in NYC, and just imagining the horror of it all... School continued as usual that day, teachers tried not to talk about it, some didn't even know. I barely could get through the day. That evening we finally got through to our friends, luckily no one was hurt. But we still were hugely impacted by the fact that so many people died, that there will never be that sense of complete security, ever again.

In a way, my family, as immigrants, appreciate America in many many ways that perhaps are not even concievable to a normal person born here. Like, the fact that you can have vegetables and fruits the whole year, not just for 3 months, in the summer. Or that you actually can just go to the store and get food without staying in 3-hour line. So many little "life" things that are absolutely normal now and yet were totally different in Russia.

And a year passed just like that, and still every time I fly on a plane I prepare myself for the worst. Not because I'm such a wuss, but I realized that life is a very fragile thing, and no one can guarantee anything, regardless of how much tougher the security measures became. But I hope that it will get better, and USA showed amazing solidarity and brotherhood in the time of crisis - and today I just am thinking and remembering about these terrible events a year ago, and pray that no one ever will have to suffer terrorist acts again. Peace.