Orenburg — Menovoy Dvor

I'm continuing to work through my anxiety about public speaking, so I agreed to give a talk at the international Menovoy Dvor exhibition in Orenburg.

To my surprise, the event was comfortable, and the audience was warm and responsive. As usual, students from the local agricultural university had been brought in, and they listened attentively without so much as a yawn. I was pleased with both myself and my presentation. I met officials from the regional ministry as well as distinguished guests from Belarus.

That evening, I slipped out of the gala dinner and went to the Orenburg theater to see the musical 'The Count of Monte Cristo.' I loved it. The audience gave the performers a ten-minute standing ovation—something else. I haven't seen that in Moscow in a long time.