Exams are finished! Our reward is 36 hours in Novgorod with no concern of completing the relentless barage of homework that has assaulted our group for the past month. Almost as exciting is that I purchased gifts for my mom and dad, but that still leaves my sister without a gift (keychain from the Petersburg airport?).
A few random things- When Russians make transactions in stores or markets, you never hand the cashier money directly, you place it on a tray in front of them, which is also where they place your change. In discussing the sounds various animals make, my Russian family thought it strange that we say that a rooster says "cock-a-doodle-doo." I found it strange that Russians say the sound a horse makes is "eee-go-go." I have had Borsch twice this week, and only once a week before that, which suggets sthat the American assumption that Russians eat borsch constantly is likely false. It also verifies one other student's claim that Borsch is the what-is-about-to-go-bad food that must necessarily be prepared at the end of every week.
Speaking of food, I have eaten incredibly well here, which is a credit to my host mother, as I never eat out. I have the benefit of having a house-wife as a host mother, which the rest of the group do not, and it is widely agreed that I have the best packed lunch each day. On this topic, I want to remark that there a few anytime foods in our house (meaning they have been included in breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, regardless of what else is being served). They are macaroni, hotdogs, and sour cream. Yesterday I had eggs for breakfast, with macaroni mixed in, and a hotdog on the side, with the sour cream available to be applied at my discretion (none is my typical choice).
Next for me is a few days in St. Petersburg, after which I will fly to Istanbul for six days, before returning home. I don't speak any Turkish, but I know enough people who have been there without speaking the language that I am not particularly concerned. I'd like to try to attend Mass in Turkey, as I haven't been able to in Russia (almost all of the churches are Russian Orthodox, and in the bigger cities we have been on tight schedules).
This evening I will give my family a gift, and they will be giving one to me. I bought them a picture book of Cincinnati, which I gave them four weeks ago, and a bottle of Kentucky bourbon, which I will give them tonight. Hopefully a story worth writing home about results.
I hope to find the internet again in Petersburg and Istanbul, so this will not be my last post. And anyways I still need to make good on my word to provide photos. So instead, my top five songs sung by Michael Jackson (I suppose that for a countdown you should watch them in reverse order):
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG7Dn4t8Q4Q
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVSYJXpD2_E
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75sx7U6dAB4
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex30DYwQlHU
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvYygjcMDdQ
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Low on time
Doing exams today and tomorrow, so I don't want to spend time writing today.
Instead, for your entertainment, the final song we needed to memorize over a slideshow of Moscow pictures that I was previously unable to provide- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KairmsARpyo
Instead, for your entertainment, the final song we needed to memorize over a slideshow of Moscow pictures that I was previously unable to provide- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KairmsARpyo
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Festival, Television, Politics
Our teachers were asked not to give us homework so that we could spend as much time as possible at the festival this weekend. Acquiescing, they instead decided on tests and quizzes. Still, we were able to spend a lot of time at the festival, which had a lot of intlatables for children, a lot of food stands (the best of which was the shish kebab), a loat of souvenir kiosks, and plenty of authentic and non-authentic Russian entertainment on the three stages that were set up on either side of the river. Unfortunately, Vladamir Putin did not attend, as was rumored. Still, on the sand along the river, there was the unexpected presence of a volleyball tournament and a sand-castle building contest.
Before wandering around one night we bought a bottle of cheap vodka to split six ways. I, being twenty years old, am unable to purchase vodka in America, but am informed that it costs about a third of what it does in America. Previously, when my host-family had a visitor, we each had a shot of vodka, which they had flavored with slices of lemon. Delicious (I mean that sarcastically).
As for Russian television, there are a few popular news stations, a few stations that are like abc or cbs or nbc, a few stations that play music videos, a lot of movie stations, a fashion channel, nickelodeon (which is surprisingly well dubbed), and a collection of discovery, animal planet, history channel, etc. I mostly watch the music video channels, and can relate two interesting observances. The first is that commercial breaks will sometimes contain only advertisements for ringtones that you can text for, and each of the companies advertises the same set of songs. Second, one station has an incredible show that is essentially an amatuer hour, where against a white back drop untalented and talented people of all ages attempt to perform. It is not a competition, just a chance to do something on national television. Among the funniest acts have been a girl singing a Pussy Cat Dolls song, a woman making various animal noises, and an out of shape guy wearing black leather and a batman mask slowly and seductively stripping to rock music. I am trying to find a clip of the last one online, but thus far no luck. My host-mother especially enjoys soap operas, which are on at 7 and 8pm, so that all of the working women can return home in time to catch the show. Finally, the film channels love American movies that show Russia in a favorable light; Enemy at the Gates was on for four consecutive days (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_at_the_Gates).
Finally, I want offer a few quick thoughts on Russia as it relates to America in a political sense. Please read this as my own assessment, and not as well researched fact. President Obama is reaching out to the Russian President Medvedev because he seeks Russian assistance in pressuring Iran to abandon its aspirations of obtaining nuclear weapons. There is also a policy goal of mutually reducing American and Russian nuclear missle stocks. The EU and NATO often view Russia in an advisarial light; the EU has a policy goal of reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels, as well as, with NATO, assisting several states, especially Georgia, resist Russian soft power (indirect/non-military influence). It seems that Russia's main policy goal is to prevent the US from intalling missile defense systems in Eastern Europe.
Happy Fathers' Day, and also thank you to those of you who have sent me compliments about this blog, it is much less cumbersome to write when I know it is being read.
P.S. the speel-check is not working
Before wandering around one night we bought a bottle of cheap vodka to split six ways. I, being twenty years old, am unable to purchase vodka in America, but am informed that it costs about a third of what it does in America. Previously, when my host-family had a visitor, we each had a shot of vodka, which they had flavored with slices of lemon. Delicious (I mean that sarcastically).
As for Russian television, there are a few popular news stations, a few stations that are like abc or cbs or nbc, a few stations that play music videos, a lot of movie stations, a fashion channel, nickelodeon (which is surprisingly well dubbed), and a collection of discovery, animal planet, history channel, etc. I mostly watch the music video channels, and can relate two interesting observances. The first is that commercial breaks will sometimes contain only advertisements for ringtones that you can text for, and each of the companies advertises the same set of songs. Second, one station has an incredible show that is essentially an amatuer hour, where against a white back drop untalented and talented people of all ages attempt to perform. It is not a competition, just a chance to do something on national television. Among the funniest acts have been a girl singing a Pussy Cat Dolls song, a woman making various animal noises, and an out of shape guy wearing black leather and a batman mask slowly and seductively stripping to rock music. I am trying to find a clip of the last one online, but thus far no luck. My host-mother especially enjoys soap operas, which are on at 7 and 8pm, so that all of the working women can return home in time to catch the show. Finally, the film channels love American movies that show Russia in a favorable light; Enemy at the Gates was on for four consecutive days (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_at_the_Gates).
Finally, I want offer a few quick thoughts on Russia as it relates to America in a political sense. Please read this as my own assessment, and not as well researched fact. President Obama is reaching out to the Russian President Medvedev because he seeks Russian assistance in pressuring Iran to abandon its aspirations of obtaining nuclear weapons. There is also a policy goal of mutually reducing American and Russian nuclear missle stocks. The EU and NATO often view Russia in an advisarial light; the EU has a policy goal of reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels, as well as, with NATO, assisting several states, especially Georgia, resist Russian soft power (indirect/non-military influence). It seems that Russia's main policy goal is to prevent the US from intalling missile defense systems in Eastern Europe.
Happy Fathers' Day, and also thank you to those of you who have sent me compliments about this blog, it is much less cumbersome to write when I know it is being read.
P.S. the speel-check is not working
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Festival Days
Back in the Middle Ages, Novgorod was part of a trading alliance known as the Hanseatic League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_league). Apparently for the last twenty years the various former members pick a city to have a festival in each summer, and this is the first time Russia has played host. So, I now get to take part in the ancient Russian tradition of complaining about foreigners, who are currently clogging up the square and bus system. My host-sister, who is a tourism major, has a multiplicity of things to do from 7am to 12am for the duration of the festival.
Tomorrow I have to sing this for class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrUjAz4Kh5A&feature=related.
The weekdays continue to be filled with class and homework, but I have scored well on the last few daily tests and twice-daily quizzes, which makes the whole thing less exhausting. Our tour-guide once remarked that Russians like to overcome hardships, and if there are no hardships they then create hardships that they can subsequently overcome.
I haven't talked about what people are wearing yet. This breakdown will have four categories: men over thirty, men under thirty, women over thirty, and women under thirty. Men over thirty appear to not care about how what they are wearing looks as much as about whether or not what they are wearing is comfortable. Thus, windbreakers and a camoflauge hunting jacket are typical. But there are well dressed exceptions. Men under thirty are hit or miss on looking fashionable, where half look well dressed and the other half are mismatch a plaid t-shirt with slacks. This is not aided by approximately 60% of this population's insistance on sporting a mullet. Women over thirty, by and large, dress very well, with style and grace and etc. Women under thirty are more hit or miss, tending to error on the side of slutty (at least according to one of the girls from Miami studying with me). But then compared to Miami it is not that extraordinary.
Given that it was June 17th, yesterday's atypical temperature drop to 45 degrees f with rain and gusting winds was unsettling. The Russians I spoke to acknowledge Global Warming, but they also seemed apathetic to the cause of fighting it. In class we learned that about half of Russia's territory is permafrost, and I suppose its melting could only serve to increase Russia's greatness.
As a final treat, here is the current Russian pop sensation (And he isn't even Russian): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBFFlL58UTM&feature=fvst
Tomorrow I have to sing this for class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrUjAz4Kh5A&feature=related.
The weekdays continue to be filled with class and homework, but I have scored well on the last few daily tests and twice-daily quizzes, which makes the whole thing less exhausting. Our tour-guide once remarked that Russians like to overcome hardships, and if there are no hardships they then create hardships that they can subsequently overcome.
I haven't talked about what people are wearing yet. This breakdown will have four categories: men over thirty, men under thirty, women over thirty, and women under thirty. Men over thirty appear to not care about how what they are wearing looks as much as about whether or not what they are wearing is comfortable. Thus, windbreakers and a camoflauge hunting jacket are typical. But there are well dressed exceptions. Men under thirty are hit or miss on looking fashionable, where half look well dressed and the other half are mismatch a plaid t-shirt with slacks. This is not aided by approximately 60% of this population's insistance on sporting a mullet. Women over thirty, by and large, dress very well, with style and grace and etc. Women under thirty are more hit or miss, tending to error on the side of slutty (at least according to one of the girls from Miami studying with me). But then compared to Miami it is not that extraordinary.
Given that it was June 17th, yesterday's atypical temperature drop to 45 degrees f with rain and gusting winds was unsettling. The Russians I spoke to acknowledge Global Warming, but they also seemed apathetic to the cause of fighting it. In class we learned that about half of Russia's territory is permafrost, and I suppose its melting could only serve to increase Russia's greatness.
As a final treat, here is the current Russian pop sensation (And he isn't even Russian): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBFFlL58UTM&feature=fvst
Monday, June 15, 2009
Moscow
I returned from Moscow today, where our group spent three days. Again, I apologize but at the moment I do not have the ability to upload pictures.
The first day there we walked around the city, near the Kremlin, but it was a national holiday so the Red Square and Kremlin were closed to people without passes. Riding the metro was fascinating, as the Soviets designed the subway system to be an emblem of the city- each station is filled with art and statues, and the architecure of the stations is incredible. The first day we also visited a few churches, but at the moment I cannot remember the english or russian names, so I will find out later and provide a wikipedia link.
The second day we went to a sort of Russian flea market so that everyone could buy gifts for their family. I unfortunately did not see anything I wanted to buy, so at the moment I am still giftless, although the other students picked up a variety of touristy gifts for their family members. Afterwards we went to the Red Square, where we entered Lenin's mosoleum. If you do not know who that is, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin. Joseph Stalin and a few others are also buried there. Afterwards we visited a convent where various czaristas were banished to after attempting to usurp power from their various royal family members. Others in the group took a lot of pictures here, so I will put a link up once they have them posted. Next we visited a famous state cemetary where various presidents, generals, scientists, and artists are buried, including my favorite Russian, Nikolai Gogol: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Gogol. That night on television Matt and I watched a show on MUZ, a sort of mtv, where for an hour amateurs were allowed to sing or dance. It is not a competition, and for the most part everyone on the show was awful. Very entertaining though.
The third day our group visited an art museum, which features only Russian artists (where as the museum in Petersburg included artwork from all over Europe). A few pieces were very interesting, but the most interesting moment would have been one of our sleepy students momentarily leaning against a statue and being scolded by museum staff (he braved a Russian club the night before). Afterwards we went to the Kremlin, where we visited a museum that included many items formerly belonging to the czars, such as long gowns, carriages, icons, ambassadoral gifts, crowns, and sceptres (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kremlin_Armoury). Afterwards we toured the rest of the Kremlin, which you should know from movies to be the seat of Russian government (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_kremlin). From here we visited a WW2 monument, before catching our train back to Novgorod.
Finally, I saw that the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Los Angeles Lakers both one their series, which is the result I was pulling for at the beginning of their respective playoffs!
The first day there we walked around the city, near the Kremlin, but it was a national holiday so the Red Square and Kremlin were closed to people without passes. Riding the metro was fascinating, as the Soviets designed the subway system to be an emblem of the city- each station is filled with art and statues, and the architecure of the stations is incredible. The first day we also visited a few churches, but at the moment I cannot remember the english or russian names, so I will find out later and provide a wikipedia link.
The second day we went to a sort of Russian flea market so that everyone could buy gifts for their family. I unfortunately did not see anything I wanted to buy, so at the moment I am still giftless, although the other students picked up a variety of touristy gifts for their family members. Afterwards we went to the Red Square, where we entered Lenin's mosoleum. If you do not know who that is, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin. Joseph Stalin and a few others are also buried there. Afterwards we visited a convent where various czaristas were banished to after attempting to usurp power from their various royal family members. Others in the group took a lot of pictures here, so I will put a link up once they have them posted. Next we visited a famous state cemetary where various presidents, generals, scientists, and artists are buried, including my favorite Russian, Nikolai Gogol: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Gogol. That night on television Matt and I watched a show on MUZ, a sort of mtv, where for an hour amateurs were allowed to sing or dance. It is not a competition, and for the most part everyone on the show was awful. Very entertaining though.
The third day our group visited an art museum, which features only Russian artists (where as the museum in Petersburg included artwork from all over Europe). A few pieces were very interesting, but the most interesting moment would have been one of our sleepy students momentarily leaning against a statue and being scolded by museum staff (he braved a Russian club the night before). Afterwards we went to the Kremlin, where we visited a museum that included many items formerly belonging to the czars, such as long gowns, carriages, icons, ambassadoral gifts, crowns, and sceptres (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kremlin_Armoury). Afterwards we toured the rest of the Kremlin, which you should know from movies to be the seat of Russian government (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_kremlin). From here we visited a WW2 monument, before catching our train back to Novgorod.
Finally, I saw that the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Los Angeles Lakers both one their series, which is the result I was pulling for at the beginning of their respective playoffs!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
More
I do not have a lot of exciting new stories to relate, as we have had a test every day for the last four shool days (and another one tomorow and maybe the next day too). But on Thursday night we will be leaving for Moscow, to stay there for three days.
So random things again-
Two days ago anotehr student and I passed a woman who had her small dog in a baby stroller, which seemed odd. We passed her again today, only the scene was made even more absurd by the fact that she was walking with a little girl who ought to have been in the stroller herself.
My host family's cat is as crazy as my dog at home. For those who do not know, my dog Izzy exhibits symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia. The cat here, Tima, rubs up against my leg to get me to pet him, and after thirty seconds or so he tries to scratch and or bite me. Other times he just runs away. Weird cat.
Another it-is-not-like-this-in-America thing is that the city is undergoing a big face lift before a two large festivals planned to take place this summer, but all of the various projects are in no way roped off. Often, you proceed through the construction work (as the path does too) and just try not to step on anything or be stepped on.
I was able to watch Roger Federer win the French Open, and in the process I learned the Russian words fr fantastic, serve, set, game, point, and win.
Finally, my friend Eric, who is doing an internship in Africa, also has a blog now. It is at www.ericinnamibia.blogspot.com
So random things again-
Two days ago anotehr student and I passed a woman who had her small dog in a baby stroller, which seemed odd. We passed her again today, only the scene was made even more absurd by the fact that she was walking with a little girl who ought to have been in the stroller herself.
My host family's cat is as crazy as my dog at home. For those who do not know, my dog Izzy exhibits symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia. The cat here, Tima, rubs up against my leg to get me to pet him, and after thirty seconds or so he tries to scratch and or bite me. Other times he just runs away. Weird cat.
Another it-is-not-like-this-in-America thing is that the city is undergoing a big face lift before a two large festivals planned to take place this summer, but all of the various projects are in no way roped off. Often, you proceed through the construction work (as the path does too) and just try not to step on anything or be stepped on.
I was able to watch Roger Federer win the French Open, and in the process I learned the Russian words fr fantastic, serve, set, game, point, and win.
Finally, my friend Eric, who is doing an internship in Africa, also has a blog now. It is at www.ericinnamibia.blogspot.com
Saturday, June 6, 2009
More Details
Today is Aleksander Pushkin's birthday, and as the father of Russian Literature, it is a big deal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandr_Pushkin). As some of you know, I took a course on Russian Literature in the spring, where I learned, among other things, that Russian writers love women with small feet. Go figure.
In my last post I wrote that behavior in public is very quiet and subtle. Today, however, I saw to young people standing quite close together and kissing occasionally, which drew disapproving looks from everyone else on the bus. Yesterday, I got on bus 8A to go home, not realizing that bus 8B takes a direct route there and bus 8A weaves around the outskirts of the city for forty minutes (traffic was bad though) before returning to my street. This amused my host family.
Communication with my host family is going pretty well. For example, they understood my question of, "Has your cat ever tried to escape?" And I understood their answer of, "Yes; twice he has tried to jump out of the fourth floor window." The most beneficial thing about my host family (besides food and shelter) is that it allows me to practice speaking without being nervous of messing up my grade or upsetting a stranger.
This next paragraph is more for Jordan people, but, we will have 80-85 hours of class over the four weeks here. At Miami we get 40-45 hours in a class in one semester (so by being here we will get credit for two semesters of Russian). Our time is divided among four teachers and five classes. The first class is Conversational Russian, the second is Russian grammar, the third is Text Analysis, the fourth is Area Studies (taught in Russian), and the fifth is Russian songs, where we have to sing (imagine me singing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_A7Hu0uKNw). We get 3-5 hours of homework each day, and it seems like one of the five has a short test every day. This paragraph is for Jordan people because they are the ones most likely to find that last sentence to be shocking.
We wandered the city's mall, which had seven lingerie stores. I think that is too many, and it is completely unhelpful in my search for gifts for my family.
Two Russian women were in the French Open final (tennis), which was timely.
I brought with me to Russia three months worth of The Economist that I was unable to read during the school year. It seems like each edition says at least one unflattering thing about Russia, which has made me to (unecessarily) incorporate strategy when reading in public places.
-Brett
In my last post I wrote that behavior in public is very quiet and subtle. Today, however, I saw to young people standing quite close together and kissing occasionally, which drew disapproving looks from everyone else on the bus. Yesterday, I got on bus 8A to go home, not realizing that bus 8B takes a direct route there and bus 8A weaves around the outskirts of the city for forty minutes (traffic was bad though) before returning to my street. This amused my host family.
Communication with my host family is going pretty well. For example, they understood my question of, "Has your cat ever tried to escape?" And I understood their answer of, "Yes; twice he has tried to jump out of the fourth floor window." The most beneficial thing about my host family (besides food and shelter) is that it allows me to practice speaking without being nervous of messing up my grade or upsetting a stranger.
This next paragraph is more for Jordan people, but, we will have 80-85 hours of class over the four weeks here. At Miami we get 40-45 hours in a class in one semester (so by being here we will get credit for two semesters of Russian). Our time is divided among four teachers and five classes. The first class is Conversational Russian, the second is Russian grammar, the third is Text Analysis, the fourth is Area Studies (taught in Russian), and the fifth is Russian songs, where we have to sing (imagine me singing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_A7Hu0uKNw). We get 3-5 hours of homework each day, and it seems like one of the five has a short test every day. This paragraph is for Jordan people because they are the ones most likely to find that last sentence to be shocking.
We wandered the city's mall, which had seven lingerie stores. I think that is too many, and it is completely unhelpful in my search for gifts for my family.
Two Russian women were in the French Open final (tennis), which was timely.
I brought with me to Russia three months worth of The Economist that I was unable to read during the school year. It seems like each edition says at least one unflattering thing about Russia, which has made me to (unecessarily) incorporate strategy when reading in public places.
-Brett
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