Russian Crimea

I went to Crimea last year. This is a nice place! It turned out that my fatherlived in Crimea for 22 years. And I live in Siberia. Russia is large country! I haven't seen my father for 23 years. It's very sad. I bought the airplane  ticket for my family and went to Crimea last year. We had booked a room in a small villa near the Gaspra (it's on the South coast of the Crimea on the Black Sea near the Yalta).

My brother met me at Simpheropol airport. I only saw him once, when I was three. He is an adult man now. He is in the military - a Russian army officer. I never saw so many Russian flags. There were Russian flags everywhere: above state agencies, above hotels, above private houses. Russian flags were fixed above automobiles, above beaches - everywhere! Crimeans are happy to live in Russia. I was afraid of the Crimeans' relationship with me and my family. But my fear was in vain! People were happy! I said to my father: "Welcome to the Russia!" But my father answered me: "No, son. Welcome back home!"

Hello again Maxim,

Nice story about your trip to the Crimea. You have tried to use the present perfect but not quite correct. We use the past simple for a finished action in finished time - I went to the Crimea last year - and the present perfect for unfinished time - I haven't seen my father for 23 years - the unfinished time here is your life.

Hope this helps

Bob