White Nights

Its a phenomenon of the Northern Hemisphere's Summer, where the sun hardly sets or rises, but lingers its light to allow all-night revelry and insomnia. I experienced it when I went to St. Petersburg during the Spring and Summer of 1997. And I just had a short experience of it again by watching "White Nights" with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines.

Most films about Russia in the 1980s were steeped in politics and this film was no exception. But the location shoots of Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, and the dance scenes between Hines and Baryshnikov were special. Of Leningrad, because it captures life at the end of perestroika and glastnost, which made the KGB cloak and dagger stuff kind of over the top.

But for having gone there just two months ago with American Councils for International Education (two very longs months now that school is almost over), I've seen how much has changed. While there's a political glass ceiling for anyone not in the United Russia party, there is relative freedom for artistic expression. I was so impressed with the community support of the arts of any kind: dance, embroidery, photography, and painting. Any child could have access to it and express themselves. My students are fortunate to have classes other than English, Math, and Physical Education! As I work to teach my little niche in the US system, I can't help but wonder how our school community could be different if all the pencil tapping boys could have an outlet it. How all the kids that can't get enough attention talking in class could express themselves through song for 50 minutes long.

Thanks for that trip back White Nights. I'll continue to seek out Russian connections as the reality and urgency of my teaching situation tries to keep me from living in many directions at once.

Students' Questions about Russia

The first school day that I returned from Russia, I had my students write me a letter to get out all the questions they were bursting to ask me. The following questions were asked by my 50 12- and 13-year-olds:

Did the Russian students send us anything?

Yes, I received a few penpal letters from students before I left. Others will be arriving in the mail, hopefully by May.

What fun things did you do in Russia?

If I could name just a few of the fun things that I did in Russia, I went ice skating, cross country skiing, and played volleyball against some very tall and strong Russian players. I went on day trips to visit Russian fortresses, churches, and monasteries. I visited art and history museums. I went to a children's theatre where I was asked questions like a celebrity after the show!

Did you bring any pictures?

Yes, I took almost 1000 pictures. It has taken me a few weeks to organize them into interesting slideshows but soon you will see them in class or on my blog!

Did you meet any ladies in Russia?

What an interesting question! If you mean, "did I meet any women?" then yes, of course, I did. Actually, most of the teachers in every school are women because teachers aren't paid enough to live on. Teachers need to combine their income with a spouse, so that's why so many Russian teachers are women. If you mean, "did you find a girlfriend?" then the answer is, no I did not, but then again, I'm happy with the one that I'm with now!

Did some students see our pictures [in the photo albums]?

Yes, I shared the "Days of Our Lives" photo albums with about 100 students from two schools. They were very interested in the foods and activities that La Paz 7th graders like.

Did you make a lot of friends on your trip?

I certainly did! One of the goals of my trip was to increase understanding between Russian and American teachers and students. I did that smiling, making jokes, giving gifts, and listening to the Russians that I met. Almost everyone was curious about the USA because they only see pictures of the USA on TV and sometimes they are not positive images of America.

Who did you meet in Russia?

I met a lot of school children. I counted over 400 children in 7 schools that I met. I met teachers and principals of schools. I met 2 TV reporters and 1 newspaper reporter. All of these people were very curious about the USA and our town of Salinas.

What did you eat on your first day?

Great question! I ate chicken soup, rye bread, and tea. Russians eat the tastiest bread with every meal. They also like to drink lots of tea.

Where did you sleep?

I slept on a normal bed in my own room. Someone from my host family had to sleep on the couch because I took their room. Russians are very hospitable people!

How did you get there?

First, I flew on a little jet from Monterey airport to Denver. Then I flew on a bigger jet to Washington, DC, our nation's capital. I had meetings there for a day with the other teachers from all over the USA who were also going on this trip. The following day, we all few in the same plane to Franfurt, Germany. We stayed there for just 2 hours before we boarded our last plane to Moscow, Russia. Once we landed in Moscow, however, our trip wasn't over. We had to carry our heavy bags through the crowded subway system to make our train because the surface streets were in a traffic jam! The train ride lasted for 2.5 hours. Finally, I was met at the train station by Tatiana, my host teacher, who drove me the 2 hours back to Korablino. Phew! I was certainly tired by the end of that journey!

How cool was it?

Russia is a very cool place, literally and figuratively! On most days it was around 32 degrees, so I had to wear my winter jacket but I got to throw snowballs, too. The first thing you'll notice when you are in Russia is that all the signs are in a different language and different writing system, called Cyrillic. Once you know how to read the Cyrillic letters, you'll discover that Russian has some words that are the same in English. Look at these two examples:





What did you see, taste, hear, and feel?

A great sensory detail question! I saw beautiful works of art and architecture (how buildings look and are made). I saw a TV show dedicated entirely to accordian music in Siberia! I tasted delicious beet soup (Borsht) and cabbage soup (Shchi). I heard a guitar concert in a kitchen, a women's day concert in a school. I felt the icy water of a frozen river when my left leg fell through it! (I was trying to cross the river to get from the country house (dacha) to our car).

Why did you go there?

Last year, I applied to this program that takes teachers to Russia to understand their people and schools better. They liked my application and what I had to say about my students and how I teach, so they selected me. Pretty cool, huh? But if I didn't apply, I wouldn't have had a chance. So the next time you have the chance to apply for an opportunity, go for it! Even if your chances are slim to be selected, they're still better than your chances if you don't apply at all!

Did you learn different things for your teaching?

Yes, I did! I went to a university class where Russian students were studying to be English translators. They were studying 19th century English painters and the vocabulary to describe the style and message of their art. I learned how to make an English class useful and interesting for very advanced students by studying a topic that they all like.
What did you bring us from Russia?

I made sure that I brought back different examples of Russian candy for you! I hope that you enjoyed it.
Did you get to meet your penpal partners?

Yes, I met the students that will be your penpal partners. They are very nice students with some interesting hobbies. I hope you'll be patient with them because it takes them longer to write good letters in English.
Is Russia a big place?

Yes, it certainly is. The area of Russia that I was in, Ryazan Oblast (state), was very flat. There were fields a mile wide and 3 miles long. In summer, these fields are filled with wheat and oat plants for people to make bread with. Russia is the largest country in the world. There are 11 time zones in Russia, compared with 6 time zones in the USA. That means that Russia stretches almost halfway around the world from itself!

How was the weather in Russia?

For the first 5 days, it was cloudy and cold. Then on the 6th day, the sun came out and it was warm enough to go outside with just a sweater on. The sunshine caused some river ice to melt, and we got to see some raging rapids through the snowy fields!

Did our penpals send pictures with you?

I was only able to get a few pictures from penpals. I will request that the rest of the penpals send pictures when they send their letters.

Did you understand everything that they said?

I understood about 50% of what they said. I studied Russian in college, so I knew a lot more than the other teachers on my trip, who didn't study Russian. But now that I'm studying Spanish, I've forgotten some Russian. Still, it was fun to speak Russian with them and have them practice English with me.

What questions did the kids have about America?

What a great question! Russian kids wanted to know what sports Americans like, what they do in their free time, and what sort of challenges they have in their lives.

What was the favorite thing about your trip?

I think the opportunity to experience a different culture was my favorite thing. It helped to me understand how big our world is. Russians have many similar beliefs and traditions to Americans, but they also have different ways of doing and thinking about things. Every time I travel, I understand how beautiful, complex, and fascinating the people of planet Earth are.

Prekhodit V Gosti (Coming as a Guest)

In my two visits to Russia, the concept of "coming as a guest" is the essence of building relationships. There's no pretensions or preparations necessary for the event. The humble kitchen with its stools and tiny table, bare floors and walls allows a glimpse into the unvarnished, undaunted Russian Soul.

To enjoy coming as a guest, just be yourself, maybe bring some sweets or a drink to share. The tea is poured from a kettle, brewed strong, then diluted with hot water. Add honey, milk, and some sweet cookies.

The conversation comes naturally when hearts are warmed by the tea on a late Winter's night. Most Russians that I've known haven't had the money to go out to the movies or a restaurant. Why let a dark room or mouths filled with food get in the way of conversation and just BEING with each other? Coming as a guest means coming as you are.

Friendships are forged when one comes as a guest. Like Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, after the third cup, you're family. When I went to the house of Elena, I could tell that she was a kindred spirit. She is the best friend of my host teacher, Tatiana. I warmed up to her quickly, too. We all would get together two more times in my remaining time in Korablino.

There is something about coming as a guest in Russia that builds relationships based on sharing nothing more than who you are as a person. With nothing to conceal in a bare kitchen, there's nothing to unravel a friendship's future with false pretenses.

Russia here I come

"It has been a month of buckling down and focused preparation." That's what I wish I could have written now that I am four days away from my next major international trip: a 2.5 week teacher exchange to Russia. I've re-designed my blog in honor of the Russian flag, which I'll be living under from March 6-21. But the onerous task of preparing for a goodwill trip in the middle of a school year, involving the collection of artefacts and lessons to take with me and the preparation of 2.5 weeks of lessons to leave behind, has been like juggling cushy teddy bears with revving chainsaws.

I now realize why it is so rare to find research and hear of mid-year projects from public school teachers - it is very hard to do. Still, I aim to do the best I can and to make the most of the opportunity. I'll be traveling to Korablino, outside of Ryazan, located 3 hours Southeast of Moscow. No, the weather will not be a respite from the temperate climate of Central California. But the warmth of my host teacher and school will. I'll be serving as native speaker celebrity in a handful of English classrooms in the area, visiting local officials, and enjoying cultural performances and International Womens' Day during my time there. I expect to come back with closer ties to Russian teachers and students, a renewed appreciation for Russian culture, and plenty of stories and pictures to share with my students and friends back home.

I hope to be documenting my trip on a regular basis with this blog, as well as my professional observations on my teaching blog. Thanks for reading!

Barely Breathing

I have just tumbled out of sync with my blog posting. My days are so full with teaching duties, committees, or a small portion of exercise to attempt a balance, that my reflective presence in cyber-space has gotten the shaft. I have a lot to say and I've thought about it considerably, but for some reason I don't put finger to key.

In 2009 I'll be going to Russia in March on a teacher exchange. In June, my girlfriend and I have plans to go to Turkey. There'll be plenty to blog about. Until then, I'll try to get my life back in balance to make space for journaling.

Meet some of my friends

I haven't posted for a while because I've taken a few trips (Bay Area, Monterey, Santa Cruz) that have pictures waiting to post, but they all require stories that I have to sit down for a while to tell. With my new teaching job, those moments are preciously few. So I'm spending my Friday evening to sit down and tell you about some of my blog friends. This is a "shout out" and "big up" to all those people's blogs that I like to read and an attempt to share them with you, too.

This first one is Geoffrey Philp. We met in cyberspace while I was blogging in Japan. I'd subscribed to a feed of caribbean blogs to keep up with news on the ground over there. Geoffrey had recently written about a soccer match he'd played with Bob Marley. I wrote a post about it, he found it, and we began a dialogue which has continued on and off to this day. Geoffrey is an author who lives, writes, and teaches in Miami, Florida.

Pickeled Eel is another interesting story. I don't know how I found his blog, but he writes about his travels, like me, but on a bigger scale of audiences. I was surprised to find out that he's currently on location in Iraq now. Check out his blog for some interesting footage and narration.

Red Squirrel is a linguistics student at Moscow State University. I think we met through the mybloglog feature that puts the pictures of registered users in a panel when they've visited my blog. Its a great way to make blogging correspondences a little more personal. Maria writes about her studies, interactions with Russian language, culture, and people. All of these things I miss since I studied at St. Petersburg State University ten years ago.

A recent blog friend I've made is Ulla. We actually met face to face via my friends Travis and Joy Long, who also happen to run their own blog about home improvement after 9-5 jobs in Pacific Grove. It was actually the first live conversation I'd had in a room where everyone else kept a blog. We got to talk shop for a few minutes, and its from Ulla that I got the idea to link to more blogs and make more comments on others blogs. An interesint thing about Ulla is that she's an Icelandic-American who runs a design company with her sister and blogs about cooking.

Hippie Gypsy runs an interesting blog musing about whatever comes to mind. She always has something kind to say.

And one last blog that I enjoy peeking in on from time to time is "Back to Living in Paradise". Lee is an expat American living in Belize. She's just dodged her second hurricane in as many week. She's got a great sense of humor and writes about the Caribbean life that I miss from my years in Jamaica.