June 29, 2007
Sleep is happening better and better as the jet lag wears off a bit each day! Beautiful sunny morning with very mild temps. American teachers here say that it has been uncharacteristically warm in Vladimir for the last three weeks. So warm that they don't even check the weather any more and just expect it to be warm.
In the morning, we took more language lessons and discussed Russian names. Ron Pope, our illustrious leader, gave us a talk with PowerPoint about why the Soviet Union failed. Some of the answers include The Beatles, McDonalds, Reagan, the economy, the failure of the economy, but it is probably an intricate combinatioin of all of the above and more.
Lunch is becoming very predictable: salad, soup, meat with potatoes, tea. We took some free time to become more acquainted with the town of Vladimir. We then took a guided tour of the old water tower, which is located directly behind the American Home. It has been converted into a museum that has an interior winding staircase that leads to multiple floors of history. At the top is the prize! A panoramic view of the city of Vladimir. Spectacular!
Later in the afternoon, we toured the Palace of Culture, a kind of performing arts center sponsored by one of the factories in town. Singing, folk music and dancing, modern dance, painting, and concerts were activities that are sponsored by the center. Our last class was a Russian folk song learning class! We learned three Russian folk songs and sang them with a Kareoke machine. On the screen, there were background pictures that did not go along with the songs. Bikini clad women on the beach took the attention of the men and the women on the last song. Unusual pictures to go along with Kareoke!
The evening was a big hit! The American Home sponsored a 'pot luck' dinner. All the hosts brought Russian food. We ate, we drank vodka and kvass, and even pitched horseshoes! After dinner there was a special surprise: A wonderful musician, a balalaika soloist gave a concert. He was amazing. There were many standing ovations and several Americans were buying CDs at the end of the evening!
Easy bus riding in the evening keeps everyone calm and cool! Tea and sweets, stories and jokes! Life is good in Russia! Bedtime before midnight!!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Vladimir News
June 28, 2007
The weather is still very warm in Russia. Every day, shorts and a t-shirt are all that are necessary. I keep wondering when it will cool off, but each day starts with sunny, blue skies and mild temps, followed by warmer temps, a clouding over and then a chance of rain, sometimes heavy. It sounds like America in the summer!
I ran this morning in a different place along the streets. There are wide walkways away from the main streets that are used for walking. A great place to run. I ran earlier so there weren't as many cars and trucks. The worst polluters are the men who are smoking their strong cigarettes, but the smoke is easily avoidable. I was scoping out the bus stop situation for today we are riding the bus on our own without our Russians to help us.
Breakfast was water and a banana! I met Carol and Diedre, two other Fulbrighters, and rode the bus into town. It was definitely a sardine can experience! The little lady who collected the 7 rubles had to squeeze through a mass of bodies in order to make her rounds. By the time we reached our stop, we had been through a lot of body squeezing and knew who had showered and used deoderant and who had not!
Russian lessons start the day. Many words I had learned before are coming back to me! A tour of the children's museum was very interesting. A cucumber festival was shown on a film from a nearby town. It looked like Octoberfest with the emphasis on cucumbers! After the usual lunch of salad, soup, meat of the day, dessert, and tea we were off to tour the two oldest Churches in Vladimir, St. Dimitri's and The Church of the Assumption. 12th century churches are much older than anything in America. Golden domes are distinctive in the city landscape!
We later discussed how history is being taught in today's schools in Russia. Facts versus perspective and how Russians think about their history as opposed to how we think about teaching Russian history was the order of the discussion.
Again, we took the bus home on the Sardine Express. Olesya is a great cook. Great dinner of vegetables, salad, meat. We then walked and met her sister, Oxana with her 1 year old baby, Veronica. Great conversations took place about school, salaries, taxes, and maternity leave. We went shopping, mostly for me. Water, yogurt, more bananas, and more were purchased and she produced a shopping club card, much like we have for each food store in America. 3% off the total with the card! Plastic bags were available and seemed to be for free, something that hasn't been available like that in Russia before.
We returned home and I shared "Maryland Stuff" with Alex and Olesya. Alex is an independent truck driver who just bought a new, used truck. This makes two dump trucks to run as he is hired by contractors and gets paid well during the summer. During the winter, construction comes to a stop and so does Alex's work. So he is working as much as possilbe during the warm months.
The sun doesn't set until after 10:00. So when bed time was mentioned, I hadn't realized that it was already midnight! Until tomorrow!~
The weather is still very warm in Russia. Every day, shorts and a t-shirt are all that are necessary. I keep wondering when it will cool off, but each day starts with sunny, blue skies and mild temps, followed by warmer temps, a clouding over and then a chance of rain, sometimes heavy. It sounds like America in the summer!
I ran this morning in a different place along the streets. There are wide walkways away from the main streets that are used for walking. A great place to run. I ran earlier so there weren't as many cars and trucks. The worst polluters are the men who are smoking their strong cigarettes, but the smoke is easily avoidable. I was scoping out the bus stop situation for today we are riding the bus on our own without our Russians to help us.
Breakfast was water and a banana! I met Carol and Diedre, two other Fulbrighters, and rode the bus into town. It was definitely a sardine can experience! The little lady who collected the 7 rubles had to squeeze through a mass of bodies in order to make her rounds. By the time we reached our stop, we had been through a lot of body squeezing and knew who had showered and used deoderant and who had not!
Russian lessons start the day. Many words I had learned before are coming back to me! A tour of the children's museum was very interesting. A cucumber festival was shown on a film from a nearby town. It looked like Octoberfest with the emphasis on cucumbers! After the usual lunch of salad, soup, meat of the day, dessert, and tea we were off to tour the two oldest Churches in Vladimir, St. Dimitri's and The Church of the Assumption. 12th century churches are much older than anything in America. Golden domes are distinctive in the city landscape!
We later discussed how history is being taught in today's schools in Russia. Facts versus perspective and how Russians think about their history as opposed to how we think about teaching Russian history was the order of the discussion.
Again, we took the bus home on the Sardine Express. Olesya is a great cook. Great dinner of vegetables, salad, meat. We then walked and met her sister, Oxana with her 1 year old baby, Veronica. Great conversations took place about school, salaries, taxes, and maternity leave. We went shopping, mostly for me. Water, yogurt, more bananas, and more were purchased and she produced a shopping club card, much like we have for each food store in America. 3% off the total with the card! Plastic bags were available and seemed to be for free, something that hasn't been available like that in Russia before.
We returned home and I shared "Maryland Stuff" with Alex and Olesya. Alex is an independent truck driver who just bought a new, used truck. This makes two dump trucks to run as he is hired by contractors and gets paid well during the summer. During the winter, construction comes to a stop and so does Alex's work. So he is working as much as possilbe during the warm months.
The sun doesn't set until after 10:00. So when bed time was mentioned, I hadn't realized that it was already midnight! Until tomorrow!~
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Day One in Vladimir
June 27, 2007
I woke up early from the jet lag and listened to the waking city of Vladimir. There were the usual sounds of birds chirping and car engines starting. Little by little, Russian citizens go to work by walking to a bus stop and waiting for their bus to take them to their jobs. I went for an early morning run for 30 minutes and saw the people headed for a Wednesday workday. Diesel fumes, cigarette smoke, and regular 'leaded' exhaust made me think that running here is not the healthy alternative. I will keep giving it a try.
Another HOT shower was again a welcome pleasure. I dubbed my host "Prince Alex" because it was only last week that he installed the special hot water heater that gives their flat instant hot water. I now know the drill: plug it in, turn on the power, set the temperature and SHAZAM it's hot water heaven!! I had to learn another drill: returning from the run. Press six, zero, and # on the outside keypad, Olesya then speaks and I acknowledge. She opens the downstairs door and I can enter and then summon an elevator. There are no numbers on the selection pad. So two from the bottom on the left is 1st floor. Two from the bottom on the right is sixth floor. Then ring the doorbell and she will allow you to enter. I think Homeland Security should check this out!
Breakfast was juice, bread and cheese for me, but I have just placed an order for bananas for tomorrow. YES!! Olesya and I took the bus to downtown Vladimir and made it on time to the American Home. All of the Fulbrighters shared their first night's stories. Most wonderful, some not sowonderful. We are all learning the Russian way, though. We were drilled twice with Russian language basics. Easy for me.......Thank you Barbara and Natalia!! We also had our first historical tour given by an excellent tour guide named Pavel. We explored the Golden Gate (Not San Francisco) and a wonderful historical museum. Rain showers show up much like American regions with an afternoon downpour. A very nice couple leant me an umbrella for the walk and I was saved a wet head!
After dinner of Chicken, rice, vegetables, pickles, bread, wine, strawberries and cherry preserves, Olesya and I took Olga (5) to a small amusement park which has a special on Wednesdays: 30 rubles a ride!! Olga and I rode the bumper boats together. Five year olds can be very erratic drivers! A huge "moon bounce" was the next stop completed by a jungle gym of sorts that reminds Americans of Play places at McDonalds. Olga picked flowers all the way home so that I had a Russian bouquet by the time we got home. Several times Olga would be singing and skipping and running ahead of us. The only comment I can make is: Life is good in Russia!!
Tomorrow is an earier arrival time at the AH. So I am hoping I can rise earlier and get my run in before catching the bus.
Interesting news: I have been invited by Alex and his friends to go on a camping/fishing trip for the weekend. It should be interesting!
Until tomorrow!
I woke up early from the jet lag and listened to the waking city of Vladimir. There were the usual sounds of birds chirping and car engines starting. Little by little, Russian citizens go to work by walking to a bus stop and waiting for their bus to take them to their jobs. I went for an early morning run for 30 minutes and saw the people headed for a Wednesday workday. Diesel fumes, cigarette smoke, and regular 'leaded' exhaust made me think that running here is not the healthy alternative. I will keep giving it a try.
Another HOT shower was again a welcome pleasure. I dubbed my host "Prince Alex" because it was only last week that he installed the special hot water heater that gives their flat instant hot water. I now know the drill: plug it in, turn on the power, set the temperature and SHAZAM it's hot water heaven!! I had to learn another drill: returning from the run. Press six, zero, and # on the outside keypad, Olesya then speaks and I acknowledge. She opens the downstairs door and I can enter and then summon an elevator. There are no numbers on the selection pad. So two from the bottom on the left is 1st floor. Two from the bottom on the right is sixth floor. Then ring the doorbell and she will allow you to enter. I think Homeland Security should check this out!
Breakfast was juice, bread and cheese for me, but I have just placed an order for bananas for tomorrow. YES!! Olesya and I took the bus to downtown Vladimir and made it on time to the American Home. All of the Fulbrighters shared their first night's stories. Most wonderful, some not sowonderful. We are all learning the Russian way, though. We were drilled twice with Russian language basics. Easy for me.......Thank you Barbara and Natalia!! We also had our first historical tour given by an excellent tour guide named Pavel. We explored the Golden Gate (Not San Francisco) and a wonderful historical museum. Rain showers show up much like American regions with an afternoon downpour. A very nice couple leant me an umbrella for the walk and I was saved a wet head!
After dinner of Chicken, rice, vegetables, pickles, bread, wine, strawberries and cherry preserves, Olesya and I took Olga (5) to a small amusement park which has a special on Wednesdays: 30 rubles a ride!! Olga and I rode the bumper boats together. Five year olds can be very erratic drivers! A huge "moon bounce" was the next stop completed by a jungle gym of sorts that reminds Americans of Play places at McDonalds. Olga picked flowers all the way home so that I had a Russian bouquet by the time we got home. Several times Olga would be singing and skipping and running ahead of us. The only comment I can make is: Life is good in Russia!!
Tomorrow is an earier arrival time at the AH. So I am hoping I can rise earlier and get my run in before catching the bus.
Interesting news: I have been invited by Alex and his friends to go on a camping/fishing trip for the weekend. It should be interesting!
Until tomorrow!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
June 26, 2007
Two amazing flights over 36 hours have left me a bit worn out, but very happy to be here! We left on the bus at 3:30 in the morning, traveled to Bloomington Illinois to catch a 6:00 flight. FOG was our first enemy of the day. An hour and a half later we were airborn headed to Atlanta. We waited on the plane there for another 45 minutes making this short domestic flight longer than we bargained for! Atlanta is THE largest airport I have walked. It's BIG. After waithing around for 5 hours and eating airport food (not bad), our plane boarded on time only to find that we needed to wait in a large line of planes ready for take-off!
The eleven hour flight found me in one position (except for two bathroom breaks), middle row, middle seat, broken tray table, baby in front of me (well behaved and smiley most of the trip), movies I'd already seen, but great conversation with my Fulbright mates Audrey and Warner! The new iPOD helped to ease the pain of stillness that invaded my knees, hip, back and shoulders! I survived!
Those of you that have gone through Sheremetyvo 2 before know that it was a dreary place. Flat screens like you're at Disney are everywhere now, but the agent behind the glass for the passport control still has that evil eye! Bag retrieval was 100% successful. The Duct tape held and the rest of the roll has already been offered to Lori who found that her bag corners were starting to fail. We met Alexei and Galya, two delightful Russians who head the effort at the American Home. Alexei got us on the bus and on to Vladimir. We stopped for lunch (4:00) after a three hour ride throught Moscow traffic heading east. Lunch was fabulous: Chicken, mushroom, pineapple appetizers, cabbage soup, tried Kvass (sp?) - cold soup, bread, Chicken, potatoes (kartoshkas) and tea.
Alexei taught us a song to sing when we reached the American Home. It was the worst musical rendering I've heard recently, but we brought the house down! Each of us introduced ourselves (Menya zavoot Mark) and found our host/hostesses for the next two and a half weeks. Olyesa and Olga were there to meet me. They brought a friend, Andrei with a truck, to drive us to their flat. Vladimir is a wonderful city which is just smaller than Penza. Small city charm. I am staying at Building #1 in Apartment #60. Olyesa and Alexandr's flat is beautiful. The computer is Internet capable (that's why your getting this) and they have HOT water, something that many of us were worried about. I quizzed Olga on her basic English on the way here. After a fabulous dinner of Pork chops, potatoes, vegies, homemade strawberry juice, wine, tea, cookies, Olga showed me her command of the English alphabet and then we played a word association game with English flash cards.
To bed and try to beat that time zone change jet lag thing!
Two amazing flights over 36 hours have left me a bit worn out, but very happy to be here! We left on the bus at 3:30 in the morning, traveled to Bloomington Illinois to catch a 6:00 flight. FOG was our first enemy of the day. An hour and a half later we were airborn headed to Atlanta. We waited on the plane there for another 45 minutes making this short domestic flight longer than we bargained for! Atlanta is THE largest airport I have walked. It's BIG. After waithing around for 5 hours and eating airport food (not bad), our plane boarded on time only to find that we needed to wait in a large line of planes ready for take-off!
The eleven hour flight found me in one position (except for two bathroom breaks), middle row, middle seat, broken tray table, baby in front of me (well behaved and smiley most of the trip), movies I'd already seen, but great conversation with my Fulbright mates Audrey and Warner! The new iPOD helped to ease the pain of stillness that invaded my knees, hip, back and shoulders! I survived!
Those of you that have gone through Sheremetyvo 2 before know that it was a dreary place. Flat screens like you're at Disney are everywhere now, but the agent behind the glass for the passport control still has that evil eye! Bag retrieval was 100% successful. The Duct tape held and the rest of the roll has already been offered to Lori who found that her bag corners were starting to fail. We met Alexei and Galya, two delightful Russians who head the effort at the American Home. Alexei got us on the bus and on to Vladimir. We stopped for lunch (4:00) after a three hour ride throught Moscow traffic heading east. Lunch was fabulous: Chicken, mushroom, pineapple appetizers, cabbage soup, tried Kvass (sp?) - cold soup, bread, Chicken, potatoes (kartoshkas) and tea.
Alexei taught us a song to sing when we reached the American Home. It was the worst musical rendering I've heard recently, but we brought the house down! Each of us introduced ourselves (Menya zavoot Mark) and found our host/hostesses for the next two and a half weeks. Olyesa and Olga were there to meet me. They brought a friend, Andrei with a truck, to drive us to their flat. Vladimir is a wonderful city which is just smaller than Penza. Small city charm. I am staying at Building #1 in Apartment #60. Olyesa and Alexandr's flat is beautiful. The computer is Internet capable (that's why your getting this) and they have HOT water, something that many of us were worried about. I quizzed Olga on her basic English on the way here. After a fabulous dinner of Pork chops, potatoes, vegies, homemade strawberry juice, wine, tea, cookies, Olga showed me her command of the English alphabet and then we played a word association game with English flash cards.
To bed and try to beat that time zone change jet lag thing!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Going to Russia
6/24/07
I've just finished packing after a week of Russian studies. We have been saturated with everything Russian. Russian politics, history, business, geography, music, resources for teaching, literature....you name it, we learned about it!
Lynda Park, the director of the REEEC, organized this week of Russian bombardment. It was an awesome display of who's who in teaching about Russia. I appreciated listening about each set of information even though I already was up on most of the info.
We are now set to board a bus this morning at 3:30 to travel to Bloomington, catch a plane to Atlanta and then sit for eight hours waiting for the plane to Moscow! We definitely won't miss our flights! I hope the luggage gets treated better this flight. My medium sized bag suffered a rip on the corner with just one flight on the way here. Black Gorilla Tape (Duct tape) in multi-layers is holding my valuables in check until we get to Moscow.
I have a large list of gifts ready for each family I will be staying with. I just bought a "Good Charlotte" CD for a 13 year old in Murom. It will be interesting to see if Southern Maryland rock translates across the time zones! I have 'evened out' my bags so that each is not over 50 pounds. I had to relocate many items in Baltimore as my one bag was 63 lbs.! Barbara would just shake her head as she knows how much I packed the last time! :)
This is my first blog ever. I will try to update on a daily basis for the next month as the trip unfolds. Computer usage in Russia will be spotty, but at the American Home, computers are available. My next blog will be on 6/26 due to the long hours of the trip and the eight hour difference.
The University of Illinois has been a wonderful center of information and resources. I highly recommend their REEEC (Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Center) and their seminars and programs.
I've just finished packing after a week of Russian studies. We have been saturated with everything Russian. Russian politics, history, business, geography, music, resources for teaching, literature....you name it, we learned about it!
Lynda Park, the director of the REEEC, organized this week of Russian bombardment. It was an awesome display of who's who in teaching about Russia. I appreciated listening about each set of information even though I already was up on most of the info.
We are now set to board a bus this morning at 3:30 to travel to Bloomington, catch a plane to Atlanta and then sit for eight hours waiting for the plane to Moscow! We definitely won't miss our flights! I hope the luggage gets treated better this flight. My medium sized bag suffered a rip on the corner with just one flight on the way here. Black Gorilla Tape (Duct tape) in multi-layers is holding my valuables in check until we get to Moscow.
I have a large list of gifts ready for each family I will be staying with. I just bought a "Good Charlotte" CD for a 13 year old in Murom. It will be interesting to see if Southern Maryland rock translates across the time zones! I have 'evened out' my bags so that each is not over 50 pounds. I had to relocate many items in Baltimore as my one bag was 63 lbs.! Barbara would just shake her head as she knows how much I packed the last time! :)
This is my first blog ever. I will try to update on a daily basis for the next month as the trip unfolds. Computer usage in Russia will be spotty, but at the American Home, computers are available. My next blog will be on 6/26 due to the long hours of the trip and the eight hour difference.
The University of Illinois has been a wonderful center of information and resources. I highly recommend their REEEC (Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Center) and their seminars and programs.
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