Sept. 15
Just like that, another week has passed. Let me pick up where I left off. Sunday I made my way to church on the Metro by myself and was successful. Then I met my friends ( the donor of all the books) in Moscow center for lunch. They showed me a nice Italian restaurant with reasonable prices and the pizza was OK. I got a whole one and brought the leftovers home. I did manage to find umbrellas and bought one for myself and one for my room-mate as I know her funds are limited and she is trying to save to get her Russian papers.
Monday, it was back to work. There was another birthday. Wait till you see the cake and all the goodies they brought.
The birthday boy and the students gathered around and Mrs. Olga, the other teacher, and a Russian teacher in the background.
The father and a family friend who came to help.
The mother.
The cake.
They gave me some cake to bring home. Look at how thick the icing is, actually more like whipped topping.
After school I had my first meeting with my student for English, Nikita.
It requires 1-1/4 hour trip on the Metro and about 15 minutes walking on each end. This is one of the many escalators that ascend upward out of sight from the subways. Some I'm sure are 4 or 5 storeys long.
He is an interesting 14 yr. old who has fair English, but talks very fast. I told him we would have to work on that. He met me at the Metro to show me where he lives and then walked me back. I asked him to meet me again on Thursday to be sure I had learned the way. On the way home I got lost in the Metro somehow. I still don't know where I went wrong but after an hour I found my way to make a connection to my line that brought me home.
Wednesday I did after school program with the 5 or 6 children that stay from 3-5 and do their homework. Thursday, I went again to my student and this time without any mishaps. On the way home I shopped for some groceries and had my supper when I got home. Every time I think how tired I am, I think about the people that have done this all their lives. My friend, Masha, travels 1-1/2 hr. to work every morning, and her husband leaves at a different time so they can't even travel together.
Friday is a shorter day for the students as they finish at 2:15 instead of 3. But for the teachers, we have many things to do at the end of the week for next week, such as making the display for Student of the Week, changing the privilege bulletin board, and today there were lots of Pace tests. So it was after 4 by the time I got home anyway. Friday evenings I can relax and not have to think about what I need to do for the next day.
So I seem to be settling into a routine, but I still cannot keep track of what students go where and what students will be in the Learning Center at any given time. I guess that too will come and if I never remember, it doesn't matter because I have the paper schedules to refer to. The key is to be flexible and try to do whatever is asked of me.
For tonight I will say, "spaconi nochi" Good night.
Just like that, another week has passed. Let me pick up where I left off. Sunday I made my way to church on the Metro by myself and was successful. Then I met my friends ( the donor of all the books) in Moscow center for lunch. They showed me a nice Italian restaurant with reasonable prices and the pizza was OK. I got a whole one and brought the leftovers home. I did manage to find umbrellas and bought one for myself and one for my room-mate as I know her funds are limited and she is trying to save to get her Russian papers.
Monday, it was back to work. There was another birthday. Wait till you see the cake and all the goodies they brought.
The birthday boy and the students gathered around and Mrs. Olga, the other teacher, and a Russian teacher in the background.
The father and a family friend who came to help.
The mother.
The cake.
They gave me some cake to bring home. Look at how thick the icing is, actually more like whipped topping.
After school I had my first meeting with my student for English, Nikita.
It requires 1-1/4 hour trip on the Metro and about 15 minutes walking on each end. This is one of the many escalators that ascend upward out of sight from the subways. Some I'm sure are 4 or 5 storeys long.
He is an interesting 14 yr. old who has fair English, but talks very fast. I told him we would have to work on that. He met me at the Metro to show me where he lives and then walked me back. I asked him to meet me again on Thursday to be sure I had learned the way. On the way home I got lost in the Metro somehow. I still don't know where I went wrong but after an hour I found my way to make a connection to my line that brought me home.
Wednesday I did after school program with the 5 or 6 children that stay from 3-5 and do their homework. Thursday, I went again to my student and this time without any mishaps. On the way home I shopped for some groceries and had my supper when I got home. Every time I think how tired I am, I think about the people that have done this all their lives. My friend, Masha, travels 1-1/2 hr. to work every morning, and her husband leaves at a different time so they can't even travel together.
Friday is a shorter day for the students as they finish at 2:15 instead of 3. But for the teachers, we have many things to do at the end of the week for next week, such as making the display for Student of the Week, changing the privilege bulletin board, and today there were lots of Pace tests. So it was after 4 by the time I got home anyway. Friday evenings I can relax and not have to think about what I need to do for the next day.
So I seem to be settling into a routine, but I still cannot keep track of what students go where and what students will be in the Learning Center at any given time. I guess that too will come and if I never remember, it doesn't matter because I have the paper schedules to refer to. The key is to be flexible and try to do whatever is asked of me.
For tonight I will say, "spaconi nochi" Good night.
I'm sure that even when you get lost you are learning something.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blogs, keep them up!! I'm glad you have learned the way to and from your students place without getting lost.
ReplyDeleteThe weather here today is 15 degrees and a beautiful breeze. This is 'my' kind of weather.
I have a terrible time putting socks on to go outside....I don't like to wear them yet, they are too warm and I like my bare feet.
Have a great week and I look forward to your next blog.