...and a bald one at that. I have never seen a bald eagle in the wild and this morning one flew in off the lake and right over our camp...
Just wanted to share!
Poka!
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Скрэбл по-русски
Today ends the first session here at Lesnoe Ozero. The younger, one-week kids will be leaving this morning...
All of the counselors here have to teach a cultural subject/topic/activity, so I chose Скрэбл по-русски (Russian SCRABBLE®); however, there are no boards here-- in either language. So earlier this week, I offered my intermediate class extra credit if they'd be willing to build me one. Well, I was amazed at the final product, which is shown below, and which looks pretty darned good for a home-made version! (I don't think you can see the details, but they made the requisite 125 tiles with the proper distribution of letters and point values, as well as labeled all the bonus squares-- at the time of the photo, there were still four triple-letter score squares missing-- on the board in clear, correct Russian). My students will be playing a game of SCRABBLE® to fulfill a practicum requirement of doing some activity entirely in the language-- no English allowed (but, dictionaries might be)!!
The other picture below was taken on the veranda of the ресторан (restaurant)-- a sing-a-along. Every evening we gather to learn and sing traditional Russian songs. The kids also learn traditional Russian dancing... This really is a relatively culturally rich environment.
So, that's all for right now...
Пока!
All of the counselors here have to teach a cultural subject/topic/activity, so I chose Скрэбл по-русски (Russian SCRABBLE®); however, there are no boards here-- in either language. So earlier this week, I offered my intermediate class extra credit if they'd be willing to build me one. Well, I was amazed at the final product, which is shown below, and which looks pretty darned good for a home-made version! (I don't think you can see the details, but they made the requisite 125 tiles with the proper distribution of letters and point values, as well as labeled all the bonus squares-- at the time of the photo, there were still four triple-letter score squares missing-- on the board in clear, correct Russian). My students will be playing a game of SCRABBLE® to fulfill a practicum requirement of doing some activity entirely in the language-- no English allowed (but, dictionaries might be)!!
The other picture below was taken on the veranda of the ресторан (restaurant)-- a sing-a-along. Every evening we gather to learn and sing traditional Russian songs. The kids also learn traditional Russian dancing... This really is a relatively culturally rich environment.
So, that's all for right now...
Пока!
Thursday, July 14, 2005
I teach in Moldova...
Hello, again, from Лесное Озеро (Lesnoe Ozero)! Today is Day 4 and things seem to be running smoothly enough... I gained a group of 6 more students, in addition to my original 6, but only see each group twice a day (instead of one group 4 times each day); the added group is "advanced beginner" level. Needless to say, there's no shortage of work (I've also agreed to lend a grammar hand to a couple of the cooking staff on the side)...
Here are two more pictures:
The picture above is one of me and my intermediate students (l-r:Katarina, Maksim, Dima, Lyuda, Vera, Nadya-- all camp names, of course, and I, Kolya) in front of Moldova, the cabin in which I hold classes. The picture below is of Russian MTV Night last night (the two guys in the front are my students AND cabin-mates!).
So, other than the mosquitos, aggressive deer flies, and 5 hours of sleep a night, things aren't too bad!
Пока for now...
Here are two more pictures:
The picture above is one of me and my intermediate students (l-r:Katarina, Maksim, Dima, Lyuda, Vera, Nadya-- all camp names, of course, and I, Kolya) in front of Moldova, the cabin in which I hold classes. The picture below is of Russian MTV Night last night (the two guys in the front are my students AND cabin-mates!).
So, other than the mosquitos, aggressive deer flies, and 5 hours of sleep a night, things aren't too bad!
Пока for now...
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Borscht in Minnesota?
A quick post, mainly to share two pictures, one of me at the main office on opening day and another of my cabin (I made the Novgorod sign)...
The cooks here are really trying with the Russian fare (in fact, 2 or 3 of them speak a little Russian); yesterday we had borscht and today cabbage soup. It's not like being in Russia, but it was good! The night baker-- one of the Russian speakers-- makes fairly incredible bread. I wouldn't say I'm getting fat here, but the food is okay (for a summer camp!). And there's plenty of coffee (Slava Bogu!)...
Today we had our first missing villager emergency (which turned out okay). We all wear these wooden nametags (tablichki) around our necks and the only time the villagers can remove them during the day is when they're swimming. One little girl forgot to put hers back on and left the lake, so the counselors couldn't get an accurate count. At first I thought it was a drill; I just happened to be at the designated meeting point-- the staff here moved very quickly. I was amazed (kind of like something from my Navy days)! Being a camp counselor (or a teacher) and having to search for a missing child is a HORRIBLE feeling. Watching the lifeguards search the water in the swimming area isn't very pleasant, either. But all the kids knew what to do when they heard the emergency signal and the girl came running for her tablichka-- she knew she had forgotten it. So all ended well.
My classes are going great. If I get a chance, I'll post a picture of me with my students soon. I have to teach in another cabin (where it smells like a cabin that little boys live in), but it's not too, too bad. The teaching part is really fun, and that's why I'm here.
And, lastly, our cabin led the flag-raising ceremony this morning (we raise the flag of Russia every morning before breakfast and then sing the Russian national anthem)... Come to think of it, THAT would have made a good picture. I'll get one next time we come up in the rotation...
Poka for now!
The cooks here are really trying with the Russian fare (in fact, 2 or 3 of them speak a little Russian); yesterday we had borscht and today cabbage soup. It's not like being in Russia, but it was good! The night baker-- one of the Russian speakers-- makes fairly incredible bread. I wouldn't say I'm getting fat here, but the food is okay (for a summer camp!). And there's plenty of coffee (Slava Bogu!)...
Today we had our first missing villager emergency (which turned out okay). We all wear these wooden nametags (tablichki) around our necks and the only time the villagers can remove them during the day is when they're swimming. One little girl forgot to put hers back on and left the lake, so the counselors couldn't get an accurate count. At first I thought it was a drill; I just happened to be at the designated meeting point-- the staff here moved very quickly. I was amazed (kind of like something from my Navy days)! Being a camp counselor (or a teacher) and having to search for a missing child is a HORRIBLE feeling. Watching the lifeguards search the water in the swimming area isn't very pleasant, either. But all the kids knew what to do when they heard the emergency signal and the girl came running for her tablichka-- she knew she had forgotten it. So all ended well.
My classes are going great. If I get a chance, I'll post a picture of me with my students soon. I have to teach in another cabin (where it smells like a cabin that little boys live in), but it's not too, too bad. The teaching part is really fun, and that's why I'm here.
And, lastly, our cabin led the flag-raising ceremony this morning (we raise the flag of Russia every morning before breakfast and then sing the Russian national anthem)... Come to think of it, THAT would have made a good picture. I'll get one next time we come up in the rotation...
Poka for now!
Faux Rubles, Real Russian
Yesterday was the first full day of village activity... And my first day of teaching a half dozen intermediate-level students. It was a pretty good day, all things considered...
There is a wide range of ages here among the kids who are here for 1-week, 2-week, or 4-week (for high school credit) programs-- 7-17. Oddly, at least by my expectations, there haven't been too many "challenging" villagers; however, one young fellow has already made it known that he requires extra attention (there's always ONE).
One of my duties yesterday was working in the village store. That was an interesting experience, as all the villagers here work with faux rubles (they arrive with a Concordia Language Villages passport and exchange dollars for our local "currency."). The store is open during "free time" for an hour in the afternoon and sells sodas, candy, shirts, etc. The kids are encouraged to make purchases in Russian, so it was fun doing business with them!
The 11 young residents of Novgord (our cabin's name) have been great, though they're an eclectic bunch. The youngest, who is 13, is a native speaker of Russian and the oldest arrived here with absolutely no Russian at all. It really is an interesting mix, which is very representative of Lesnoe Ozero itself.
So. On to Day 3...
Пока!
There is a wide range of ages here among the kids who are here for 1-week, 2-week, or 4-week (for high school credit) programs-- 7-17. Oddly, at least by my expectations, there haven't been too many "challenging" villagers; however, one young fellow has already made it known that he requires extra attention (there's always ONE).
One of my duties yesterday was working in the village store. That was an interesting experience, as all the villagers here work with faux rubles (they arrive with a Concordia Language Villages passport and exchange dollars for our local "currency."). The store is open during "free time" for an hour in the afternoon and sells sodas, candy, shirts, etc. The kids are encouraged to make purchases in Russian, so it was fun doing business with them!
The 11 young residents of Novgord (our cabin's name) have been great, though they're an eclectic bunch. The youngest, who is 13, is a native speaker of Russian and the oldest arrived here with absolutely no Russian at all. It really is an interesting mix, which is very representative of Lesnoe Ozero itself.
So. On to Day 3...
Пока!
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
What makes loons cry?
There is something about the cry of a loon (that never seems to come from somewhere nearby), which punctuates the backdrop of this rustic, back-to-nature experience...
And, speaking of back to nature, the villagers arrived en masse yesterday. I and my cabin-mate, Zhenya (in real life, he's John), have a full house, so to speak-- 11 teenage boys, ranging from 13 to almost 18 (some of the older boys were visited by a gaggle of older girls just before lights out). The majority of them are returnees and all of them seemed happy to be here (and at least 2 of them will be my students, starting today).
There is an interesting representation of flora and fauna here at Lesnoe Ozero. On the fauna side, there is a fat little chipmunk (boorundook in Russian) that hangs out around the camp store (the counselor that runs it thinks he-- the chipmunk, not the counselor-- may have an affinity for chocolate). I hope to get a picture of him soon, so stay tuned!
That's it for now... More as my Russian Village adventure continues!
Пока!
Коля
And, speaking of back to nature, the villagers arrived en masse yesterday. I and my cabin-mate, Zhenya (in real life, he's John), have a full house, so to speak-- 11 teenage boys, ranging from 13 to almost 18 (some of the older boys were visited by a gaggle of older girls just before lights out). The majority of them are returnees and all of them seemed happy to be here (and at least 2 of them will be my students, starting today).
There is an interesting representation of flora and fauna here at Lesnoe Ozero. On the fauna side, there is a fat little chipmunk (boorundook in Russian) that hangs out around the camp store (the counselor that runs it thinks he-- the chipmunk, not the counselor-- may have an affinity for chocolate). I hope to get a picture of him soon, so stay tuned!
That's it for now... More as my Russian Village adventure continues!
Пока!
Коля
Sunday, July 10, 2005
These aren't really worth a thousand words...
Well, our "villagers" arrive tomorrow afternoon. The finishing touches are happening as I write here at Lesnoe Ozero... (And please pardon the qualities of these photos-- I'll try to get some better ones over the next few weeks!)
This is not a great picture, but here I am under the Russian flag, which is raised every morning and lowered every evening... We had just finished a staff swimming test in the lake (to the left of the flag poles)-- staying afloat for 10 minutes.
This next picture is of me taken at International Day last Friday... The lack of detail on the front of my shirt doesn't do it justice. It really was hideous...
This one was taken on the Minnesota-North Dakota border, on a bridge over the Red River (of the North). The woman on the left is from Kyrgyzstan, the one on the right is from the Ukraine:
Another International Day photo... There were LOTS of bodies in that German village square!
And these last two are from our village; one of the veranda on the dining hall (our Russian Village restaurant or RESTORAN), the other of the little 8' x 8' room in the back of the cabin I and another counselor will be soon sharing with 10 high school-age boys...
I know these pictures aren't great, but this is my first opportunity to try out the available technology. More as time allows!
Пока!
This is not a great picture, but here I am under the Russian flag, which is raised every morning and lowered every evening... We had just finished a staff swimming test in the lake (to the left of the flag poles)-- staying afloat for 10 minutes.
This next picture is of me taken at International Day last Friday... The lack of detail on the front of my shirt doesn't do it justice. It really was hideous...
This one was taken on the Minnesota-North Dakota border, on a bridge over the Red River (of the North). The woman on the left is from Kyrgyzstan, the one on the right is from the Ukraine:
Another International Day photo... There were LOTS of bodies in that German village square!
And these last two are from our village; one of the veranda on the dining hall (our Russian Village restaurant or RESTORAN), the other of the little 8' x 8' room in the back of the cabin I and another counselor will be soon sharing with 10 high school-age boys...
I know these pictures aren't great, but this is my first opportunity to try out the available technology. More as time allows!
Пока!
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