I feel like I have my feet on the ground here now. Here's why.
 |
| My first conversation partner, Aman, studies mathematics and doesn't speak much English. |
 |
| The student residence where I live. |
I'm in my second week of teaching! I don't have my own class, but rather guest teach in two different classes each day. The Dean of Foreign Languages wants all of the English students to have contact with me. Last week on Friday, I also conducted a 3.5 hour workshop for local secondary school English teachers who are graduates of the Institute.
 |
| Classes are small (10-15) but absenteeism can be a problem. |
I have a great living situation. It isn't the home stay that I was hoping for, but it is the next best thing. I live in a student residence that houses a medical facility. Students at the Institute have the right to stay here for three weeks out of each year for R& R, or to be treated for minor medical conditions. I met my first Russian conversation partner here in the student cafeteria. He is a math major, and speaks just enough English to help me learn Russian. We've gotten together for conversation practice the last three evenings. With the help of Aman, I was able to learn the sentence in Russian that I needed to go to the reception desk and get a malfunctioning lamp traded out for one that works. We both viewed this as a great victory!
I have just contracted a professional language tutor. Fulbright has generously given me a budget for language study, and I will begin formal instruction in Russian next week with a language professor from the Institute.
I found a great gym with a nice lap pool. I did an hour of cardio on Sunday afternoon. Several of the students are members there, and I plan to go to the gym with them regularly to keep the mashed potatoes off!
 |
| Click here for more gym photos. |
On Wednesday, the Moscow Fulbright office is flying 60 of us from all over the country to an orientation meeting at the US Embassy in Moscow. I'll also have one day free to see the sights. This is a dream come true for me. I've always wanted to see the Kremlin. Stay tuned for photos of Red Square in my next post!
 |
| Click here for more supermarket photos. |
 |
| If you can get peanut butter, what could be missing? By the way, I haven't given in to the urge to buy any yet. |
Hi Steve, I am reading your blog each week, and I can't help but marvel over the fact how much Russia has changed...peanut butter?! modern gym and movie theater?! I wish I had that 20 years ago.:) It is fascinating to read about your daily life, your trips, the friends you are making, and the articles in the local newspaper (now I can refresh my Russian). I am looking forward to read your experience in Moscow. I wonder how much the Red Square has changed. There was a huge mall-style department store on one side of the Square where my friends and I used to shop, and we always stopped to visit St. Basil's Cathedral to see its beautiful, colorful, onion-shaped domes.
ReplyDeleteThe language lab hasn't changed much...Is there another classroom where you have access to computers?
ReplyDeleteAniko,
ReplyDeleteThe department store Gum (pronounced goom as the "oo" in boom) is still there in all of its glory. And so is St. Basil's Cathedral, a sight to behold, both inside and out. My Moscow blog is coming soon!
Steve
And yes, they do have modern technology as well as the older equipment of the lab that still functions fine, by the way. They have laptops and projectors that are used in many classes.
ReplyDeleteDid you have to pay to use the gym? If so how much was it? For arn't they overall more expensive then the United States as far as living conditions.
ReplyDelete