Sorry. I've really fallen behind in my posting. A whole week has passed and a new one started. Hope you are enjoying your holiday. After my post last week about Red Square, I learned that all the prep was for this weekend's celebration called "Day of the City". Apparently it's something Yeltsin started, which is what I read online. I didn't go downtown to see it because I expected the crowds would be overwhelming and I wouldn't understand much. I guess they even seed the clouds for this important day. I haven't yet looked to see if there is anything online showing what happened.
Last Sunday we took the Metro ourselves to go to church and found it with no problem. Actually it takes about the same time as it does by car. Then the first 3 days of last week we finalized our preparations for school to start and Thursday was the opening day. Everywhere flowers and candy abounded. Sorry you teachers at home don't experience it in this way.
This bouquet is actually mine along with several of roses as well and 2 or 3 boxes of candy, a pair of earrings, and a wall hanging from Bangledesh. Did I tell you that we have 11 countries represented in our class (Russia, Viet Nam, Ghana, Nepal, S. Korea, Azerbaijan, Bangledesh, Armenia, Mozambique, Nigeria,and of course, Canada) and 28 in the whole school including staff and students.
We had ceremonies in the yard in front of the school and then went to our classes and played some get acquainted games. It was a great day and by the end of the morning I had learned all 16 names of my students.
All this just for Liz and I.
Friday they went on a field trip but I wasn't needed for supervision so I stayed at school and worked in the Learning Center. Friday my roommate, Liz, went back to U.S. for her brother's wedding and she will return when she gets her new visa. Then Saturday another roommate, Olya, came. She is from Moldova and will be baby-sitter for Len and Olga for the time being.
So today was actually the first day of classes and it certainly is a detailed process to get all the students into their specific programs each day. The school has a dual program running both ACE and Russian full course load for those who wish. Our class of 16 students has 3 separate streams that they divide into each day and sometimes they are all gone from the room and sometimes only 6 or 7 are with us. Imagine the homework they have if they are only at Pacework for one 45 min. period on some days. Anyway, all I have to do is stay and look after whomever is with me.
Well I guess that brings you up-to-date. Tonight we got our washing machine fixed and I did some laundry, finally not by hand. I'm not quite sure if it is automatic or not. After what seemed like too long a time I pressed some different buttons to get it to rinse and then to spin. We will see some day when I have patience to wait it out, but for today I just wanted to be done.
The weather sure took a quick turn and today was actually very autumn feeling. And I definitely notice a shortening of days since we've been here. We used to have some light still at 10:15pm and now it's growing dark by 9:15.
So...spakony nochy... спокойной ночи... good night
Last Sunday we took the Metro ourselves to go to church and found it with no problem. Actually it takes about the same time as it does by car. Then the first 3 days of last week we finalized our preparations for school to start and Thursday was the opening day. Everywhere flowers and candy abounded. Sorry you teachers at home don't experience it in this way.
This bouquet is actually mine along with several of roses as well and 2 or 3 boxes of candy, a pair of earrings, and a wall hanging from Bangledesh. Did I tell you that we have 11 countries represented in our class (Russia, Viet Nam, Ghana, Nepal, S. Korea, Azerbaijan, Bangledesh, Armenia, Mozambique, Nigeria,and of course, Canada) and 28 in the whole school including staff and students.
We had ceremonies in the yard in front of the school and then went to our classes and played some get acquainted games. It was a great day and by the end of the morning I had learned all 16 names of my students.
All this just for Liz and I.
Friday they went on a field trip but I wasn't needed for supervision so I stayed at school and worked in the Learning Center. Friday my roommate, Liz, went back to U.S. for her brother's wedding and she will return when she gets her new visa. Then Saturday another roommate, Olya, came. She is from Moldova and will be baby-sitter for Len and Olga for the time being.
So today was actually the first day of classes and it certainly is a detailed process to get all the students into their specific programs each day. The school has a dual program running both ACE and Russian full course load for those who wish. Our class of 16 students has 3 separate streams that they divide into each day and sometimes they are all gone from the room and sometimes only 6 or 7 are with us. Imagine the homework they have if they are only at Pacework for one 45 min. period on some days. Anyway, all I have to do is stay and look after whomever is with me.
Well I guess that brings you up-to-date. Tonight we got our washing machine fixed and I did some laundry, finally not by hand. I'm not quite sure if it is automatic or not. After what seemed like too long a time I pressed some different buttons to get it to rinse and then to spin. We will see some day when I have patience to wait it out, but for today I just wanted to be done.
The weather sure took a quick turn and today was actually very autumn feeling. And I definitely notice a shortening of days since we've been here. We used to have some light still at 10:15pm and now it's growing dark by 9:15.
So...spakony nochy... спокойной ночи... good night
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