-@la_chica_maria, St. Petersburg, 2012

The first of May used to mean military parades and red flags. All I remember is my hair in pigtails and hundreds of red balloons. And the warmth! No more layers and layers of kolgotki.  And ice cream! Eating the unforseen luxury of an ice cream bar! My hands sticky with sugar, holding on to my parents. Crowds of people, walking, laughing. It was  supposed to be a celebration of workers, but I think everyone was just glad we made it, finally, through the winter. The breeze ruffled my dress.   It was sheer joy.

May is in the air, my own semester’s worth of immense, exhausting labor is almost over,  and the world open again.

“Retro car in Moscow on May 1″, @nycastlemmm

“Ice cream goes well with military music.” – @vecherskaya

“Kazakhstan”, @sashasleep

“I’m among the rabbits and the communists” -@pavelmironov51

“I’m protesting” Sweden, – @norrfjard

“I love driving in Moscow during the May holidays” -@artefaq

“May in Helsinki” -@idaamaria

Ukraine,-@notordinarylove

“Balkan style, no vegan”-@martalbc

Tverskaya Street, Moscow -@miulovemiu

“Cruising on May 1 with my sister”, Sweden, @malinmagnuson

#

Russia, @kseni9519

“Labor,” @xzkto_smr

Previously: The first day of school in Russia.