The content of this post is an adaptation of an original text written by Guy Laliberté.

Fifteen minutes to check-out of the Sputnik Hotel and we’re off to catch our return flight to Moscow, my head filled with extraordinary images and feelings.

They’re helping a lot with my integration, here, and thanks to my hosts’ wonderful efforts, people are getting to know me and understand the Poetic Social Mission I’m on. I’m very excited about this journey I’m undertaking and everyone I’m meeting through it. This is both a personal challenge, as everything I’m experiencing here is new to me, and a grand project that will benefit my ONE DROP Foundation as well as Cirque du Soleil.

The duration of the training I’ve started is the shortest amount of time ever given to someone going into space. While this is a real challenge, I feel up to it. At this point, it all hangs on me being a good student! It’s ironic that I’m back behind a school desk at 49 years old, when I never liked school in the first place and did not attend it very long in my youthful prime! But I’m super motivated to achieve my goal. It feeds the fire that moves me forward. After all, I’ve just passed my first exams, which were the hardest! As for the rest, I’m very happy getting myself back into shape and am completely focused. You should see me get on my bike, every morning, to get to my classes: it’s a whole lot slower than a sports car!