At our last Rotary meeting, the club wanted me to cook Russian food for them. So my host mom and I cooked pelemeni, which they said turned out horrible because we made so little of it. The club then said their last words to the Taiwanese student and me, who were the only ones remaining in the city at that time. ive never seen a person break into tears that quickly as the Taiwanese student did. In the end, I thanked the club for what they have done for me. And donated my Russian flag to them, as they will go through with the Field of Heroes in Russia, I will be their first hero, they said. at the last night, my entire host family gathered s they could all speak with me one last time, it took a while to get them all here. but we very well talked the night and everyone wished me luck for the rest of my life.
its the end, thats whats been going through my mind the last week or so. soon ill see my friends again in the US, my screams of "Vinicio!" will be replaced by my screams of "Walt!". ill know the life i once knew 10 months ago, the land i called home. the language i speak better than everything. i just cant believe it. 9.5 months ago i was walking into this airport to start my exchange, and now, 294 days later, im leaving through this very airport to end it. all i can say, is that im leaving it with flying colors. i have said my goodbyes. one friend will be with me when i fly out, my brazilian friend who said he wouldnt miss it for the world. my host family pratically invited the entire family over this evening to say good bye to me. the day i fly out will just be me waking up and going straight to the airport. i finished packing yesterday.
i see this world in totally different eyes now, like theres a whole bigger new world waiting to be discovered. i feel like i want to continue my russian studies now while in the US. theres just so much im thinking about right now, when will be the next time i see this land? Russia, the place i have called home for 9.5 months. ive lived in 3 different cities, had 6 host families, and changed many lives on sakhalin and in Nakhodka. but like everyone at this point, im tired. it still hasnt hit me that ill return soon. i answered recently that i dont want to go home. but deep down, when ill be in the airport, i know, that ill want to go home. because something you cant change about me, its that im a patriot, and my homeland is calling. The United States of America. i missed you so much, my house, land, traditions, people, friends. but i know ill miss Russia, my host city. its people, land, traditions, and spirit inside everyone here.its just strange, i now understand how my mom felt at this point after her year, how Greg Miller felt, how everyone feels. its just a shame that it all ended, after living in 6 families, 3 cities, gaining this big impression of Russia, starting the frst ever Russian field of Heroes, along with all my other accomplishments, i can finally say, that now, its time to go home
Goodbye Russia!
Monday, June 27, 2011
The Closing of the Door, Opening of the Window Part 1
So the Rotary club of Nahodka wanted me to do a presentation about my 2 cities in the US, in Russia I say that I have 2 cities. I live in Columbus, but do everything in Westerville. I had my presentation recorded as a souvenir. And I explained how Westerville was the 15th best place to live in the US, the project “the Field of heroes” my club does every year, the Japanese shrine in Westerville, the prohibition of Alcohol. And how Columbus has the best zoo in the US and is a business center and so on. I also explained how I wouldn’t say that my city was Columbus if I didn’t live there, as I all around prefer Westerville. At the end, the Rotarians were all saying that they wanted to travel to Westerville. I consider that a Victory. The Club was also having their installment banquet on Saturday, and wanted all the exchange students to reenact the Russian fairytale “rebka” where an entire family is needed to pull out a vegetable. So to surprise them, we went to the local theatre to get costumes for the fairy tale. (I kinda hated it because I had to do all the talking) but soon we got costumes for the fairy tale. I was also asked to do more assignments for Nahodka at their banquet. A poem by a Russian author (ecenin) and a presentation about my life on Sakhalin. Along with all that, I was also the announcer for the fairy tale “Rebka”. And 2 pther songs which we all had to learn. All in all, I was kinda nervous, but knew if I pulled it off then the Rotary Club who practically saved me, would be glad that they did so. We also spend time helping the rotary club make paper lotuses for a kids summer camp. We made flowers which everybody learned how to make at the district conference, except me, because I wasn’t there. So when it came time for the actual installment banquet, I found myself as stressed out as ever. And it was definitely noticeable, as I would spend more time looking at my papers than eating the meals they brought us. As I still (after 2 weeks) could get my poem down. The entire time, the students were telling me “Aaron, you’re the best here, you don’t need to worry”. Well when it came time for my poem, I went up, messed up the first line by saying “me” instead of “you”, corrected myself, then proceeded to recite my poem, without flaw. I couldn’t believe I did it. When my presentation came along, I made everyone laugh when I talked about many examples of culture shock. Like cows wandering the streets, and how its deer who do it in the US (nobody in Russia has seen wild deer really) at the end, I thanked Nahodka club for taking me in and all that they’ve done for me. When we portrayed the fairy tale, it was funny thanks to the costumes and our Brazilian students. The rotary said that I was practically a star on the night. When we arrived home, I saw my bed, jumped on it, and went to sleep instantly.
After the Installment banquet in Nahodka, they have a tradition to climb a mount called sister. We did this the very next day (after some eco action and picking up trash on the shore) we reached the top of sister and saw all of Nahodka, a view ill never forget. And the Brazilians also wouldn’t, as the next day they left to Yakutsk to see more Brazilians. We got everyone together as the two Brazilians left us forever, leaving us with 10 days of awesome memories. My host mother the next few days, took the remaining students to see bears and eat in the weeds with them. And to a dolphin aquarium. Where I saw dolphins for the first time, and touched them. We saw them do tricks and such also there. On that same day, I explained to Nahodka Club more about the field of Heroes idea which they are planning on doing. They mentioned that in Russia its harder because of the local minorities who would seize any opportunity to ruin Russian patriotism or steal free flags. In Russia is a patriotism problem. The soviet union always said “be patriotic” and now that the soviet union is gone, whos saying “be patriotic” so the nation doesn’t do it much. (imagine it being like a mother always telling you to eat cereal all the time, you eat so much that you cant stand it anymore, then the mother leaves, now what will you do? Still eat cereal?) I was also stolen by a Rotarian to teach English at a sea school, for sailors who need English to work at their jobs. And we celebrated the last day of our Taiwanese student, with a trip to the banya.
so I can also say that ive fallen in a Russian Wedding. On the 25th of June, My host brother got married. Russian weddings are a lot more fun than American. We started by decorating all the cars with flowers or decorations. Then the groom had to buy his way to the bride by completing obstacles set up by the bride, like guess what certain numbers meant that had something to do with the bride. After the groom made it to the bride, we went to the marriage hall where the marriage was registered and then we took an excursion around the city. In Russia, all the cars watching you honk as they pass by, as a “good luck, congrats” way. Even the police turn on their sirens for the wedding, the Russian spirit of love is surprisingly everywhere. The entire Russian wedding traditionally is 2 or more days. So we went to a base and camped there and played some games that the wedding planner planned. The bride and groom aren’t considered bride and groom in Russia until they have spent one night together after the wedding. Everyone went to sleep around 1 or 2 in the morning. The next day we grilled shish ka bobs, talked, played volleyball, and went home around 6 or so. Many people wanted to talk to me, the Russian youth has considered me cool as the American who speaks Russian, has a sense of humor, knows enough Russian slang to make you laugh, and is full of surprises. I spend the last days in Russia, being with friends for the last time, and packing all my stuff for the plane on Wednesday the 29th.
After the Installment banquet in Nahodka, they have a tradition to climb a mount called sister. We did this the very next day (after some eco action and picking up trash on the shore) we reached the top of sister and saw all of Nahodka, a view ill never forget. And the Brazilians also wouldn’t, as the next day they left to Yakutsk to see more Brazilians. We got everyone together as the two Brazilians left us forever, leaving us with 10 days of awesome memories. My host mother the next few days, took the remaining students to see bears and eat in the weeds with them. And to a dolphin aquarium. Where I saw dolphins for the first time, and touched them. We saw them do tricks and such also there. On that same day, I explained to Nahodka Club more about the field of Heroes idea which they are planning on doing. They mentioned that in Russia its harder because of the local minorities who would seize any opportunity to ruin Russian patriotism or steal free flags. In Russia is a patriotism problem. The soviet union always said “be patriotic” and now that the soviet union is gone, whos saying “be patriotic” so the nation doesn’t do it much. (imagine it being like a mother always telling you to eat cereal all the time, you eat so much that you cant stand it anymore, then the mother leaves, now what will you do? Still eat cereal?) I was also stolen by a Rotarian to teach English at a sea school, for sailors who need English to work at their jobs. And we celebrated the last day of our Taiwanese student, with a trip to the banya.
so I can also say that ive fallen in a Russian Wedding. On the 25th of June, My host brother got married. Russian weddings are a lot more fun than American. We started by decorating all the cars with flowers or decorations. Then the groom had to buy his way to the bride by completing obstacles set up by the bride, like guess what certain numbers meant that had something to do with the bride. After the groom made it to the bride, we went to the marriage hall where the marriage was registered and then we took an excursion around the city. In Russia, all the cars watching you honk as they pass by, as a “good luck, congrats” way. Even the police turn on their sirens for the wedding, the Russian spirit of love is surprisingly everywhere. The entire Russian wedding traditionally is 2 or more days. So we went to a base and camped there and played some games that the wedding planner planned. The bride and groom aren’t considered bride and groom in Russia until they have spent one night together after the wedding. Everyone went to sleep around 1 or 2 in the morning. The next day we grilled shish ka bobs, talked, played volleyball, and went home around 6 or so. Many people wanted to talk to me, the Russian youth has considered me cool as the American who speaks Russian, has a sense of humor, knows enough Russian slang to make you laugh, and is full of surprises. I spend the last days in Russia, being with friends for the last time, and packing all my stuff for the plane on Wednesday the 29th.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Final Countdown
well after the switch of my host city in Russia, ive been doing a lot to keep myself occupied in the last month of my exchange. upon my arrival in Nahodka, i instantly went on a resort trip to the sea with the other exchange students, my friends from taiwan and brazil were very happy to see me after such a long time. we stayed at the seaside for 3 days,there we stole an abandoned inflatable boat from the docks and rode along the lakes with it, and did some rock climbing along the edges of the shore, it was very fun to do as usually i wouldnt be so stupid to go jumping off rocks onto other rocks, but the dangerou of Russia gets to eevryone, at the camp, the people next to us were playing music, but not any music.. my favorite russian band lubeh! so the entire time, i could listen to my favorite russian songs as we relaxed by the seaside chopping wood for the fire place. we spend the time at night, singing songs and guessing who wrote them. so soo the exchange students had to leave for the district conference, and i was left with no friends to be with for about 2 weeks. what do i do? well this is why i have native russian friends in this city along with me. when i returned from the seaside, i was instantly "stolen" by my friend vova for 2 days, he showed me the university where he goes and there i also saw my other friend who lives in nahodka, aselya, a girl who along with vova was at the orientation helping the inbounds. we watched kung fu panda and went to the head rotary chairman's house. where she helped me study japanese better. so within days i went to my first rotary meeting in nahodka, where i told them all about myself, my crazy brother, and my godgiven mom and grandma. and they helped me find a soccer team in the city where my brazilian friend also plays, but i havent played soccer since childhood and all the time was a defender, so i cant kick the ball right, but when it becomes game time and im defending these russian 20 year old forwards meet their match in most cases. so arriving from tailand is also another friend who i started to meet, elena. she now lives with the brazilian student and for many days we walked along the city with her friends and joked about everything. they showed me the famous soviet cartoon "cheburashka" and gave me him as a doll. my friend vova also challenged me to bowling and pool. where we swapped victories in bolwing and thanks to his white ball mistake when he was sinking the black, i won in pool, but was beaten in the nextround by a total novice. my host brother, who lives outside of the house and will soon be married on the 25th. invited me and his friends to the nature, while there, they askedme to start a fire and show the american way of starting fires, and in under 30 seconds with a lighter, i started a fire which dropped the jaws of the russians. after 9 months of no scouting, pulling off the fire was a big surprise. they came back all saying "im jealous that he can start a fire that well" the eagle scout rank always helps! something that ive always asked my families to do, and never really have succeeded in, is teaching me to cook. well my new host mom, decided to actually teach me to cook. she taught me to make russian soup "akroshka" and russian meat dish "myaca pa kapitancki" or "meat in the style of captian" which really tastes good. after the cooking lesson, she showed me the town Naxodka. including the biggest freight port in the world, ocated outside of nakodka, and the sea where her son will get married.
so finally, the students arrived from the conference in the russian siberia! and along with them, were 2 other students.. brazilians, who were some of my bestest friends at orientation and the trip to the russian capitals. they will be here for 10 days, then leave back to siberia. on ths day also, my host mom showed me the museum and the X men, first class movie. so the next day, all the students got together and literally hit the city! we walked everywhere, everyone talking, happy to see eachother, nobody with a frown on their face all day. we 6 students were probably happier than a dairy cow whose in the middle of work. we had picnics next to monuments and saw sites of the city. on the weekend, we were invited to partizansk, a neaighbooring city to nahodka, where we stayed for 3 days. there we watched movies, and celebrated "Russia day". in moscow, there was a concert on red square and i saw my favorite russian band "lubeh" sing the rock version of the russian anthem. the brazilians and i spent a lo of time talking about video games. we all shared mutual games we loved and discussed new ones coming out. how i will soon know the feeling of video games. i havent played since i arrived to russia.
in more recent news, i did a presentation to nahodka club about my 2 cities in the US, Columbus and westerville. and when i was telling about westerville, i mentioned the shinto shrine, no alcohol, our awards, 4th friday, and the field of heroes. the idea of the field of heroes was taken isntantly in by the club (as i had wanted in the first olace to present to them this idea) and they are thinking about doing it this fall for a holiday. they just wantg to talk with my club about it first. maybe its how i can leave a part of my exchange for the community in russia. too bad that if its taken in, i wont be around to see it with my own eyes.
well the countdown has hit 14 days, its hard to believe that in 2 weeks ill be sitting on the plane headed home.. that in 2 weeks ill meet the people who gave me this opportunity, the country i love more than anything, the people who i know, the language which i speak better than anything, the food which i lost 7 kilograms from when i stopped eating it. in my mind, it truely seems like the final countdown has just started
so finally, the students arrived from the conference in the russian siberia! and along with them, were 2 other students.. brazilians, who were some of my bestest friends at orientation and the trip to the russian capitals. they will be here for 10 days, then leave back to siberia. on ths day also, my host mom showed me the museum and the X men, first class movie. so the next day, all the students got together and literally hit the city! we walked everywhere, everyone talking, happy to see eachother, nobody with a frown on their face all day. we 6 students were probably happier than a dairy cow whose in the middle of work. we had picnics next to monuments and saw sites of the city. on the weekend, we were invited to partizansk, a neaighbooring city to nahodka, where we stayed for 3 days. there we watched movies, and celebrated "Russia day". in moscow, there was a concert on red square and i saw my favorite russian band "lubeh" sing the rock version of the russian anthem. the brazilians and i spent a lo of time talking about video games. we all shared mutual games we loved and discussed new ones coming out. how i will soon know the feeling of video games. i havent played since i arrived to russia.
in more recent news, i did a presentation to nahodka club about my 2 cities in the US, Columbus and westerville. and when i was telling about westerville, i mentioned the shinto shrine, no alcohol, our awards, 4th friday, and the field of heroes. the idea of the field of heroes was taken isntantly in by the club (as i had wanted in the first olace to present to them this idea) and they are thinking about doing it this fall for a holiday. they just wantg to talk with my club about it first. maybe its how i can leave a part of my exchange for the community in russia. too bad that if its taken in, i wont be around to see it with my own eyes.
well the countdown has hit 14 days, its hard to believe that in 2 weeks ill be sitting on the plane headed home.. that in 2 weeks ill meet the people who gave me this opportunity, the country i love more than anything, the people who i know, the language which i speak better than anything, the food which i lost 7 kilograms from when i stopped eating it. in my mind, it truely seems like the final countdown has just started
Thursday, May 26, 2011
до свидания милый город
well, it finally happened, i left Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, my host city, which i had called my home for 8 or so months, before i get onto more details, ill recap on my russian life in the last 2 weeks.
for the 9th of may celebration, our class went to the house of one of our classmates, Katya. and we plplaced flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers on the parade site. i had to however leave this party early as i had to teach english at this time also. the next day, i received a package, and i quickly see how russian post takes notes from pakistan in how to hunt for what someone needs (in relation to osama bin laden of course) "its not here, your package isnt here, its over there" "osama is not here, hes over there" "oh what do you know... its right here" "way to go russian post. the package i got was my book, which i need to read to finish an english course in taking in the states, i quickly finished it, and completed the course as quick as i could.
the next day, i am glad to say that japan took the stage. i went to a japanese exhibition in the library, and i met some japanese natives, who thought i was russian until the librarians told them that i was the american exchange student, (guess my russian was fine that day, i fooled the interpriter for the colsulate) the exhibition was put on by the japanese consulate, and they showed some toys and d honored the japanese holiday "day of kids" and the local tv station wanted to speak to me about japan (right down my alley) so i talked about my gozilla collection, how i always wanted japan, my love for japan for 13 years. and when i returned home, i saw myself on the TV (again) in yuzhno, this time i recorded myself and have proof, but the audio is so soft that its hard to hear. i also heard that my english student Vladimor, received a level 5 on his speaking test. which is really great because its the most important part of the language to ger, guess im a great teacher also? haha.
so my friends and i started to play Basketball after school in the gym. or school gym room. its always fun to play basketball in russia, maybe ill continue in the states when i return now that ive honed my skills. i remember how me and my friend daniel, just the 2 of us, beat a team of 3 people against us. can you say defense!?
speaking of sports, my student Vladimor, invited me to his sports center on sakhalin. his company (exxon) (yes that exxon) gived him the sports center to relax and play sports in, and he can take 10 friends with him. we played on the weight achines, treadmils, then went to the sauna and then played basketball a bit, where i showed how many 3 pointers i could shoot :).. then we went to the cafe where the chefs made us some real, long waited, american pizza :) the best in 8 months that i have ever tasted. i also got to meet some of his friends, who were very impressed to see a 17 year old american in the middle of a russian secret sports gym, who learned russian and was giving an english lesson.. im totally not a spy. aslo while there, i saw a new england patriots jacket. GO PATS!
in school we had the 1000 days until the sochi 2014 olympic games, and also a miny olympic games session. i had to judge tennis, which i said that i didnt know how to do, and still say, i dont know how to do! our school also then was preparing for the final day, known as the last bell. the kids prepare a concert for the teachers and administration, its very funny to do and see. in russia, you can express yourself a lot better than you can in the US without fear of being judged, and the only judgement happens when you blow up at the fact of what you did, so the only way to hurt yourself is to hate what you did.
a few days passed, and i went to a rotary/japanese concert. where i met karsakov club again. my karsakov family, the japanese again, and the brazilian student who lives in karsakov. while our japanese rotarian conducted an orchestra. it was long, but worth it for Japan. on sunday, it was my last day with my friends i met through my korean family. thursday i would leave sakhalin because of family issues. so on sunday, after church 9whic i couldnt go t because i had repirtion for last bell) we went to citi moll, and played laser tag, i got on some good clothes, as i wanted to make sure my enemy knew who it was who shot him in the dark with a laser. but wanted to be stealthy for my only (and maybe last) russian laser tag game, little did i know about my outfit, and its surprises. i stepped into the rin, and lit up like a sore thumb. everyone joked, as the ligh was neon and i had light blue colors. i thought i would lose miserably, but then i was put onto the bluw team.. the light bluw team, and in russian laser tag, you need to hit the target, not the persons bady, so i was pratically unhittable because people couldnt tell wherre my targets were located. i like russian laser tag more than american, you have 1 round, its 10 minutes, but you can run if you want, just not fast, unlike in american where its always walk. and the people in russian laser tag, blasted out loud everywhere linkin park - "Numb" through out the entire arena. so you can imagine me and my mind "one of my favorite songs, my favorite game, my last time playing it in Russia, go out with a bang" and i did. out of all 10 players, i was 2nd. and for the first time in my life, our team won laser tag. i had 38 kills, the guy infront of me had 88. the guy behind me, 12. another reason i like russian laser tagm, is because when you shoot a person, they sta dead for a bit. its like you actually shoot them in real life. you can duck behind barriers and blind fire. you hit a person, thy cant fire for 5 or so seconds, like you got the in real life. its not like magic mountain where you need to reload and can get shot 50 or so times. in russian laser tag, theres infinite ammo. i LOVE it!!!! after the game, we were all sweaty and went to eat korean food called bibin bam? i still dont know its name, but it was really good. then we went bowling, where the other team whipped out butts all over the floor. at the end of the day, my friends gave me a bible, and said that the best way to learn a language, was to read the bible in your own language, and compare it with the one in a differet language. in regular books, they reword things, but in the bible, the text is 100% accurate, as the meaning cant be changed in anyway. my church friends even started to call me at random days before i left sakhalin. making me feel really sad to have to leave them. i gave them all OSU t shirts as gifts. on the 25th of may, we had the last day of school. which served as more of a symbolic victory for me, as my grades here dont count. but it was nice to graduate from school. all the girls were crying, and at the concert, we and my friends had to dance in front of the entire school for our redubbed song. the concert was actually really good to see, and i couldnt help but think that the final song. "goodbye sweet home, first gymansia" was a bit for me, as the next day i left. well the tie came, my last day on sakhalin. howd i spend it? despite their wants, i got my host family a gift, which i didnt see them receive because they werent home, and i was late for a meeting with the brazilian student. the brazilin student, our friend nastya, and i went to see pirates of the carribean on strange shores. which i presonally tought was not interesting, as theres really no point as to why they would make it. after this,i quickly left for the airport.
my host father couldnt stay for long, and left me in the airport alone for sometime, as part of our plan. then to my surprise, there came some of my classmates. my man feidns and some girls came to see me off, along with some rotrians, and the french girl's family. about 10 or so people in all. they all had sad faces but wanted the best foer me, knew that i had to go. carried my 50 kilogram bags to he registration, and when they asked me if i wanted to go to the store, wouldnt let me pay for anything. then gave me gifts to remember them. my club presidet gave me an expensive japanese character made of glass, that means happiness. s they hope that i take happiness with me where ever i go. the frenc girls family gave me a mug and a russian hat. my english student ladimor, gave me a keychain for my phone, and expensive shaolin monk cross, and also expensive showboarding goggles. and my one of my friends gave me an item so vlauable, that he never gave to anybody else befor besides his daughter. and whe i shoped it to someone. they stared at it and showed it to their daughter because "she might never see one lik it again". when my time came, we took pictures, then i went through security, and while walking down the stairs, took one look at the frinds who have been with me since the very beginning, who made me laugh and helped me ins chool when we didnt know what to do. in the plane to vladivostok, i took one ast look at my town, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia. as it faded in the distance, it fnally hit me then, just who i had left back there that day. but soon another thing hit me, that i was going to live in Nahodka, Russia. when i arrived, my new host mother met me and we droe 2 or so hours home from the airpor, we really got to know eachother in the car. in my room, i have my own computer, so i can learn japanese better now. and today we will meet the exchange students and spend 2 days in a camp to relax by the ocean. when they go to the conference soon, they will bring back more students who will live here. it will be a big roary bash in june for me and 6 other exchange students, concerts and joyful reunions, followed by sadful departured.
as for me, my first departure today will be a dream. its 2am here. and today i have to rest for my relaxation with friends.
good bye Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk! you were small, but put up a fight to keep me, but sometimes you lose.
not a lot of people can say that theyve lived ona russian island, well im one of them now.
The former Japanese/Russia island, located above japan, has an inpressive korean majority. is behind me now
for the 9th of may celebration, our class went to the house of one of our classmates, Katya. and we plplaced flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers on the parade site. i had to however leave this party early as i had to teach english at this time also. the next day, i received a package, and i quickly see how russian post takes notes from pakistan in how to hunt for what someone needs (in relation to osama bin laden of course) "its not here, your package isnt here, its over there" "osama is not here, hes over there" "oh what do you know... its right here" "way to go russian post. the package i got was my book, which i need to read to finish an english course in taking in the states, i quickly finished it, and completed the course as quick as i could.
the next day, i am glad to say that japan took the stage. i went to a japanese exhibition in the library, and i met some japanese natives, who thought i was russian until the librarians told them that i was the american exchange student, (guess my russian was fine that day, i fooled the interpriter for the colsulate) the exhibition was put on by the japanese consulate, and they showed some toys and d honored the japanese holiday "day of kids" and the local tv station wanted to speak to me about japan (right down my alley) so i talked about my gozilla collection, how i always wanted japan, my love for japan for 13 years. and when i returned home, i saw myself on the TV (again) in yuzhno, this time i recorded myself and have proof, but the audio is so soft that its hard to hear. i also heard that my english student Vladimor, received a level 5 on his speaking test. which is really great because its the most important part of the language to ger, guess im a great teacher also? haha.
so my friends and i started to play Basketball after school in the gym. or school gym room. its always fun to play basketball in russia, maybe ill continue in the states when i return now that ive honed my skills. i remember how me and my friend daniel, just the 2 of us, beat a team of 3 people against us. can you say defense!?
speaking of sports, my student Vladimor, invited me to his sports center on sakhalin. his company (exxon) (yes that exxon) gived him the sports center to relax and play sports in, and he can take 10 friends with him. we played on the weight achines, treadmils, then went to the sauna and then played basketball a bit, where i showed how many 3 pointers i could shoot :).. then we went to the cafe where the chefs made us some real, long waited, american pizza :) the best in 8 months that i have ever tasted. i also got to meet some of his friends, who were very impressed to see a 17 year old american in the middle of a russian secret sports gym, who learned russian and was giving an english lesson.. im totally not a spy. aslo while there, i saw a new england patriots jacket. GO PATS!
in school we had the 1000 days until the sochi 2014 olympic games, and also a miny olympic games session. i had to judge tennis, which i said that i didnt know how to do, and still say, i dont know how to do! our school also then was preparing for the final day, known as the last bell. the kids prepare a concert for the teachers and administration, its very funny to do and see. in russia, you can express yourself a lot better than you can in the US without fear of being judged, and the only judgement happens when you blow up at the fact of what you did, so the only way to hurt yourself is to hate what you did.
a few days passed, and i went to a rotary/japanese concert. where i met karsakov club again. my karsakov family, the japanese again, and the brazilian student who lives in karsakov. while our japanese rotarian conducted an orchestra. it was long, but worth it for Japan. on sunday, it was my last day with my friends i met through my korean family. thursday i would leave sakhalin because of family issues. so on sunday, after church 9whic i couldnt go t because i had repirtion for last bell) we went to citi moll, and played laser tag, i got on some good clothes, as i wanted to make sure my enemy knew who it was who shot him in the dark with a laser. but wanted to be stealthy for my only (and maybe last) russian laser tag game, little did i know about my outfit, and its surprises. i stepped into the rin, and lit up like a sore thumb. everyone joked, as the ligh was neon and i had light blue colors. i thought i would lose miserably, but then i was put onto the bluw team.. the light bluw team, and in russian laser tag, you need to hit the target, not the persons bady, so i was pratically unhittable because people couldnt tell wherre my targets were located. i like russian laser tag more than american, you have 1 round, its 10 minutes, but you can run if you want, just not fast, unlike in american where its always walk. and the people in russian laser tag, blasted out loud everywhere linkin park - "Numb" through out the entire arena. so you can imagine me and my mind "one of my favorite songs, my favorite game, my last time playing it in Russia, go out with a bang" and i did. out of all 10 players, i was 2nd. and for the first time in my life, our team won laser tag. i had 38 kills, the guy infront of me had 88. the guy behind me, 12. another reason i like russian laser tagm, is because when you shoot a person, they sta dead for a bit. its like you actually shoot them in real life. you can duck behind barriers and blind fire. you hit a person, thy cant fire for 5 or so seconds, like you got the in real life. its not like magic mountain where you need to reload and can get shot 50 or so times. in russian laser tag, theres infinite ammo. i LOVE it!!!! after the game, we were all sweaty and went to eat korean food called bibin bam? i still dont know its name, but it was really good. then we went bowling, where the other team whipped out butts all over the floor. at the end of the day, my friends gave me a bible, and said that the best way to learn a language, was to read the bible in your own language, and compare it with the one in a differet language. in regular books, they reword things, but in the bible, the text is 100% accurate, as the meaning cant be changed in anyway. my church friends even started to call me at random days before i left sakhalin. making me feel really sad to have to leave them. i gave them all OSU t shirts as gifts. on the 25th of may, we had the last day of school. which served as more of a symbolic victory for me, as my grades here dont count. but it was nice to graduate from school. all the girls were crying, and at the concert, we and my friends had to dance in front of the entire school for our redubbed song. the concert was actually really good to see, and i couldnt help but think that the final song. "goodbye sweet home, first gymansia" was a bit for me, as the next day i left. well the tie came, my last day on sakhalin. howd i spend it? despite their wants, i got my host family a gift, which i didnt see them receive because they werent home, and i was late for a meeting with the brazilian student. the brazilin student, our friend nastya, and i went to see pirates of the carribean on strange shores. which i presonally tought was not interesting, as theres really no point as to why they would make it. after this,i quickly left for the airport.
my host father couldnt stay for long, and left me in the airport alone for sometime, as part of our plan. then to my surprise, there came some of my classmates. my man feidns and some girls came to see me off, along with some rotrians, and the french girl's family. about 10 or so people in all. they all had sad faces but wanted the best foer me, knew that i had to go. carried my 50 kilogram bags to he registration, and when they asked me if i wanted to go to the store, wouldnt let me pay for anything. then gave me gifts to remember them. my club presidet gave me an expensive japanese character made of glass, that means happiness. s they hope that i take happiness with me where ever i go. the frenc girls family gave me a mug and a russian hat. my english student ladimor, gave me a keychain for my phone, and expensive shaolin monk cross, and also expensive showboarding goggles. and my one of my friends gave me an item so vlauable, that he never gave to anybody else befor besides his daughter. and whe i shoped it to someone. they stared at it and showed it to their daughter because "she might never see one lik it again". when my time came, we took pictures, then i went through security, and while walking down the stairs, took one look at the frinds who have been with me since the very beginning, who made me laugh and helped me ins chool when we didnt know what to do. in the plane to vladivostok, i took one ast look at my town, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia. as it faded in the distance, it fnally hit me then, just who i had left back there that day. but soon another thing hit me, that i was going to live in Nahodka, Russia. when i arrived, my new host mother met me and we droe 2 or so hours home from the airpor, we really got to know eachother in the car. in my room, i have my own computer, so i can learn japanese better now. and today we will meet the exchange students and spend 2 days in a camp to relax by the ocean. when they go to the conference soon, they will bring back more students who will live here. it will be a big roary bash in june for me and 6 other exchange students, concerts and joyful reunions, followed by sadful departured.
as for me, my first departure today will be a dream. its 2am here. and today i have to rest for my relaxation with friends.
good bye Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk! you were small, but put up a fight to keep me, but sometimes you lose.
not a lot of people can say that theyve lived ona russian island, well im one of them now.
The former Japanese/Russia island, located above japan, has an inpressive korean majority. is behind me now
Monday, May 9, 2011
8 months already?
So how are we all suppose to feel for the first time in 7 months after tasting civilization? Like were tired? Yea, after talking with some of the other students, we all agreed that were all different after our trip to Moscow and Peter. How life slowly started to readjust itself. I felt this also when I arrived from Moscow. It felt as if life wasn’t the same as beforу
So after our rotary meeting, my clothes arrived, and I was told that I would go my my possible last family on Sakhalin. Well at rotary, we had out happy dollar. And as recent news, I decided to give 100rubles (actually about 3-4 dollars) for my brother, Ryan. When it became my turn, unlike the others, I stood up, and said. “This is to my brother ryan, who received free college in Ohio State University, the best school in our state. And for 6 weeks, he will be in MSU, Moscow State University (debatably the best school in Russia), to study Russian. The entire rotary club erupts in applause.. Ryan, You’re welcome ;)
I moved into my new (and 5th) family on Sakhalin. Some first notes about my family. The father, oleg, very kind and nice, has already allowed me to address him in the Russian formal version and not polite like I had always done with my previous families. The daughter, 14 years old, named dasha, and the wife, nina. Within a few days, I saw that unlike most host families, my key to survival in this one, was friendship with the host father. Within the first 2 days in my family, it was my host sister’s birthday, so we invited some family friends over and celebrated. I gave her a bear for her bday, as i didn’t know her well enough to risk something else, so I played it safe. So as always, we have English club in the library usually a few times a week. Thanks to the club ive been able to talk about rotary and America. Yet this time, I wasn’t speaking, I was observing, as a british man told us about his work in Sakhalin. The topic was difficult but it was all he had at the time. I surprised him when I spoke English because he didn’t expect any fluent native speakers in the audience, and when I spoke his eyes looked at me differently and said “you don’t sound Russian” “yea I know, all my friends taunt me about that. They say “aaron, you’ve made great efforts to speak Russian, but you sound like the most American person in the world when you do” he laughed, and then had to leave, I didn’t get much time to talk with him. But I got time to talk with some more familiar people. My friends ive met who work off shore for exxon gas. Who was just recently released from his job, he was happy to see me. And a new friend named vladimor, who arrived specially from habarovck (Russian trader city. Also where my host family is from) especially to learn English. But he didn’t know who to help him outside of class. So he came to me. He said that if I can teach him english, he will be able to land a job with exxon, and earn enough money to support his family, and he would be very grateful. So I agreed, although my record in landing people with jobs in Russia with help in english is 0-1. I must always say yes. When I went home, the father held a surprise for me.. it was his birthday! And nobody told me. He invited his son over, and we instantly became friends over one topic, online gaming. We talked about my game “Guild Wars” and his “World of Warcraft”.. fierce rivals. But we had fun discussing the differences between the two and the other games we played.
So while I was reading the blogs of the other students, I got inspired to do something that they almost all were doing. And that was to pick up a second language while on their exchange. The other seemed to pick up French, well I decided to pick up my old friend and heart breaker, Japanese once again. I studied Japanese in the US for 8 months, but when I got Russia, I had to give up my studies, I remember how I couldn’t form one sentence, and how frustrated I got with the writing system and grammer structure. And how much easier Russian seemed when I got to learning it. Well now that im older and more mature, I can see the bigger differences between these 2 languages. Russian writing system has absolutely no way in anyone believing that its harder than Japanese. In Russian there are approx. 33 letters, half of which are roman and the other half are different shapes, with 2 letters which change the soft or hard soundings of words. In japanese, the meain writing system consists of 3 sets, hiragana, katanana, and kanji. Hiragana and katagana take separate shaoes but some sounds, each are used in different situations. Yet in one set alone there are about 40 or 50, (much harder to write than Russian letters) characters, then on top of that, they steal half of the Chinese characters, which is known as kanji. In all, it beats Russian writing. But Russian grammar, is probably the richest in the world, all nice and pretty, everytime new amazing things, adding to the complexity. Russian grammer destroys japanese grammer with ease. Although I still couldn’t form one sentence by myself in japanese after 8 months, and in Russian, I could after 2. To help my japanese, I got 50 giga bites of the language on a hard drive from a teacher, along with some culture notes and videos of castles and Kyoto, the city in which I would like to live in, the second capital of Japan is extremely beautiful. Compared to when I first tried to study japanese, its going along better, I still have my rosetta stone, but at home. So here im just focusing on remembering how to read, and thanks to japanese industry, I can read the japanese on trucks that pass by outside on the streets. I have probably learned over 100 characers already, but like I said, its nothing.
So my friends have been the force keeping me smiling in Russia it seems. They introduced to me, a new game. Called the “I” game. People stand in a circle and say I in turn. If you laugh, they add a name onto you. The more names, the funnier it gets, to the point where you cant remember all of them and you mess up saying stupid names and they have to restart all over again because it gets un fair.. best game in Russia, it beats the body beating one that karsakov club showed me. So my other friends, in the Korean church (which I still go to even though I don’t live with the Koreans anymore) held their easter service, as I forgot, it was easter. In Russia they give out little cakes and crack eggs against eachother, the ones’ whose breaks, loses. After my friends did performances, we went to a concert, where all the churches in the city sang about religion. Im agnostic, there by not a Christian, but it was nice to still be with people who accept me better then the others. There we also met people who arrived from the USA!! Also, but I don’t think they were native, as when I introduced myself to them, they didn’t know the word “exchange student”.
So for the first time I got to teach english to older people, mostly by talking and letting them hog the conversation and I correct them. My student brought his old tests and we went through them and corrected mistakes. He also showed me a very interesting method of learning english. You place 6 pictures in a story, then you select your english tense (which I now know hehe) and try to tell the story in only that tense, seems easy, but its actually very hard to do. Towards the end, he told me more about his work and life. How he arrived here and has been here for 6 months, and how the teachers teach the kids like they’re their kids. As he greatly speaks english for only learning it 6 months. At the end, he asks me for my age, and when I say 17. As usual, the answer is “I thought you were 24” but he gave me the compliment “you are very VERY smart for your age” made me feel good
So on the 27th of april, it was the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl, in the Ukraine. Not really significant, but with fukushima acting up, it made people think quite a bit. Weird how my mom was in Germany right after Chernobyl, and 25 years later, her sin is in Russia right after fukushima.. so close to the blasts, each of us were. On a side note, Russia totally copies the US. Recently the militia has been renamed the police, and for years they have instated government exams which were instated in the US also. All the civilians know it. So I now have a Russian tutor, sorts. Its my english student who I teach usually on Saturdays, weve agreed to split our classes into Russian and english, to help both os us. And he can (legally) sneak me into secret facilities in the local park, because his company gave him the park and he can take 10 friends. Teaching english rocks! I only wish I was good at english but its enough to quote “really help out with speech”
So again, my church friends have struck with kindness, and after a Sunday service, treated me to a bread factory, like great harvest in Westerville, only seemingly better. Called windmill (translated). And after that, we went to go see Pio in the theatre. It and gulliever’s travels, are probably the most understandable movies I have seen in Russia. So I enjoyed myself. The next day, kindness struck again as they invited me to my Korean host father’s country house. Of course for the 3rd week in a row, it snowed (first time in my city there is snow in may) we still had a blast. I felt so stupid when the Koreans all spoke in Korean and (I think) said “let us pray” and everone broke out into loud praying, and im standing there clueless staring at an entire room full of loudly praying Koreans… I got it on camera. I have a translator, well 2.. Korean to Russian, and because they wanted to make sure that I would understand everything, they gave me Russian to english. But the lady took too long to translate and got cut off by the praying so I never heard it. This happened to me 5 times that day.. by the 3rd, I said, “what else can I pray for?.. god bless my socks?” I was really confused. But soon after, we ate a ton of meat, shish kabobs and friend meet. I loved those hours of just sitting, talking, and eating meet around a fireplace. I ate so much that I went home and couldn’t eat dinner. When I got home on the 2ND of MAY. I heard the news, Osama Bin laden had been killed in Pakistan. The rest of the day the biggest grin was on my face. And I watched the news the entire night. Every time Obama spoke, I smiled and I couldn’t help but chant out with the crowds on the TV, broadcasted through the British BBC. My host father couldn’t believe the news and asked me if I was mistaken. Sure his death won’t end the war, Within the next couple of days, I went with more friends and to see a movie about cars and people taking money, I don’t know the English name.. It was in rio de jinero. And my class prepared a party on the 9th of may.. in Russia its Victory day. Everyone in Russia loves this day, as it’s the day they beat the Germans in the great patriotic war, Russians really place high emphasis on their second front which forced Hitler to fight on 2 sides of Europe.
So after our rotary meeting, my clothes arrived, and I was told that I would go my my possible last family on Sakhalin. Well at rotary, we had out happy dollar. And as recent news, I decided to give 100rubles (actually about 3-4 dollars) for my brother, Ryan. When it became my turn, unlike the others, I stood up, and said. “This is to my brother ryan, who received free college in Ohio State University, the best school in our state. And for 6 weeks, he will be in MSU, Moscow State University (debatably the best school in Russia), to study Russian. The entire rotary club erupts in applause.. Ryan, You’re welcome ;)
I moved into my new (and 5th) family on Sakhalin. Some first notes about my family. The father, oleg, very kind and nice, has already allowed me to address him in the Russian formal version and not polite like I had always done with my previous families. The daughter, 14 years old, named dasha, and the wife, nina. Within a few days, I saw that unlike most host families, my key to survival in this one, was friendship with the host father. Within the first 2 days in my family, it was my host sister’s birthday, so we invited some family friends over and celebrated. I gave her a bear for her bday, as i didn’t know her well enough to risk something else, so I played it safe. So as always, we have English club in the library usually a few times a week. Thanks to the club ive been able to talk about rotary and America. Yet this time, I wasn’t speaking, I was observing, as a british man told us about his work in Sakhalin. The topic was difficult but it was all he had at the time. I surprised him when I spoke English because he didn’t expect any fluent native speakers in the audience, and when I spoke his eyes looked at me differently and said “you don’t sound Russian” “yea I know, all my friends taunt me about that. They say “aaron, you’ve made great efforts to speak Russian, but you sound like the most American person in the world when you do” he laughed, and then had to leave, I didn’t get much time to talk with him. But I got time to talk with some more familiar people. My friends ive met who work off shore for exxon gas. Who was just recently released from his job, he was happy to see me. And a new friend named vladimor, who arrived specially from habarovck (Russian trader city. Also where my host family is from) especially to learn English. But he didn’t know who to help him outside of class. So he came to me. He said that if I can teach him english, he will be able to land a job with exxon, and earn enough money to support his family, and he would be very grateful. So I agreed, although my record in landing people with jobs in Russia with help in english is 0-1. I must always say yes. When I went home, the father held a surprise for me.. it was his birthday! And nobody told me. He invited his son over, and we instantly became friends over one topic, online gaming. We talked about my game “Guild Wars” and his “World of Warcraft”.. fierce rivals. But we had fun discussing the differences between the two and the other games we played.
So while I was reading the blogs of the other students, I got inspired to do something that they almost all were doing. And that was to pick up a second language while on their exchange. The other seemed to pick up French, well I decided to pick up my old friend and heart breaker, Japanese once again. I studied Japanese in the US for 8 months, but when I got Russia, I had to give up my studies, I remember how I couldn’t form one sentence, and how frustrated I got with the writing system and grammer structure. And how much easier Russian seemed when I got to learning it. Well now that im older and more mature, I can see the bigger differences between these 2 languages. Russian writing system has absolutely no way in anyone believing that its harder than Japanese. In Russian there are approx. 33 letters, half of which are roman and the other half are different shapes, with 2 letters which change the soft or hard soundings of words. In japanese, the meain writing system consists of 3 sets, hiragana, katanana, and kanji. Hiragana and katagana take separate shaoes but some sounds, each are used in different situations. Yet in one set alone there are about 40 or 50, (much harder to write than Russian letters) characters, then on top of that, they steal half of the Chinese characters, which is known as kanji. In all, it beats Russian writing. But Russian grammar, is probably the richest in the world, all nice and pretty, everytime new amazing things, adding to the complexity. Russian grammer destroys japanese grammer with ease. Although I still couldn’t form one sentence by myself in japanese after 8 months, and in Russian, I could after 2. To help my japanese, I got 50 giga bites of the language on a hard drive from a teacher, along with some culture notes and videos of castles and Kyoto, the city in which I would like to live in, the second capital of Japan is extremely beautiful. Compared to when I first tried to study japanese, its going along better, I still have my rosetta stone, but at home. So here im just focusing on remembering how to read, and thanks to japanese industry, I can read the japanese on trucks that pass by outside on the streets. I have probably learned over 100 characers already, but like I said, its nothing.
So my friends have been the force keeping me smiling in Russia it seems. They introduced to me, a new game. Called the “I” game. People stand in a circle and say I in turn. If you laugh, they add a name onto you. The more names, the funnier it gets, to the point where you cant remember all of them and you mess up saying stupid names and they have to restart all over again because it gets un fair.. best game in Russia, it beats the body beating one that karsakov club showed me. So my other friends, in the Korean church (which I still go to even though I don’t live with the Koreans anymore) held their easter service, as I forgot, it was easter. In Russia they give out little cakes and crack eggs against eachother, the ones’ whose breaks, loses. After my friends did performances, we went to a concert, where all the churches in the city sang about religion. Im agnostic, there by not a Christian, but it was nice to still be with people who accept me better then the others. There we also met people who arrived from the USA!! Also, but I don’t think they were native, as when I introduced myself to them, they didn’t know the word “exchange student”.
So for the first time I got to teach english to older people, mostly by talking and letting them hog the conversation and I correct them. My student brought his old tests and we went through them and corrected mistakes. He also showed me a very interesting method of learning english. You place 6 pictures in a story, then you select your english tense (which I now know hehe) and try to tell the story in only that tense, seems easy, but its actually very hard to do. Towards the end, he told me more about his work and life. How he arrived here and has been here for 6 months, and how the teachers teach the kids like they’re their kids. As he greatly speaks english for only learning it 6 months. At the end, he asks me for my age, and when I say 17. As usual, the answer is “I thought you were 24” but he gave me the compliment “you are very VERY smart for your age” made me feel good
So on the 27th of april, it was the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl, in the Ukraine. Not really significant, but with fukushima acting up, it made people think quite a bit. Weird how my mom was in Germany right after Chernobyl, and 25 years later, her sin is in Russia right after fukushima.. so close to the blasts, each of us were. On a side note, Russia totally copies the US. Recently the militia has been renamed the police, and for years they have instated government exams which were instated in the US also. All the civilians know it. So I now have a Russian tutor, sorts. Its my english student who I teach usually on Saturdays, weve agreed to split our classes into Russian and english, to help both os us. And he can (legally) sneak me into secret facilities in the local park, because his company gave him the park and he can take 10 friends. Teaching english rocks! I only wish I was good at english but its enough to quote “really help out with speech”
So again, my church friends have struck with kindness, and after a Sunday service, treated me to a bread factory, like great harvest in Westerville, only seemingly better. Called windmill (translated). And after that, we went to go see Pio in the theatre. It and gulliever’s travels, are probably the most understandable movies I have seen in Russia. So I enjoyed myself. The next day, kindness struck again as they invited me to my Korean host father’s country house. Of course for the 3rd week in a row, it snowed (first time in my city there is snow in may) we still had a blast. I felt so stupid when the Koreans all spoke in Korean and (I think) said “let us pray” and everone broke out into loud praying, and im standing there clueless staring at an entire room full of loudly praying Koreans… I got it on camera. I have a translator, well 2.. Korean to Russian, and because they wanted to make sure that I would understand everything, they gave me Russian to english. But the lady took too long to translate and got cut off by the praying so I never heard it. This happened to me 5 times that day.. by the 3rd, I said, “what else can I pray for?.. god bless my socks?” I was really confused. But soon after, we ate a ton of meat, shish kabobs and friend meet. I loved those hours of just sitting, talking, and eating meet around a fireplace. I ate so much that I went home and couldn’t eat dinner. When I got home on the 2ND of MAY. I heard the news, Osama Bin laden had been killed in Pakistan. The rest of the day the biggest grin was on my face. And I watched the news the entire night. Every time Obama spoke, I smiled and I couldn’t help but chant out with the crowds on the TV, broadcasted through the British BBC. My host father couldn’t believe the news and asked me if I was mistaken. Sure his death won’t end the war, Within the next couple of days, I went with more friends and to see a movie about cars and people taking money, I don’t know the English name.. It was in rio de jinero. And my class prepared a party on the 9th of may.. in Russia its Victory day. Everyone in Russia loves this day, as it’s the day they beat the Germans in the great patriotic war, Russians really place high emphasis on their second front which forced Hitler to fight on 2 sides of Europe.
Friday, April 15, 2011
the first taste of civilization in 7 months
So thanks to my friend here tamapa, I was able to find snowboarding classes. She was nice enough to take me to the place and snow me where to get the classes. I really owe her, it remeinds me that the Russian nation has really great kids, even when they don’t really know you they’re still willing to help. While on that hill we met some Americans!!! How I knew?? They were black. Yea in Russia its that easy.. really. They were from New York and were doing a jazz concert the next day. There a women was also from the US. And when I said that I was with rotary, she asked me why we didn’t meet in Vladivostok.. I responded “what do you mean?” this was all the time I had before their shuttle went down the hill. It was also amazing to me, as when I first met the Americans. I spoke in Russian. As I so rarely spoke English in yuzhno. So within the next days we had another English club, about global media which would be done by the Vladivostok consulate. So when I walk into the room of the presentation I see a women who asks me “why didn’t you go to the concert?” as it’s the same women who I meet on the sloped days before! Then she explains why she was surprised we didn’t meet in Vladivostok, because shes a member of the consulate there, along with jon yu another member of the consulate I meet earlier. But this consulate worker was the came worker who meet Greg Miller in Russia last year. Now shes meeting his successor in yuzhno. What a coincidence! After this discussion, she did her presentation on global media, which was probably one of the best presentations ive seen ever. After the presentation. I was given free jazz music. And a ride home, which I liked really as I lived far and it was dark. The consulate urged me to register with them but my mom already did that she says. On the next day, my church friends invited me to a bible study. So for a few hours we ate pizza and read stories about Solomon who decided to cut the baby in 2 for each mother in order to find the true mother. After that, I had my first snowboard class. On the last day of school. I got to skip school. My instructor taught me how to stop and turn. Which was really all I needed. But the classes are expensive, so I was only able top have one. After the snowboard class when I was walking to return my gear, people from Russian radio station avto radio stopped me to interview me about the news in japan. Of course I wasn’t really prepared for it after the hill kicking my butt and it being a sulky day, but I still said yes and was interviewed and put on national radio. Before I left, my instructor said that Vladimir putin would be in Sakhalin soon, on this very hill. I was happy to see it but doubted I would meet him. Yet when I was walking home, I saw a line of cars drive past all escorted by police. Maybe a total of 15 cars. It wasn’t hard to guess that it was putin who drove 40 feet by me.. oh how I hate that I forgot my camera. On the holidays I was eating with my family and they invited a person in. my host father then tried in english to introduce him. “he is nahhth.. nauthh.” Me “nawth? Whats is nawth?” host father: “no.. nauth, nauth..” me again” nauth? North? North!?” “yes.. he north Korean” I met my first person from north Korean!! And I got to work with him also. So I can say that ive worked with north Koreans. That same day me and friends went to see the movies, we saw battle for las angeles. And played American billiards. Of course I had the experience advantage and my team always won.. so ha!
The next day we wetn bowling and I put up 7 strikes in a row. I would of gone farther but some people cheated and threw by ball for me.. I still won though. When we went to stores, the clerks asked me to dance like Michael Jackson. So in front of clients in the middle of a store I danced to billie jean by Michael Jackson only in Russia. The next day we sung karaoke and I founf my favorite band lubeh on the karaoke and sung all their songs. Along with some American songs. So where was the taste of civilization that I tasted? Was it the orientation on the 25th in Vladivostok? Maybe. When we arrived in vladi, our Sakhalin group was the last to arrive because our flight was delayed. We arrived at night and met all the exchange students and high Rotarians. The orientation also had the outbounds. Most of them went to brazil, we also had out first students to mexico in the history of Russia, first to germany, and 2 to USA. With of course more who were sent to other countries. At the orientation I asked what we would do about the presentatrions we were asked to do that we were assigned. And then I was set up and told to do my presentatrion on Moscow. We also planned a surprise for Tatiana, the district chair. We gave her cards of us all and signed them. She liked them so much that she cried. The next day one of our students had an issue, and was told to make a apology to the rotary. But the student was in his first week in Russia, so I offered to help him saying that I will be his lawyer. And we had a 5 second fake little trial where I stated my defense infront of the rotary and made them laugh so hard that they accepted his apology and got it recorded on their phones. Victory I guess? We then were shown a tour of Vladivostok, a port city which borders north korea in russia’s far east. It was huge.
So Vladivostok wasn’t the taste of civilization which I meet. The next day we sent off on the airport… for Moscow.
In the airport, Tatiana li dinzi told me that if my new family doesn’t turn out, or if I still get switched, then I contact her and I can stay with a family they found in nahodka, Russia. So I have my family issue solved either yuzhno or nahodka will be my home. In the airport, the Brazilians loved to dance brazilian dances around our luggage. Making everyone stare at us. It was worth it though. I had to bring more then I wanted as I was suppose to find my German uncle in Moscow, but it was not successful. So after our 9 hour flight we arrived in Moscow and the hype of Moscow was met when we say familiar names of companies. “mcdonalds, Citibank, subway, etc” after we put our stuff in the hotel. We went to get dinner, the leaders went to a couple shops and when they found nothing good, they sighed and said “lets go to mcdonalds…” we all cheared and I ate my first mcdonalds in 7 months. It was scary as they had security checks infront of it. And next to mcdonalds, was KFC. After mcdonalds, we visited a monastery where photos weren’t allowed, we dditn know the name of it also.
The next day in Moscow, we visited the Moscow kremlin, and say the house of the president and his army. Then we had lunch and went to red square and say st. basils cathedral. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of it. We also played some American football.. I caught 2 touchdown passes on red square. But apparently you aren’t allowed to do anything non Russian on red square. So the police broke us up, and the Brazilians with the Brazilian flag. Within hours we were in taganskaya station, a famous Moscow metro used in my favorite bands song. Moscow has the beautifulest metros in the world. We took it to see the famous street “Arbat” where we all stormed the shops and bought funny tshirts. And I saw hard rock café Moscow. We also saw the resting place of all the Russian tsars.
On the 2nd full day in Moscow, we say more monuments and spend 7 house in a mall in Moscow waiting for our train to Petersburg. In the mall I ate my first cinnabon in a year and got my Taiwanese friends hooked on it. I forgot to mention that in Moscow I hung out with the Taiwanese more then anyone, they’re very awesome. At 1 am we all boarded the train to st Petersburg. 2 days in Moscow, 8 in peter. In the train we had 3rd class seats, not an issue for most people, but seeing as im the biggest exchange student in Russia, I had issues as you can tell.
When we got off the train at peter, we were met by our guide and went to eat breakfast. Then we saw the resting place of peter the great and say an old battle ship used during the Russian war with Japan. Im surprised it survived as the Japanese navy completely destroyed the Russian navy in the war. We spend the rest of the time looking at more monuments even a cathedral that looks like the one on red square. But is not as beautiful
2nd day in peter we say the biggest street in the city, nevckii prospect, which had other recognizable names “pizza hut, burger king, citi bank again, and more I can’t remember. We also then went inside the look alike cathedral I talked about earlier. That night, the people who were older then 18 were allowed to go to a night club, while the rest slept
The next day we went to the tsar’s village, where the tsar stayed during the summer. It was recently ben renamed after Alexander Pushkin. But the entire group was tired and the rest of the day everyone slept from the late night
The next day we went to see a Russian church and met the head pope of the Russian orthodox church. Then the group split up into 2 parts, those who wanted to see a ballet, and those who wanted to see a zoology museum. I choose to see the museum. And I didnt regret it really. After the museum we went to a shopping mall and I decided to ask the members of citi bank if they knew where their main competitor/my bank “chase” was located. “hey so do you know this bank…. Chase? “chase? No.. is it a finnish bank?” “no, its American… infact its your main competitor.” “really? I never in my entire life have heard about chase bank” “crap…” I thought. My bank which I know is in st Petersburg and Moscow, decided to play disappear on me.
The next day in Petersburg, we had free. So we went to a waterpark. Normally im afraid of water, but not here as everyone loved the st. Petersburg park. Even going down their whirlpool tunnel into water. That evening, we signed each others flags in the hall. I would of let them sign the american flag. But only the creator of the flag may sign a flag, and the pride of my nation here rises higher then anything. I cant remember how many Brazilian flags I signed that night.
The next day we went to st. Isaacs cathedral. But not just in it.. on top of it. And we got pictures of all of st. petersburg’s main city. After this, we went to see the museum of wax figures. The museum had a display of old leaders, monsters, dinosaurs, and movie stars. All posing with my American football. Which was everywhere with me in Moscow and peter. After the museum, we had more free time in mega, where I was again with my Taiwanese friends.
2nd to last day in peter, we went to see the winter palace, (the very winter palace of the Russian revolution) and say the Hermitage museum. That night at 11 most of the group boarded into a hummer limo and we strolled the streets of Petersburg at night. It was my first time in a limo. We wanted to see the famous bridges of Petersburg, but the driver refused. We retuned home at 2 am.
The last day in peter we say petergoff. A magnificent fountain structure. Yet this time of year it was very dirty and the fountains were off. We also found some solid ice on a frozen lake that was strong enough to hold us, and we played American football again. Just me and my friends. I again caught 2 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions. That night we all sat in the corridor again and decorated flags, and gave presents to the leaders, all the girls were crying because the next day we had to leave each other, all the men didn’t cry at all, but were sad to have to leave deep down. The next day we each went to the airport, group split to 2, each to a different airport. Then there we each split again to our cities. Everytime leaving crying faces and comforting the ones in your group who were crying. When we arrived from Moscow, I was told that my host father left, and until Monday id have to live with my first family.
Moscow was a sight for sore eyes.. i absolutely loved the city, and wanted more time there. people say that petersburg is better. but its like brains vs brons, culture vs science,tradition vs sheer sive. st. petersburg VS Moscow.
The next day we wetn bowling and I put up 7 strikes in a row. I would of gone farther but some people cheated and threw by ball for me.. I still won though. When we went to stores, the clerks asked me to dance like Michael Jackson. So in front of clients in the middle of a store I danced to billie jean by Michael Jackson only in Russia. The next day we sung karaoke and I founf my favorite band lubeh on the karaoke and sung all their songs. Along with some American songs. So where was the taste of civilization that I tasted? Was it the orientation on the 25th in Vladivostok? Maybe. When we arrived in vladi, our Sakhalin group was the last to arrive because our flight was delayed. We arrived at night and met all the exchange students and high Rotarians. The orientation also had the outbounds. Most of them went to brazil, we also had out first students to mexico in the history of Russia, first to germany, and 2 to USA. With of course more who were sent to other countries. At the orientation I asked what we would do about the presentatrions we were asked to do that we were assigned. And then I was set up and told to do my presentatrion on Moscow. We also planned a surprise for Tatiana, the district chair. We gave her cards of us all and signed them. She liked them so much that she cried. The next day one of our students had an issue, and was told to make a apology to the rotary. But the student was in his first week in Russia, so I offered to help him saying that I will be his lawyer. And we had a 5 second fake little trial where I stated my defense infront of the rotary and made them laugh so hard that they accepted his apology and got it recorded on their phones. Victory I guess? We then were shown a tour of Vladivostok, a port city which borders north korea in russia’s far east. It was huge.
So Vladivostok wasn’t the taste of civilization which I meet. The next day we sent off on the airport… for Moscow.
In the airport, Tatiana li dinzi told me that if my new family doesn’t turn out, or if I still get switched, then I contact her and I can stay with a family they found in nahodka, Russia. So I have my family issue solved either yuzhno or nahodka will be my home. In the airport, the Brazilians loved to dance brazilian dances around our luggage. Making everyone stare at us. It was worth it though. I had to bring more then I wanted as I was suppose to find my German uncle in Moscow, but it was not successful. So after our 9 hour flight we arrived in Moscow and the hype of Moscow was met when we say familiar names of companies. “mcdonalds, Citibank, subway, etc” after we put our stuff in the hotel. We went to get dinner, the leaders went to a couple shops and when they found nothing good, they sighed and said “lets go to mcdonalds…” we all cheared and I ate my first mcdonalds in 7 months. It was scary as they had security checks infront of it. And next to mcdonalds, was KFC. After mcdonalds, we visited a monastery where photos weren’t allowed, we dditn know the name of it also.
The next day in Moscow, we visited the Moscow kremlin, and say the house of the president and his army. Then we had lunch and went to red square and say st. basils cathedral. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of it. We also played some American football.. I caught 2 touchdown passes on red square. But apparently you aren’t allowed to do anything non Russian on red square. So the police broke us up, and the Brazilians with the Brazilian flag. Within hours we were in taganskaya station, a famous Moscow metro used in my favorite bands song. Moscow has the beautifulest metros in the world. We took it to see the famous street “Arbat” where we all stormed the shops and bought funny tshirts. And I saw hard rock café Moscow. We also saw the resting place of all the Russian tsars.
On the 2nd full day in Moscow, we say more monuments and spend 7 house in a mall in Moscow waiting for our train to Petersburg. In the mall I ate my first cinnabon in a year and got my Taiwanese friends hooked on it. I forgot to mention that in Moscow I hung out with the Taiwanese more then anyone, they’re very awesome. At 1 am we all boarded the train to st Petersburg. 2 days in Moscow, 8 in peter. In the train we had 3rd class seats, not an issue for most people, but seeing as im the biggest exchange student in Russia, I had issues as you can tell.
When we got off the train at peter, we were met by our guide and went to eat breakfast. Then we saw the resting place of peter the great and say an old battle ship used during the Russian war with Japan. Im surprised it survived as the Japanese navy completely destroyed the Russian navy in the war. We spend the rest of the time looking at more monuments even a cathedral that looks like the one on red square. But is not as beautiful
2nd day in peter we say the biggest street in the city, nevckii prospect, which had other recognizable names “pizza hut, burger king, citi bank again, and more I can’t remember. We also then went inside the look alike cathedral I talked about earlier. That night, the people who were older then 18 were allowed to go to a night club, while the rest slept
The next day we went to the tsar’s village, where the tsar stayed during the summer. It was recently ben renamed after Alexander Pushkin. But the entire group was tired and the rest of the day everyone slept from the late night
The next day we went to see a Russian church and met the head pope of the Russian orthodox church. Then the group split up into 2 parts, those who wanted to see a ballet, and those who wanted to see a zoology museum. I choose to see the museum. And I didnt regret it really. After the museum we went to a shopping mall and I decided to ask the members of citi bank if they knew where their main competitor/my bank “chase” was located. “hey so do you know this bank…. Chase? “chase? No.. is it a finnish bank?” “no, its American… infact its your main competitor.” “really? I never in my entire life have heard about chase bank” “crap…” I thought. My bank which I know is in st Petersburg and Moscow, decided to play disappear on me.
The next day in Petersburg, we had free. So we went to a waterpark. Normally im afraid of water, but not here as everyone loved the st. Petersburg park. Even going down their whirlpool tunnel into water. That evening, we signed each others flags in the hall. I would of let them sign the american flag. But only the creator of the flag may sign a flag, and the pride of my nation here rises higher then anything. I cant remember how many Brazilian flags I signed that night.
The next day we went to st. Isaacs cathedral. But not just in it.. on top of it. And we got pictures of all of st. petersburg’s main city. After this, we went to see the museum of wax figures. The museum had a display of old leaders, monsters, dinosaurs, and movie stars. All posing with my American football. Which was everywhere with me in Moscow and peter. After the museum, we had more free time in mega, where I was again with my Taiwanese friends.
2nd to last day in peter, we went to see the winter palace, (the very winter palace of the Russian revolution) and say the Hermitage museum. That night at 11 most of the group boarded into a hummer limo and we strolled the streets of Petersburg at night. It was my first time in a limo. We wanted to see the famous bridges of Petersburg, but the driver refused. We retuned home at 2 am.
The last day in peter we say petergoff. A magnificent fountain structure. Yet this time of year it was very dirty and the fountains were off. We also found some solid ice on a frozen lake that was strong enough to hold us, and we played American football again. Just me and my friends. I again caught 2 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions. That night we all sat in the corridor again and decorated flags, and gave presents to the leaders, all the girls were crying because the next day we had to leave each other, all the men didn’t cry at all, but were sad to have to leave deep down. The next day we each went to the airport, group split to 2, each to a different airport. Then there we each split again to our cities. Everytime leaving crying faces and comforting the ones in your group who were crying. When we arrived from Moscow, I was told that my host father left, and until Monday id have to live with my first family.
Moscow was a sight for sore eyes.. i absolutely loved the city, and wanted more time there. people say that petersburg is better. but its like brains vs brons, culture vs science,tradition vs sheer sive. st. petersburg VS Moscow.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
earthuakes russian and pain
So its been sometime since my last post. But in that time I have done many things. I helped my friends at the regional library and museum on the 22nd of February. They anted me to read a book about a native Sakhalin tribe called the Uilta, and make a small presentation about what I read and help support the museum because they need endorsement for this book. So I read the book and say some words and I soon find out that the director of the museum is present in frnt of me, and she totally loved what I said about her book. After the talk I meet with her and spoke for a bit and she walked out of the conversation with all smiles. After this, I was asked to say some words for the camera in Russian. So I do this thinking its for archives in the library. Well later that night I get a call from the other exchange student here and she asks, “why are you on TV?” I go on to the tv but miss myself. My words to the camera was broadcasted in yuzhno sakhalinsk. I figured that if what I sid was totally horrible, then they wouldn’t air it. So yay me!!!
So on the 23rd of February was mans day. And the entire day people went around congratulating men for defending the country. And the girls of out class presented the men with gifts, I got Sakhalin items. And in the square, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. Tried to recruit me, and handed out free newspapers. So I took a communist newspaper as a souvenir and didn’t join.. its all I wanted. So after this, on the 25소 of February, I did a presentation at the local library where I helped ou with the book. This time the topic was about the American holiday “presidents day” I seen realized that the holiday is short. So I added in some info about famous presidents” after the presentation I was bombarded with questions and got to talk about rotary international. And a man came up to me and said that I gave an absolute great lecture about the presidents and that he had never in his time of learning about the presidents had ever seen such new info about them. The questions went on so long that the library closed and we were forced to leave. On march 2nd, the French girl and I went to karsakov for a surprise party for the Brazilian girl, as it was her bday. We plan to go in school, only its Brazilian tradition not to go to school on your bday. So we panic and go to her house and surprise her. She says that she will never forget that day. The French girl presented her with a photo album of themselves, and I gave her a Russian ushanka… as a souvenir. On the 8소 ㅐ march, was day of women. And we men planned a big surprise for our ladies. Consisting of ballons being pulled in through a window and dancing soldiers with skirts. This year the men beat the ladies . On the 10 of march, I moed into a third family, a Korean family. I still don’t know Korean culture, so im a bit cautious with what I do. On the same day, we went bowling with my rotary club. I thought it would be a good way to get an easy victory… until my club president whipped the floor with me 3 times.. the nextday I come home from school and turn on the tv so news of an earthquake that struck Japan.. at a 7.9 magnitude. With the time difference, it happened 20 minutes ago. I wtch later and thanks to news helicopter cams, I see the start of the tsunamis hit the northeast coast of japan.. literally I watched my favorite nation get trampled for hours.. I immediately call my president and ask what we can do for japan, and I go to contact with the local club of karsakov also. I am even debating visiting the Japanese consulate in the city to seek advice, but I would be important and would like a little more info on options. M friend from magadan Russia (Canadian exchange student) calls me and says “I am so glad rotary failed and didn’t send you to Russia” I see now why I got Russia and not japan. The next day, I hear news of a Japanese Chernobyl.. I watch the news and the Japanese fukushima 1 plant is now emitting radiation (current refrence) and the news says that japan must look to Russia to help as Russia is one of the only naions with experience with nuclear fallouts. And start naming similarities between Chernobyl and fukushima 1. How white smoke spew from both of them after an explosion. Only unike the USSR, the Japanese evacuated the citizens around the area. I also saw my host city on international TV. All of Russia is watching yuzhno sakhalinsk. As the tsunami had hit the kuril islands, which is my oblast (like a Russian state) so now Russia is involved. And if fukushima 1 explodes, and the wind is blowing right, my host city will be infected with nuclear radiation. Some people here think it already happened. And that the snow is nuclear… Russian humor, haha. Dmirty medvedev has dispatched Russian special forces to Sakhalin to ensure our safety. And many people here have been searching for personal Geiger counters. I for one trust japan a bit to tell us if its coming our ay.it wouldn’t look good for the Japanese to not tell Russia that radiaton is coming knowingly. Just a thought. So with international atomic disasters aside. I for the first time here I Russia, went to church. My new family are Christians. And I agreed to go to church with them. At church, which was translated from Korean to Russian. I met the youth group, kids who instantly acceted me and invited me to many events. Like snow boarding. That night we went snow boarding. I bought 5 times to go up the hill and down. I only usd one that night. It took 5 times to get up the hill for me. But if you don’t get a good way up they let you try again.
So after several failed attempts I finally got up the hill thanks to a kid I met there named alex. We soon were acquainted and he helped me ride the snowboard. I fell so much that day. I achieved perfect snowboard speed and form about 2 times. The feeling was great/ but I forgot how to stop!!! So I resorted to instincts and fell. Every time. The only time I stopped right was when I didn’t wanna stop. By the time I made it down the hill.. I was so tired that my friends that invited me and the new ones, had to hold me up for the picture. The entire endeavor took an hour to do. And my new friends, said that I am the craziest person they’ve seen
If you look closely, you see theyre holding me up. The entire night got me really interested and sore. One of the kids I met on the slope I soon found out I played basketball against “what school do you go to?” “2nd school” (we lost to them in our first game” “ohh well then lets talk nasketball” “ive played on my schools team.. and you?” “yea I played,.. im the guy who threw the ball into the wrong hoop” “I REMEMBER YOU!!!!” “geee thanks.”
After the day I made some calls and found out that theres a possibility to get lessons. So I looked up on the ent and found some places. Then when I was going home I met my class friends. 2 girls but 1 left. And we talked a bit and she decided to help me out and we went to the mountain and took pictures of my host city from the air. There we meet some Americans. I literally got off the lift, saw black people, didn’t thinkmuch and said.. theyre foreign, walked up to them and introduced myslf. And guess what? They were from NEW YORK!. In town for a jazz concert. I always love meeting Americans. I almost spoke Russian with them because I haven’t spoken English for so long. I greeted them I Russian and accidently said my state in Russian. Even when I said “mind go to English now” of curse in Russian. So we got info on lessons and soon ill have the chance to have snow boarding lessons. It’s a pay by go. So I pay for an hour and I get an instructor with me when I ski.. which remeinded me.. I need to pull out some money. Im nuclear probably here in yuzhno.. but well see within 40 years :p but medvedev has said that if the situation continues then hell evacuate all of sakhalin.. my exchange is in the hand of the wind
So on the 23rd of February was mans day. And the entire day people went around congratulating men for defending the country. And the girls of out class presented the men with gifts, I got Sakhalin items. And in the square, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. Tried to recruit me, and handed out free newspapers. So I took a communist newspaper as a souvenir and didn’t join.. its all I wanted. So after this, on the 25소 of February, I did a presentation at the local library where I helped ou with the book. This time the topic was about the American holiday “presidents day” I seen realized that the holiday is short. So I added in some info about famous presidents” after the presentation I was bombarded with questions and got to talk about rotary international. And a man came up to me and said that I gave an absolute great lecture about the presidents and that he had never in his time of learning about the presidents had ever seen such new info about them. The questions went on so long that the library closed and we were forced to leave. On march 2nd, the French girl and I went to karsakov for a surprise party for the Brazilian girl, as it was her bday. We plan to go in school, only its Brazilian tradition not to go to school on your bday. So we panic and go to her house and surprise her. She says that she will never forget that day. The French girl presented her with a photo album of themselves, and I gave her a Russian ushanka… as a souvenir. On the 8소 ㅐ march, was day of women. And we men planned a big surprise for our ladies. Consisting of ballons being pulled in through a window and dancing soldiers with skirts. This year the men beat the ladies . On the 10 of march, I moed into a third family, a Korean family. I still don’t know Korean culture, so im a bit cautious with what I do. On the same day, we went bowling with my rotary club. I thought it would be a good way to get an easy victory… until my club president whipped the floor with me 3 times.. the nextday I come home from school and turn on the tv so news of an earthquake that struck Japan.. at a 7.9 magnitude. With the time difference, it happened 20 minutes ago. I wtch later and thanks to news helicopter cams, I see the start of the tsunamis hit the northeast coast of japan.. literally I watched my favorite nation get trampled for hours.. I immediately call my president and ask what we can do for japan, and I go to contact with the local club of karsakov also. I am even debating visiting the Japanese consulate in the city to seek advice, but I would be important and would like a little more info on options. M friend from magadan Russia (Canadian exchange student) calls me and says “I am so glad rotary failed and didn’t send you to Russia” I see now why I got Russia and not japan. The next day, I hear news of a Japanese Chernobyl.. I watch the news and the Japanese fukushima 1 plant is now emitting radiation (current refrence) and the news says that japan must look to Russia to help as Russia is one of the only naions with experience with nuclear fallouts. And start naming similarities between Chernobyl and fukushima 1. How white smoke spew from both of them after an explosion. Only unike the USSR, the Japanese evacuated the citizens around the area. I also saw my host city on international TV. All of Russia is watching yuzhno sakhalinsk. As the tsunami had hit the kuril islands, which is my oblast (like a Russian state) so now Russia is involved. And if fukushima 1 explodes, and the wind is blowing right, my host city will be infected with nuclear radiation. Some people here think it already happened. And that the snow is nuclear… Russian humor, haha. Dmirty medvedev has dispatched Russian special forces to Sakhalin to ensure our safety. And many people here have been searching for personal Geiger counters. I for one trust japan a bit to tell us if its coming our ay.it wouldn’t look good for the Japanese to not tell Russia that radiaton is coming knowingly. Just a thought. So with international atomic disasters aside. I for the first time here I Russia, went to church. My new family are Christians. And I agreed to go to church with them. At church, which was translated from Korean to Russian. I met the youth group, kids who instantly acceted me and invited me to many events. Like snow boarding. That night we went snow boarding. I bought 5 times to go up the hill and down. I only usd one that night. It took 5 times to get up the hill for me. But if you don’t get a good way up they let you try again.
So after several failed attempts I finally got up the hill thanks to a kid I met there named alex. We soon were acquainted and he helped me ride the snowboard. I fell so much that day. I achieved perfect snowboard speed and form about 2 times. The feeling was great/ but I forgot how to stop!!! So I resorted to instincts and fell. Every time. The only time I stopped right was when I didn’t wanna stop. By the time I made it down the hill.. I was so tired that my friends that invited me and the new ones, had to hold me up for the picture. The entire endeavor took an hour to do. And my new friends, said that I am the craziest person they’ve seen
If you look closely, you see theyre holding me up. The entire night got me really interested and sore. One of the kids I met on the slope I soon found out I played basketball against “what school do you go to?” “2nd school” (we lost to them in our first game” “ohh well then lets talk nasketball” “ive played on my schools team.. and you?” “yea I played,.. im the guy who threw the ball into the wrong hoop” “I REMEMBER YOU!!!!” “geee thanks.”
After the day I made some calls and found out that theres a possibility to get lessons. So I looked up on the ent and found some places. Then when I was going home I met my class friends. 2 girls but 1 left. And we talked a bit and she decided to help me out and we went to the mountain and took pictures of my host city from the air. There we meet some Americans. I literally got off the lift, saw black people, didn’t thinkmuch and said.. theyre foreign, walked up to them and introduced myslf. And guess what? They were from NEW YORK!. In town for a jazz concert. I always love meeting Americans. I almost spoke Russian with them because I haven’t spoken English for so long. I greeted them I Russian and accidently said my state in Russian. Even when I said “mind go to English now” of curse in Russian. So we got info on lessons and soon ill have the chance to have snow boarding lessons. It’s a pay by go. So I pay for an hour and I get an instructor with me when I ski.. which remeinded me.. I need to pull out some money. Im nuclear probably here in yuzhno.. but well see within 40 years :p but medvedev has said that if the situation continues then hell evacuate all of sakhalin.. my exchange is in the hand of the wind
Saturday, February 19, 2011
сообщение от южного русского фронта
so some of you americans are complaining about my lack of being able to post well.. well here you go on a month long waited post. first off i would like to announce that due to issues i will not explain, i am not living in a different family then my first. as some people know, the football super bowl was on february 6th, and in order to bring my culture to russia, i brought my american footbal to my school. and inbetween class i taught my friends ow to play american football, mainly by throwing it around with them. i caught one tounchdown pass and claimed it for the Green Bay Packers! even in russia, i will not miss super bowl excitement. all my friends who have been to the US before, loved to see the ball again, the others thought "what a strane ball he has". so on the next day, my new ost mom took me to see the james cameron film "canktum" it was interesting, although i think tye topic was more suited for stephen king however. on the following day, went into my club presidnents office to give her her late christmas present, the native amerian dream cathcer "ahh thank you arron. i see you want me to not have night mares at night" "how the hell did you know bout these things!?" "ive been to the US before, i fell in love with these things over there. we do know a lot about your country aaron,, a lot" i was shocked, but happy i got the right match for the deam cathcer. so for a language segemnt, recently i have found a very effective system to get the langyage better under control. i recently baught children ussian language books, so i ;earn beginner words which i can understand, and when i see new words, i write them down and turn them into flash cards which i go through everyday and nigt before i get up and sleep, every time remembering new words that i use in conversation with my friends in school. im conversational in russian thats for sure, but it depends on the conversation, if casual daym yes, if sciencs or measurements,, definately no.so my birthay was also in this month february, and for a present, i was given chocolate, a thinking pillow (roxane <3) and a bideo about Sakhalin and a magnat. however only 5 of my class mates rememberes my birthday, the men who im friends with, and the french girl. as its hard for them to know about it necause im still new to them. to a few days ago i was informed about the arrival of an american consulate worker in karsakov russiaю so i was told that i could meet him, so my club sends me on the bus to karsakov and tells karsakov club, "hes on his way" only for karsakov club to say "umm.. hes arriving tomorrow" but it was too late to send me back. the president of karsakov club met me, and told me the news, and the club invited me to stay the night again. and guess whih family i got? the same family i had when i was in karsakov on the holidays. it was nice to come back to familar faces. so when it came for some fun, the karsakov president and me played a prank on the brazilian girl. we both went into her school and called her out of class, i hid behing a door while the president called her name. she comes out asking what happened, thinking her brazilian grandfather died and the president was giving her the news. well i pop out and say hello whats up, she feels so releived and then jumps for explinations, so we explain and then take her out from school on the last class. the class she was in was english, so i went in trying to pretend to be foreign to the teacher... didnt work too well...some peope have big amazon size mouths :p. so we went and walked aroun the town catching up on te past and whats happened since last time. the net day i meet the american, he was from seattle and looked korean. when he asks me where i was from, i say columbus/westerville ohio. he says "ohh... so around the uper arlington area" "umm.. yea.. exactly around there" he scared me a little bit. but i scared him later, after we meet with the karsakov port director. i noticed that the american was he exact same person i would of meet at the library in yuzhno, as he did a presetation the day before on valentines day. so i ask im "how was your presenttion" now he was scared, he asks why i wasnt there and i tell him bout the miss communication isues. so the american left, and lilian and i were asked to be guests at a local rotarians house, we had an ushanks party. i ended staying the night there and the next day spent with lilian again. apon my return to yuzhno, taught english, then went o rotarym where the club gave me my birtday present... PLAY BOY!....
deoderant
yes seriously, my club gave me play boy deoderant and perfume for my bday, so now i can say, my otary club has given me play boy
so news i must say, is that im not looking at my minal days of being in yuzhno sakhalinsk Russia. because my club was not able to line up host families until the end of the year, i am forced to change my city. when i was with karsakov club, i informed some members about my deprture from sakhalin after the fall oiientation in vladivistok. they say "well just come live with us" so im looking at aybe a lif in karsakov russia with my brazilian friend for the last part of my exchange. when i tried to explain tis to my friends in school. they didnt understand me,i told them 3 times on different days, each day acting surprised about the news. when it became more then clear that i would leave, i went to the english teacher.. told her in english the reasons so she could tell her the class so i know they would understand, and for a 4th time, they were surprised to hear the news.
so as for school also, i recently did my firs russian presentation, it was about the US. for the first 5 minutes i had to ask my friends to help me read what i wrote beause i couldnt, after that, i got the hang of it and it went smoothly. in that same class next week. geography, i went to take a test over the US. amd as you can see if you look at the russian cursive script (which every russian writes in) it is extremely illegiable. and i was too lazy to use my dictionary to find the words, and with my grades in russia counting for nothing. i just took the test, well the teacher grades it, and i end up with a 100% and a 5 for a mark (highest in the russian system) this is proof that i know my country, or that i can guess excellently.
so for some more relaxed news, y friends asked me to come to the library today, i go there and they want me to act for a advertisement for the library books given to them from the museum. they want me to read a book abut the native tribes of sakhalin the "Uilna" and rite some words about them for a presentation on monday. so i have now some home work to do out side of school. my riends also in the librry have given me a sakhalin mug for my birthday. thank you anna!
i was suppose to move into a new famly tomorrow, but the room is still under cnstruction. so my movement to my 3rd and final family on uzhno will be posponed.
deoderant
yes seriously, my club gave me play boy deoderant and perfume for my bday, so now i can say, my otary club has given me play boy
so news i must say, is that im not looking at my minal days of being in yuzhno sakhalinsk Russia. because my club was not able to line up host families until the end of the year, i am forced to change my city. when i was with karsakov club, i informed some members about my deprture from sakhalin after the fall oiientation in vladivistok. they say "well just come live with us" so im looking at aybe a lif in karsakov russia with my brazilian friend for the last part of my exchange. when i tried to explain tis to my friends in school. they didnt understand me,i told them 3 times on different days, each day acting surprised about the news. when it became more then clear that i would leave, i went to the english teacher.. told her in english the reasons so she could tell her the class so i know they would understand, and for a 4th time, they were surprised to hear the news.
so as for school also, i recently did my firs russian presentation, it was about the US. for the first 5 minutes i had to ask my friends to help me read what i wrote beause i couldnt, after that, i got the hang of it and it went smoothly. in that same class next week. geography, i went to take a test over the US. amd as you can see if you look at the russian cursive script (which every russian writes in) it is extremely illegiable. and i was too lazy to use my dictionary to find the words, and with my grades in russia counting for nothing. i just took the test, well the teacher grades it, and i end up with a 100% and a 5 for a mark (highest in the russian system) this is proof that i know my country, or that i can guess excellently.
so for some more relaxed news, y friends asked me to come to the library today, i go there and they want me to act for a advertisement for the library books given to them from the museum. they want me to read a book abut the native tribes of sakhalin the "Uilna" and rite some words about them for a presentation on monday. so i have now some home work to do out side of school. my riends also in the librry have given me a sakhalin mug for my birthday. thank you anna!
i was suppose to move into a new famly tomorrow, but the room is still under cnstruction. so my movement to my 3rd and final family on uzhno will be posponed.
Friday, January 21, 2011
the new years kicks off like a zebra
so its almost through the month of january and like always i barley get the chance to blog about things. sorry you can sue me later :p
so i finished out my stay in karsakov during the holidays, it was a really great town full of nice people. the club president took us to the ohotckoe sea, the coldest on sakhalin, where we stayed in a cottage and i finally got to try long waited for "sauna and snow" there you mix hot and cold temperatures by jumping in snow and then a hot sauna. after this, the brazilian girl and i went to yuzhno to ice skate and spent time with the french girl, the brazilian girl fell 8 times, the french girl, once, and me... none... my feet are canoes. while in the square in yuzhno, there were events for kids to play with and ice sculptures. while the kids were playing, a song played that made me really doubt this nation's english ability. the song was constantly saying "murder!" and the image of frolocking kids running about smiling didnt really suit it. so on the 9th, the french girl had her birthday party, we alll went to a karaoke bar. i really liked this day, as she invited some class mates who got to see me in a new light as we werent in school. i started off the singing with "Roxane" by the Police for the birthday girl... roxane. we had recordings of it, but all the camera men were laughing so hard they all turned out bad. after that, i sang some lubeh songs, my favorite russian band. i sang kombat.. with my friend makcim.. after my trying to pull off american ganster with my class mates while singing a disney song.. (didnt turn out well but was surprisingly funny) i had to leave before i got any birthday cake. it was ironic, the french girl cut 8 pieces for 9 people and said "oops" i said "fine, i understand, you dont want me around" and 5 minutes later (coincidentily) i left :/
so when school started the next day, it was like always boring, except a new schedule made our brains think weirdly, the French girl has come and made the interact club which i wanted to do, i have mixed feelings about it, but am happy it has been done because i am now unable to do it.
as for my english student, she has grately improved, and for a day i had another student, a groen man who needed a job which required english and he wanted to practice, however, he didn't get the job... bummer.. wonder why..???
and now in my neighboorhood we have an ice skating ring... its where i use to play soccer... but now someone (many people) turned it into ice. so now when i want, i can ice skate and play hockey. so the final countdown on my sports life... basketball! i was so siked to finally play baskletball here. i was nervous for every game we had. and because we played ball, we got out of school every day early, i never compalined. our first game however we lost 41-38.. i accidedntly threw the ball into the wrong hoop... but it didnt matter because it was a 3 point loss :p. we on the next three games 42-26, 51-36, 66-28. the last game which was today actually. was the determiner round, if we won we got to go on and play more, if we lost, we ended the season. and as we played the unbeaten defending champs.. a 35-30 loss waited for us... just like that my basketball career in russia was over.. :/
as for language, i am getting really good at it. i am able to talk more with friends, and if you count conversations with pals in school who act crazy with me.. then im fluent i guess :p just would like some bigger vpcabulary and people to stop the english and help more.. but ive found ways to self teach myself when nobody is around to talk to, since ive heard the language enough to know how words sound and have better resources to know meanings of verbs and such. also having to do with the other language... english. when i walked into the library one day, my friend anna said "hello Aaron, what about your next presentation?" "ummm... what?" "we want you back to do another presentation for our english club, either about valentines day or presidents day" "umm... ill do presidents day" and like that i have another presentation to do for english club. and one about the USA for geography class... in Russian! i cant decide which one to work on first or which one to be more afraid of..
and a brief thing i will say about food here..
tounge.... i actually ate tounge... i could sense it tasting me back when i tasted it... i cant believe i ate it.. "aaron you want tounge?" "umm... sure?" munch.... "mom was right... this is messing with your mind"
THANKS MOM!
so i finished out my stay in karsakov during the holidays, it was a really great town full of nice people. the club president took us to the ohotckoe sea, the coldest on sakhalin, where we stayed in a cottage and i finally got to try long waited for "sauna and snow" there you mix hot and cold temperatures by jumping in snow and then a hot sauna. after this, the brazilian girl and i went to yuzhno to ice skate and spent time with the french girl, the brazilian girl fell 8 times, the french girl, once, and me... none... my feet are canoes. while in the square in yuzhno, there were events for kids to play with and ice sculptures. while the kids were playing, a song played that made me really doubt this nation's english ability. the song was constantly saying "murder!" and the image of frolocking kids running about smiling didnt really suit it. so on the 9th, the french girl had her birthday party, we alll went to a karaoke bar. i really liked this day, as she invited some class mates who got to see me in a new light as we werent in school. i started off the singing with "Roxane" by the Police for the birthday girl... roxane. we had recordings of it, but all the camera men were laughing so hard they all turned out bad. after that, i sang some lubeh songs, my favorite russian band. i sang kombat.. with my friend makcim.. after my trying to pull off american ganster with my class mates while singing a disney song.. (didnt turn out well but was surprisingly funny) i had to leave before i got any birthday cake. it was ironic, the french girl cut 8 pieces for 9 people and said "oops" i said "fine, i understand, you dont want me around" and 5 minutes later (coincidentily) i left :/
so when school started the next day, it was like always boring, except a new schedule made our brains think weirdly, the French girl has come and made the interact club which i wanted to do, i have mixed feelings about it, but am happy it has been done because i am now unable to do it.
as for my english student, she has grately improved, and for a day i had another student, a groen man who needed a job which required english and he wanted to practice, however, he didn't get the job... bummer.. wonder why..???
and now in my neighboorhood we have an ice skating ring... its where i use to play soccer... but now someone (many people) turned it into ice. so now when i want, i can ice skate and play hockey. so the final countdown on my sports life... basketball! i was so siked to finally play baskletball here. i was nervous for every game we had. and because we played ball, we got out of school every day early, i never compalined. our first game however we lost 41-38.. i accidedntly threw the ball into the wrong hoop... but it didnt matter because it was a 3 point loss :p. we on the next three games 42-26, 51-36, 66-28. the last game which was today actually. was the determiner round, if we won we got to go on and play more, if we lost, we ended the season. and as we played the unbeaten defending champs.. a 35-30 loss waited for us... just like that my basketball career in russia was over.. :/
as for language, i am getting really good at it. i am able to talk more with friends, and if you count conversations with pals in school who act crazy with me.. then im fluent i guess :p just would like some bigger vpcabulary and people to stop the english and help more.. but ive found ways to self teach myself when nobody is around to talk to, since ive heard the language enough to know how words sound and have better resources to know meanings of verbs and such. also having to do with the other language... english. when i walked into the library one day, my friend anna said "hello Aaron, what about your next presentation?" "ummm... what?" "we want you back to do another presentation for our english club, either about valentines day or presidents day" "umm... ill do presidents day" and like that i have another presentation to do for english club. and one about the USA for geography class... in Russian! i cant decide which one to work on first or which one to be more afraid of..
and a brief thing i will say about food here..
tounge.... i actually ate tounge... i could sense it tasting me back when i tasted it... i cant believe i ate it.. "aaron you want tounge?" "umm... sure?" munch.... "mom was right... this is messing with your mind"
THANKS MOM!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New years!
so as the title says, its the new years in Russia and all around the world. and my new years resolution, is to become pretty good in this language and see if people can tell if im foreign or not... either that, or finally learn how to trill my R's in Russian.. but i can vibrate my tounge up against my teeth.. which nobody can do here apparently.. "th" sound wroks english!
so as for whats been happening in Russia, i recently went to see a ochestra by a russian symphony.. while there, my host sister told me the people in front of me spoke english. i take a minute to hear them, and soon realize its not english.. so i waited and soon found out that they did actually speak english (what a coincidence) it was a dutch (NOT GERMAN!) family who work here and works to help sakhalin 2. it was kinda weird, as they havent seen their glorious windmills in the country side like I have. sakhalin 2 brings so many foreigners in from different nations.. its kinda neat. also, along the christmas time, i became guests at some rotarians friends house. so i actually got to live in the city for a while. and it surely was great to be able to wake up, call friends up and say "lets stroll" new great feeling. its also where i say my first hockey game in Russia. i didnt stay for it all, but i think we won. the entire time i was with my friend who was the son of the rotarians friends. he was totally awesome. so for the last day of school, our school had a comedy club. which i thought i would be in, as people from the 9th grade asked me to take a couple photos pretending to be Obama... but it was never used. but the show was fun, i understood much of it. out class came in 2nd out of 3. losing to the 10th grade.. i really wish i brought my camera to the event. after the comedy club. our class had a tradition of buying gifts for the rest of the class. roxane got eevryone cups, and i bought them all small shoeshiner... hahaha.. the lady at the cash register said i must of really loved them. which is a better thought then what i thought "hes gonna get high off of shoeshiner". after that, a dance was held. but i had to leave then in order to go hme. as for now, a neighboorin rotary club, Karsakov, has taken me in or the holidays. i am really grateful to be down here. i get to see one of my brazilians i barley get to see :) lilian! and im staying in a family thats seems to perfect. moither a grammer teacher, father defense attorney, son was a student to amrica, and last yar they hosted a japanese girl whom i know. how cool is that. so as for new years, it was really different, it is the most important holiday in russia, as for me, its just time square and a ball drop. this year is the year of the rabbit/bunny/hare.. whichever. and i got to see a man in a bunny and santa clause and his assistant shegurishka. only here santa is called ded moroz (grandfather frost). when the clock struck midnight, the russian anthem played. and i became a christmas tree somehow.. the conversation was "who wants to be a tree?" "ohh him, hes american!" and soon i found myself with the brazlian flag around my waist, holding a shampaigne bottle amd salt and pepper shakers in my hands with an orange in my mouth... i think i won that one.
so as for som new news.. its time for some info on the stuff ive been eating in Russia
ive eaten liver 3 times... only twice ever knowing about it. at home, my family loves to eat korean meals and salad called "chimcha" or comething.. i feel so bad for you manuela perez.. youll gain a lot of respect.. and lose a lot of weight. when i was a guest in yuzhno around christmas, we went to a japanese restaurant, a sushi bar."whats this?" "its rice and octopus" "umm... surprisingly tas......" ">.<" GAHHH what was that! only to look at the next one and see that my old friend wasabe had come back for a visit.. so im 0-2 against wasabi sauce>.>.. the next meal was a japanese stir fry, well i dip my spoon into it and come up with some soup, cabbage, a mushroom, meat and rice. well i decided, ok ill just suckaround the mushroom. so i go and take a bite and when i look down at my spoon afterwords.. guess whats thew only food i see missing.... the mushroom >.> which surprisngly tasted good actually..
so something new id like to put up is called "alpha dog of the week"
one timewhen i went into russian post. i needed to show my passport to get my package. so i always kept a copy on me so if i was ever pulled over my the cops.. i could be identified. well when i show this to her, she tells me, "wheres your real passport" "just look at the picture and then at my face" "you arrived into russian from the US without documents!?" "thats like going to north korea.. who would be that stupid?" so i had to wait a day before i could get my package from them.. but for not taking 2 seconds to look at mypassport copy, and them my face, and then assucing me of illegally hoping into russian borders from the US. you, russian post, are my alpha dog of the week!
you know what they say, weather never sleeps.. that means its always watching us! weather report!
so yuzhno finally decided to want to get cold. the temperature is -8 celcius. and there seem to be snow falling every 3 secnds. probably because of the mountains close by. but after break we will start skiing in school! as for karsakov now.. should of been a snow storm as they say, but theres only been mild snow. the temp is only -4.. some siberian winter..
as for language, coming along better. since the english presentations have stopped and people are finally understanding that when i ask "whats this called"... i want to know.. "whats this called" ironic.
my english score average has went from a 4.. to a 3.. is it british.. or just me forgetting how to spell?
karsakov host family got me a sack of candy for new years... i thnk i might barf soon.. just wish they told me i would be coming down here not the day of me coming down here.
i can actually say i know a caadian now.. only when speaking with fellow americans.. i must duck after saying so.. taught by jeff davis!
first game is in less than 3 weeks.. compared to how ive seen russian sports be played.. the scores will be kept by kids, thered be no reffs, and no audiance.. but i just wanna play now.
here in Russia, december 25th was nothing.. but for me and the french girl. it was good. we exchanged presents.. her present to me.. was a bunny... my present to her was... also a bunny.. despite all these set backs ive been encountering.. i still consider myself to be onfire here in Russia.. probably because i think im getting sick again... dont judge me. happy new years america! you might not be the best but you are pretty dang close!
so as for whats been happening in Russia, i recently went to see a ochestra by a russian symphony.. while there, my host sister told me the people in front of me spoke english. i take a minute to hear them, and soon realize its not english.. so i waited and soon found out that they did actually speak english (what a coincidence) it was a dutch (NOT GERMAN!) family who work here and works to help sakhalin 2. it was kinda weird, as they havent seen their glorious windmills in the country side like I have. sakhalin 2 brings so many foreigners in from different nations.. its kinda neat. also, along the christmas time, i became guests at some rotarians friends house. so i actually got to live in the city for a while. and it surely was great to be able to wake up, call friends up and say "lets stroll" new great feeling. its also where i say my first hockey game in Russia. i didnt stay for it all, but i think we won. the entire time i was with my friend who was the son of the rotarians friends. he was totally awesome. so for the last day of school, our school had a comedy club. which i thought i would be in, as people from the 9th grade asked me to take a couple photos pretending to be Obama... but it was never used. but the show was fun, i understood much of it. out class came in 2nd out of 3. losing to the 10th grade.. i really wish i brought my camera to the event. after the comedy club. our class had a tradition of buying gifts for the rest of the class. roxane got eevryone cups, and i bought them all small shoeshiner... hahaha.. the lady at the cash register said i must of really loved them. which is a better thought then what i thought "hes gonna get high off of shoeshiner". after that, a dance was held. but i had to leave then in order to go hme. as for now, a neighboorin rotary club, Karsakov, has taken me in or the holidays. i am really grateful to be down here. i get to see one of my brazilians i barley get to see :) lilian! and im staying in a family thats seems to perfect. moither a grammer teacher, father defense attorney, son was a student to amrica, and last yar they hosted a japanese girl whom i know. how cool is that. so as for new years, it was really different, it is the most important holiday in russia, as for me, its just time square and a ball drop. this year is the year of the rabbit/bunny/hare.. whichever. and i got to see a man in a bunny and santa clause and his assistant shegurishka. only here santa is called ded moroz (grandfather frost). when the clock struck midnight, the russian anthem played. and i became a christmas tree somehow.. the conversation was "who wants to be a tree?" "ohh him, hes american!" and soon i found myself with the brazlian flag around my waist, holding a shampaigne bottle amd salt and pepper shakers in my hands with an orange in my mouth... i think i won that one.
so as for som new news.. its time for some info on the stuff ive been eating in Russia
ive eaten liver 3 times... only twice ever knowing about it. at home, my family loves to eat korean meals and salad called "chimcha" or comething.. i feel so bad for you manuela perez.. youll gain a lot of respect.. and lose a lot of weight. when i was a guest in yuzhno around christmas, we went to a japanese restaurant, a sushi bar."whats this?" "its rice and octopus" "umm... surprisingly tas......" ">.<" GAHHH what was that! only to look at the next one and see that my old friend wasabe had come back for a visit.. so im 0-2 against wasabi sauce>.>.. the next meal was a japanese stir fry, well i dip my spoon into it and come up with some soup, cabbage, a mushroom, meat and rice. well i decided, ok ill just suckaround the mushroom. so i go and take a bite and when i look down at my spoon afterwords.. guess whats thew only food i see missing.... the mushroom >.> which surprisngly tasted good actually..
so something new id like to put up is called "alpha dog of the week"
one timewhen i went into russian post. i needed to show my passport to get my package. so i always kept a copy on me so if i was ever pulled over my the cops.. i could be identified. well when i show this to her, she tells me, "wheres your real passport" "just look at the picture and then at my face" "you arrived into russian from the US without documents!?" "thats like going to north korea.. who would be that stupid?" so i had to wait a day before i could get my package from them.. but for not taking 2 seconds to look at mypassport copy, and them my face, and then assucing me of illegally hoping into russian borders from the US. you, russian post, are my alpha dog of the week!
you know what they say, weather never sleeps.. that means its always watching us! weather report!
so yuzhno finally decided to want to get cold. the temperature is -8 celcius. and there seem to be snow falling every 3 secnds. probably because of the mountains close by. but after break we will start skiing in school! as for karsakov now.. should of been a snow storm as they say, but theres only been mild snow. the temp is only -4.. some siberian winter..
as for language, coming along better. since the english presentations have stopped and people are finally understanding that when i ask "whats this called"... i want to know.. "whats this called" ironic.
my english score average has went from a 4.. to a 3.. is it british.. or just me forgetting how to spell?
karsakov host family got me a sack of candy for new years... i thnk i might barf soon.. just wish they told me i would be coming down here not the day of me coming down here.
i can actually say i know a caadian now.. only when speaking with fellow americans.. i must duck after saying so.. taught by jeff davis!
first game is in less than 3 weeks.. compared to how ive seen russian sports be played.. the scores will be kept by kids, thered be no reffs, and no audiance.. but i just wanna play now.
here in Russia, december 25th was nothing.. but for me and the french girl. it was good. we exchanged presents.. her present to me.. was a bunny... my present to her was... also a bunny.. despite all these set backs ive been encountering.. i still consider myself to be onfire here in Russia.. probably because i think im getting sick again... dont judge me. happy new years america! you might not be the best but you are pretty dang close!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
If this isnt christmas then sue me!
so its almost christmas time here in Yuzhno, Russia.. and also time to recap events of my life so far in Russia. since thanksgiving, in our house was guests from Blagobeshensk, Russia. who came to stay for 2.5 weeks. who brought my ice skates!
now time for one of my segments!!
SPORT REPORT!:
while the guests from Blagoveshensk were here, we did start to play soccer in the neighboorhood with our neighboors. so now occasionally in the snow and ice, with sub-zero temperatures. we play soccer, i only fell once, but i scored when i did. and unlike last time, im allowed to use my SHOES THAT FIT MY FEET!!! and guess how much better I play? a ton!
in school: we started to play guess what!? rugbe! almost like football. and ever though we played on our knees on a short field.. with a basketball... my record was still pretty impressive. 1 interception, 2.5 touchdowns. powerbacking title! one man goal line stand (all me) and prasie afterowrds. all in all. it was a fun game. as we won all the matches in class.
in semi school settings: i walked into basketball practice on wednesday.. the captain went up to me and said.. "Aaron, this is your assignment..... for when we play our games" which meant
IM ON THE TEAM!!!!!
my assignment for the games (this is ironic).. D-D-D... DEFENSE! swat the ball when its thrown, rebound with your long arms (im the tallest man on the team). and when you shoot the ball.. dont miss.
it just sucks now. because the sport hall is under construction. so we cant practice. and our first game is january 17th.. less then a month away.
so thats it for sports.
as for the weather Russia is a bit different. the temp is warmer then in the US. yet its much colder, but a lot of snow. which i like! as for holidays. we dont really have christmas, everything here is new years.. random street corners have huge christmas trees (yolka) with a ton of lights. something i dont see in the US. because they have a much different attitude to money here than in the states. speaking of new years, at the school was a french new years party. of which of course.. i didnt understand a word.. my props to caroline and Roxane.. so christmas time in the US means a lot more then in Russia.. so although i had little to talk about.. i still wish everyone a merry Christmas! ded moroz and santa claus wish it also..
p.s
GO PATS!
now time for one of my segments!!
SPORT REPORT!:
while the guests from Blagoveshensk were here, we did start to play soccer in the neighboorhood with our neighboors. so now occasionally in the snow and ice, with sub-zero temperatures. we play soccer, i only fell once, but i scored when i did. and unlike last time, im allowed to use my SHOES THAT FIT MY FEET!!! and guess how much better I play? a ton!
in school: we started to play guess what!? rugbe! almost like football. and ever though we played on our knees on a short field.. with a basketball... my record was still pretty impressive. 1 interception, 2.5 touchdowns. powerbacking title! one man goal line stand (all me) and prasie afterowrds. all in all. it was a fun game. as we won all the matches in class.
in semi school settings: i walked into basketball practice on wednesday.. the captain went up to me and said.. "Aaron, this is your assignment..... for when we play our games" which meant
IM ON THE TEAM!!!!!
my assignment for the games (this is ironic).. D-D-D... DEFENSE! swat the ball when its thrown, rebound with your long arms (im the tallest man on the team). and when you shoot the ball.. dont miss.
it just sucks now. because the sport hall is under construction. so we cant practice. and our first game is january 17th.. less then a month away.
so thats it for sports.
as for the weather Russia is a bit different. the temp is warmer then in the US. yet its much colder, but a lot of snow. which i like! as for holidays. we dont really have christmas, everything here is new years.. random street corners have huge christmas trees (yolka) with a ton of lights. something i dont see in the US. because they have a much different attitude to money here than in the states. speaking of new years, at the school was a french new years party. of which of course.. i didnt understand a word.. my props to caroline and Roxane.. so christmas time in the US means a lot more then in Russia.. so although i had little to talk about.. i still wish everyone a merry Christmas! ded moroz and santa claus wish it also..
p.s
GO PATS!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving Post
so for the first time in 16 years, Im not in the US on one of my favorite holidays... thanksgiving.. none the less.. heres what happened in the last few weeks.
my host mother lena took me out to go see a Checkhov play at the checkhov center. it was interesting as the group came all the way from moscow to perform. the play was called "чайка" about a bird or something. after the play i gave flowers to my favorite actors.. a comedian who made everyone laugh.
the next day, our school was visited by 2 college scouters. one from Oregon state university and one from london. they were trying to convince Russian kids to come to their schools. of course only 4 people in the audiance understood them "roxane from France, 2 kids who visited america for a year, and me" they were shocked to see me however. "so how many of you want to study in america" "I do!!!" "well just to study right?" "no to live" "really?" "well im from america actually" "wow, then come down here and help me out". it was really neat. as the london man did have an accent :D. after the presentations roxane and I stopped to talk to them. "so where are you from?" "the other OSU" "ahh, yea you probably find more results for that OSU when you google OSU" "yea, well my brother just got accepted to OSU (congrate Ryan)" "oh really, i wish him luck". meeting these 2 english speakers instantly made out day worth while and enjoyable. as it was cool so meet another foreign national 6,000 miles away from home. also in school, in my english class. the teacher said she had a new desktop background for her computer. so i decided to look at it, and wat do i see? "Altair about to assassinate a person". "you know Assassin's Creed!!!?" "no, it was one of my students who made a presentation about it" and for part of the class, we watched assassin creed trailers. i was happy :)
now this next part will be scary, but mom, your worst fears have been realized, I am an english teacher now. and to make it worse, a one on one tutor. i walked into the library one day and the receptionist asked me if i was interested in teaching. and as Exchange students always say yes, I said "yes". it is my job afterall. so now twice a week I tutor a russian girl in english language at the library. i am excited because it also gives me some insight into Russian, as people who arent familar with a language tend to try to make it sound like their own for comfort.
so in other news. Lena and Sasha had their 10th anniversary this last week. and they both liked the presents i got them and had a giant party at a hotelю before the party we all did go bowling, where I lost twice on botched calls. only to get 2nd place. it was fun though. and everyone enjoyed themselves.
speaking of parties, Karsakov rotary club had their 10 year anniversary of foundation. for it, the 3 exchange students on the island (lilian roxane and I) all recited peoms or speeches. my speech was long but it was recorded. so when i feel like emberrassing myself, I will post it on facebook. along with the speech. we all did a song "we are the world" by Michael Jackson. roxane CAN SING.. Lilian who doesnt know english.. CAN SING.. me, however CANT SING. just watch the video on facebook. you will see! well the party was good and big. and everyone was happy.
also in other news, i have been looking into restarting the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Interact and Rotaract club. a long process that I hope goes somewhere in the near future. (not to try to match Greg Miller of course)
so, anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE FOOTBALL. so I couldnt help but celebrate when the New England Patriots beat the Steelers and Colts. but probably the thing i miss most is football. ive gone into relapse. im noticing im starting to play all my sports football style.
during basketball in gym class. one of my team mates throws the ball to me. only he throws it high over my head. well i catch the ball (one handed over my head) (everyone says "woah"), I come down with it, secure the ball, trot to the goal and plop the ball in the endzone- i mean basket. for my 10th point of the game. so I guess you could say, I am improving greatly and football helps everything.
also, my host mother just walked in and said that she wants me to say that she is proud of me. and that I miss my mother and love her. thanks for the presents mommy :) they look good in my stomach.
happy thanksgiving everyone :) now watch the Patriots beat the lions. GO PATS!
my host mother lena took me out to go see a Checkhov play at the checkhov center. it was interesting as the group came all the way from moscow to perform. the play was called "чайка" about a bird or something. after the play i gave flowers to my favorite actors.. a comedian who made everyone laugh.
the next day, our school was visited by 2 college scouters. one from Oregon state university and one from london. they were trying to convince Russian kids to come to their schools. of course only 4 people in the audiance understood them "roxane from France, 2 kids who visited america for a year, and me" they were shocked to see me however. "so how many of you want to study in america" "I do!!!" "well just to study right?" "no to live" "really?" "well im from america actually" "wow, then come down here and help me out". it was really neat. as the london man did have an accent :D. after the presentations roxane and I stopped to talk to them. "so where are you from?" "the other OSU" "ahh, yea you probably find more results for that OSU when you google OSU" "yea, well my brother just got accepted to OSU (congrate Ryan)" "oh really, i wish him luck". meeting these 2 english speakers instantly made out day worth while and enjoyable. as it was cool so meet another foreign national 6,000 miles away from home. also in school, in my english class. the teacher said she had a new desktop background for her computer. so i decided to look at it, and wat do i see? "Altair about to assassinate a person". "you know Assassin's Creed!!!?" "no, it was one of my students who made a presentation about it" and for part of the class, we watched assassin creed trailers. i was happy :)
now this next part will be scary, but mom, your worst fears have been realized, I am an english teacher now. and to make it worse, a one on one tutor. i walked into the library one day and the receptionist asked me if i was interested in teaching. and as Exchange students always say yes, I said "yes". it is my job afterall. so now twice a week I tutor a russian girl in english language at the library. i am excited because it also gives me some insight into Russian, as people who arent familar with a language tend to try to make it sound like their own for comfort.
so in other news. Lena and Sasha had their 10th anniversary this last week. and they both liked the presents i got them and had a giant party at a hotelю before the party we all did go bowling, where I lost twice on botched calls. only to get 2nd place. it was fun though. and everyone enjoyed themselves.
speaking of parties, Karsakov rotary club had their 10 year anniversary of foundation. for it, the 3 exchange students on the island (lilian roxane and I) all recited peoms or speeches. my speech was long but it was recorded. so when i feel like emberrassing myself, I will post it on facebook. along with the speech. we all did a song "we are the world" by Michael Jackson. roxane CAN SING.. Lilian who doesnt know english.. CAN SING.. me, however CANT SING. just watch the video on facebook. you will see! well the party was good and big. and everyone was happy.
also in other news, i have been looking into restarting the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Interact and Rotaract club. a long process that I hope goes somewhere in the near future. (not to try to match Greg Miller of course)
so, anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE FOOTBALL. so I couldnt help but celebrate when the New England Patriots beat the Steelers and Colts. but probably the thing i miss most is football. ive gone into relapse. im noticing im starting to play all my sports football style.
during basketball in gym class. one of my team mates throws the ball to me. only he throws it high over my head. well i catch the ball (one handed over my head) (everyone says "woah"), I come down with it, secure the ball, trot to the goal and plop the ball in the endzone- i mean basket. for my 10th point of the game. so I guess you could say, I am improving greatly and football helps everything.
also, my host mother just walked in and said that she wants me to say that she is proud of me. and that I miss my mother and love her. thanks for the presents mommy :) they look good in my stomach.
happy thanksgiving everyone :) now watch the Patriots beat the lions. GO PATS!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
I pull a semi Greg Miller in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia
so as the title says, i too have my own little story involving Russian Public transport.
this wednesday is my host parents 10th anniversary, so i went to the local (huge) shopping conter in the city called "citi moll" or "city mall" translated. to buy them an anniversary gift. I was really happy that I knew enough Russian to be able to manage slaes on my own. and while I was in the mall it did start to rain. well the city moll offers free public transportation to and from themselves. so everything was fine going there, I got on the bus to Yuzhno (alone) then waited and got on the bus to City mall (alone again). i figured i would take the 1:30 bus back to my house after i get back to the station in Yuzhno. however on the way back from City Mall. because the snow had picked up so much, they canceled the free transport. "ahh great.. host parents are at work so now what?" then i did over hear some people say that a bus stop existed across the road, so I then go over there to see it and soon realize that It's true. only I dont know the bus routes. I had done all my bus route managening out of the station in Yuzhno. nothing about city mall. luckily for me the Bus has signs of where it will go. yet unluckily for me i dont know half of them. so it starts to rain and snow (dont know how that was possible) and im getting kinda cold as you can imagine. and more busses come up that dont lead to where I need (mainly because i dont know where they go). however I did see that one bus was going to the Checkhov Center (anton Checkhov is a famous writer who visited Sakhalin) a theatre establishment in Yuzhno that ive passed most days when I go to listen to russian folk songs at the local music school ethnoc. I thought "ok, ive missed the 1:30, so ill just make the 2:40. naturally, I took the bus. yet at the time, I didnt know it to be the Checkhov center. I just knew that the building i was thinking about had a picture of Anton Checkhov on it. so im still nervous. it didnt help when most of the bus route went a way i have never seen before. yet out of no where I see (to my reflief) I saw the hugу face of Anton Checkhov on the building and the driver stopped. I got out and walked the rest of the way to the station. which wasnt really far from the Checkhov center. when I arrived at the station, my bus pulled up that takes me to my house everyday. I couldnt help but smile and be happy that i knew I could survive in Russia when I didnt know the language. it would of been the first day when people didnt know I was foreign, but when I got off the bus at my house a man got off also who talked to me so quickly that I had to ask him to speak slower and then he says "ahh youre foreign, where are you from?" but I was still happy about the day. and soon Ill know if my host parents liked the gifts or not. I got Sasha (host dad) a flashlight/torch/tripod flashlight. and Lena a bag that depicts the dangers of alcohol abuse. and both of them cards. so besides the Gift part of my story. Greg Miller, I tip my hat to you ;)
this wednesday is my host parents 10th anniversary, so i went to the local (huge) shopping conter in the city called "citi moll" or "city mall" translated. to buy them an anniversary gift. I was really happy that I knew enough Russian to be able to manage slaes on my own. and while I was in the mall it did start to rain. well the city moll offers free public transportation to and from themselves. so everything was fine going there, I got on the bus to Yuzhno (alone) then waited and got on the bus to City mall (alone again). i figured i would take the 1:30 bus back to my house after i get back to the station in Yuzhno. however on the way back from City Mall. because the snow had picked up so much, they canceled the free transport. "ahh great.. host parents are at work so now what?" then i did over hear some people say that a bus stop existed across the road, so I then go over there to see it and soon realize that It's true. only I dont know the bus routes. I had done all my bus route managening out of the station in Yuzhno. nothing about city mall. luckily for me the Bus has signs of where it will go. yet unluckily for me i dont know half of them. so it starts to rain and snow (dont know how that was possible) and im getting kinda cold as you can imagine. and more busses come up that dont lead to where I need (mainly because i dont know where they go). however I did see that one bus was going to the Checkhov Center (anton Checkhov is a famous writer who visited Sakhalin) a theatre establishment in Yuzhno that ive passed most days when I go to listen to russian folk songs at the local music school ethnoc. I thought "ok, ive missed the 1:30, so ill just make the 2:40. naturally, I took the bus. yet at the time, I didnt know it to be the Checkhov center. I just knew that the building i was thinking about had a picture of Anton Checkhov on it. so im still nervous. it didnt help when most of the bus route went a way i have never seen before. yet out of no where I see (to my reflief) I saw the hugу face of Anton Checkhov on the building and the driver stopped. I got out and walked the rest of the way to the station. which wasnt really far from the Checkhov center. when I arrived at the station, my bus pulled up that takes me to my house everyday. I couldnt help but smile and be happy that i knew I could survive in Russia when I didnt know the language. it would of been the first day when people didnt know I was foreign, but when I got off the bus at my house a man got off also who talked to me so quickly that I had to ask him to speak slower and then he says "ahh youre foreign, where are you from?" but I was still happy about the day. and soon Ill know if my host parents liked the gifts or not. I got Sasha (host dad) a flashlight/torch/tripod flashlight. and Lena a bag that depicts the dangers of alcohol abuse. and both of them cards. so besides the Gift part of my story. Greg Miller, I tip my hat to you ;)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Снег, Anniversaries, and Patriotism
well it's almost been 2 months since I left my home in the US and started my Russian journey. since the last time I have a lot to talk about. my school "Gimnazia number 1 of A.C Pyshkin" celebrated 20 years of the school. I could only help but laugh, as my school in the US is at least 50. but it was nice to skip out on some classes to watch the celebration. and the dances that the school had for students (which I didnt go to :p). it also started to snow in Russia, in late october, and last night. theres something about the Russian snow that makes you feel all excited and happy to be here in Russia. along with the school anniversary, the Rotary Club of Yuzhno Sakhalinsk is also celebrating its 13 year of service with a celebration (also with karcakob rotary club.. so LILIAN! :) )
When I came to Russia, my job was to improve relations between the 2 countries. well seeing as everyone here loves america, I feel my job is already done, yet I still find myself doing presentations for groups of people in school. 3 times I did a michael Jackson presentation for english class, where I sang half his songs and danced beat it and thriller in front of and audiance, after my dignity flew out the window. I was asked to do a series presentation about the USA for a serious english class. which is tomorrow. so my and the French Exchange student Roxane will both have to go to school during the holidays to talk about France and the US.
despite the english language presentations. my Russian is improving, its just hard to get people to sit and talk to me because it seems that a foreigner in Russia means nothing to my classmates. they compliment my language when I speak but nobody seems to mind the fact an american and a french girl are sitting right next to them, which is really great, but hard to be embraced. out of all the teachers, only 2 embrace Roxane and me. the mother/english teacher, and the Physics teacher (no idea why). but my grammer is improving and I know enough now that my host family lets me be alone in the city, actually ive been left alone in the city before since week 2. but the coolest thing happening right now is that im starting to forget english, although I know my writing is a grammer nightmare, I dont know how to correct it and I had to ask Roxane how to write the letter Q in english. so the first step is happening.. forgetting english D: although language is tough, the hardest thing I see for myself is not the language, but is explaining myself to people. nobody here in Russia seems to have that independent personality we see in the US. they seem to be all slides of the same tray. nothing really original with anybody I see. (thanks Communists). yet I still love the people here, they are a lot niсук than american people. with the exception of little kids, Russian kids are a lot nicer, theres no talking back to teachers or anything. yet american kids are much more well rounded and witty than Russian. just by seeing this change I can see how lucky I was to be born in the US. traveling abroad is the best way to see how lucky you are, or unlucky. and I think I can truely say now that I love the US. tears almost come everytime I hear my National Anthem or patriotic songs.
now a little about whats happening, every 4 days my host family has me cook the meals. and of course Im totally new to this so Ive always needed help on it. well now last time, where they requested american food. and I found cow meat.. and anybody who knows me knows exactly what I was thinking at the time. "hamburgers" soon I realized, to make hamburgers required different meat, and I instead made extremely toughmini steaks. i cant help but feel they only ate them because there was nothing else. but Russian here tend to eat a lot of stuff with Mayonase. and garlic, I asked them why the garlic and they said "to keep the vampires away". and I have to admit, ever since they had garlic in meals I have not seen one solitary vampire in Russia. and if we take the garlic away, we might make vampires again.. and on a totally different statement. my host father Casha, has joined the list of people who have out ate me. soon him and Mr. Hawk will duke-it-out. one day when we hat meat, he told me to try this Russian sauce. so i dip a bit of my meat in it and try it, next thing I know I'm crying and my mouth turns red and im needing water like crazy.. then i ask "WHAT WAS THAT?" "wasabe sauce" D: then my host dad takes his whole piece of meat, dips it in the sauce, puts it all in his mouth and eats it starting at me.. >.> its not often im beated.. but I will remember this..
America is the capitalo of mass media in the world, and after coming here I believe it. because people take seeing old american movies on TV here really greatly. and they have a lot of them. while here ive watched some old movies on TV and DVD. like "Back to the Future", "Iron Man" and the "Spider Man" series. good movies people here think are awesomer then they are. speaking of entertainment, Nothing gets inbetween me and football. i can find college games on ESPN AMERICA.. right here in Russia. and hopefully, in February, the superbowl.
as for school life, it is interesting, the only classes I can fully participate in are English and Sport. yet the interesting stuff is in English. we got our first english test results back. even though the teacher took the american variants.. i got (ready for this mom) an A!!!!!! minus. i point from a B. so i did beat my mom. yet on the second test, I got 1 point from an A. so i got a B+. i really am forgetting english, and this is proof. (took me 4 tries to spell that word right).
Russia does seem to fufill to winston Churchill's description. as Russia is a contradiction. the nation has 1/4 of the worlds fresh water and is the energy superpower of the world, yet gas here costs more than in the US 4 years ago and everyone is worried about saving power and taking 5 minute showers.
the only rule I wish i broke was the laptop rule, as internet can go down here with no word of return...... so great. by following the rule im limited :p. but it is holiday here. until monday. so I will have time to learn more Russian. and play with my pets.. half of which the dog ate.= and we gave away. i only have 1 dog and 2 cats now. the kitten thinks its a ninja also.
it also appears that if youre sick here. you stay out the week at school. so you dont get anybody sick at school. which I like because who wants to go to school anyway. the Russian system is not as great as the people here think. the American system in much better. in america "im gifted in science" "ok advanced science classes, follow your gift" in Russia "im gifted in Science" "ok, stay with these people, doing the same thing, no special classes to improve your gift".
internationally. the president Medvedev is in the Kuril islands now negotiating with Japan over issues. the japanese want some of the Kuril islands that Russia controls. mainly because fish trabel inbetween these islands a lot and you know the Japs and fish. but Medvedev holds strong and tells them no all the time. speaking of Japan, my Rotary club has asked me to write a paper about how I found myself in Russia which they will put on their website, once I get the link ill post it for you all to read. in Russia you dont drink the water out of the faucet, becasuse its not filtered and cleaned. although that doesnt stop me from drinking out of the faucet all the time... because my family has a filter :p. along with Russian disadvantages, Toliet Paper doesnt seem to exist anywhere outside my house >.>...
i also received my first package, my host family told me that everything sent they have here in Russia, but i still ate all the contents within a day. they also play a game called Russian lottery. with real money, its like Bingo only if you win depending on what row you filled. and if you fill the last one then you win the money in the pot. and people get sad when they lose rubles and when i see the amount i laugh and think to myself "id lose more money if I threw a dollar out the window".
When I came to Russia, my job was to improve relations between the 2 countries. well seeing as everyone here loves america, I feel my job is already done, yet I still find myself doing presentations for groups of people in school. 3 times I did a michael Jackson presentation for english class, where I sang half his songs and danced beat it and thriller in front of and audiance, after my dignity flew out the window. I was asked to do a series presentation about the USA for a serious english class. which is tomorrow. so my and the French Exchange student Roxane will both have to go to school during the holidays to talk about France and the US.
despite the english language presentations. my Russian is improving, its just hard to get people to sit and talk to me because it seems that a foreigner in Russia means nothing to my classmates. they compliment my language when I speak but nobody seems to mind the fact an american and a french girl are sitting right next to them, which is really great, but hard to be embraced. out of all the teachers, only 2 embrace Roxane and me. the mother/english teacher, and the Physics teacher (no idea why). but my grammer is improving and I know enough now that my host family lets me be alone in the city, actually ive been left alone in the city before since week 2. but the coolest thing happening right now is that im starting to forget english, although I know my writing is a grammer nightmare, I dont know how to correct it and I had to ask Roxane how to write the letter Q in english. so the first step is happening.. forgetting english D: although language is tough, the hardest thing I see for myself is not the language, but is explaining myself to people. nobody here in Russia seems to have that independent personality we see in the US. they seem to be all slides of the same tray. nothing really original with anybody I see. (thanks Communists). yet I still love the people here, they are a lot niсук than american people. with the exception of little kids, Russian kids are a lot nicer, theres no talking back to teachers or anything. yet american kids are much more well rounded and witty than Russian. just by seeing this change I can see how lucky I was to be born in the US. traveling abroad is the best way to see how lucky you are, or unlucky. and I think I can truely say now that I love the US. tears almost come everytime I hear my National Anthem or patriotic songs.
now a little about whats happening, every 4 days my host family has me cook the meals. and of course Im totally new to this so Ive always needed help on it. well now last time, where they requested american food. and I found cow meat.. and anybody who knows me knows exactly what I was thinking at the time. "hamburgers" soon I realized, to make hamburgers required different meat, and I instead made extremely toughmini steaks. i cant help but feel they only ate them because there was nothing else. but Russian here tend to eat a lot of stuff with Mayonase. and garlic, I asked them why the garlic and they said "to keep the vampires away". and I have to admit, ever since they had garlic in meals I have not seen one solitary vampire in Russia. and if we take the garlic away, we might make vampires again.. and on a totally different statement. my host father Casha, has joined the list of people who have out ate me. soon him and Mr. Hawk will duke-it-out. one day when we hat meat, he told me to try this Russian sauce. so i dip a bit of my meat in it and try it, next thing I know I'm crying and my mouth turns red and im needing water like crazy.. then i ask "WHAT WAS THAT?" "wasabe sauce" D: then my host dad takes his whole piece of meat, dips it in the sauce, puts it all in his mouth and eats it starting at me.. >.> its not often im beated.. but I will remember this..
America is the capitalo of mass media in the world, and after coming here I believe it. because people take seeing old american movies on TV here really greatly. and they have a lot of them. while here ive watched some old movies on TV and DVD. like "Back to the Future", "Iron Man" and the "Spider Man" series. good movies people here think are awesomer then they are. speaking of entertainment, Nothing gets inbetween me and football. i can find college games on ESPN AMERICA.. right here in Russia. and hopefully, in February, the superbowl.
as for school life, it is interesting, the only classes I can fully participate in are English and Sport. yet the interesting stuff is in English. we got our first english test results back. even though the teacher took the american variants.. i got (ready for this mom) an A!!!!!! minus. i point from a B. so i did beat my mom. yet on the second test, I got 1 point from an A. so i got a B+. i really am forgetting english, and this is proof. (took me 4 tries to spell that word right).
Russia does seem to fufill to winston Churchill's description. as Russia is a contradiction. the nation has 1/4 of the worlds fresh water and is the energy superpower of the world, yet gas here costs more than in the US 4 years ago and everyone is worried about saving power and taking 5 minute showers.
the only rule I wish i broke was the laptop rule, as internet can go down here with no word of return...... so great. by following the rule im limited :p. but it is holiday here. until monday. so I will have time to learn more Russian. and play with my pets.. half of which the dog ate.= and we gave away. i only have 1 dog and 2 cats now. the kitten thinks its a ninja also.
it also appears that if youre sick here. you stay out the week at school. so you dont get anybody sick at school. which I like because who wants to go to school anyway. the Russian system is not as great as the people here think. the American system in much better. in america "im gifted in science" "ok advanced science classes, follow your gift" in Russia "im gifted in Science" "ok, stay with these people, doing the same thing, no special classes to improve your gift".
internationally. the president Medvedev is in the Kuril islands now negotiating with Japan over issues. the japanese want some of the Kuril islands that Russia controls. mainly because fish trabel inbetween these islands a lot and you know the Japs and fish. but Medvedev holds strong and tells them no all the time. speaking of Japan, my Rotary club has asked me to write a paper about how I found myself in Russia which they will put on their website, once I get the link ill post it for you all to read. in Russia you dont drink the water out of the faucet, becasuse its not filtered and cleaned. although that doesnt stop me from drinking out of the faucet all the time... because my family has a filter :p. along with Russian disadvantages, Toliet Paper doesnt seem to exist anywhere outside my house >.>...
i also received my first package, my host family told me that everything sent they have here in Russia, but i still ate all the contents within a day. they also play a game called Russian lottery. with real money, its like Bingo only if you win depending on what row you filled. and if you fill the last one then you win the money in the pot. and people get sad when they lose rubles and when i see the amount i laugh and think to myself "id lose more money if I threw a dollar out the window".
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Things get cool
so its been a few weeks since I last talked about my Russian life. so here I go hoping I can remember everything. I passed my first month in Russia last week, and i felt so proud of myself that Ive made it past the toughest month of my life. i have been enrolled at the local library, and recently they have asked me to give a presentation in english for their english club. apparently people in Russia getting experience with native speakers is rare. the presentation went well, and I even met some really interesting people. becuase I couldnt think of a topic, I used my Rotary Presentation I did in the US and switched some parts out with more American stuff.
"So I wanted to go abroad to give people like you, the ability to meet and conversate with a native english speaker. It is really hard to find americans in the middle of the Russian Siberia" then out of nowhere I hear "there's a few of us :)" "omg.... talk to me after this! (watch what I say) It turns out that he was an American working on Sakhalin 2. the oil and gas project that is endorsed and run by english speaking countries like Shell and Exxon Mobil. after the presentation, questions were opened up, and deep cultural conversation between Russia, the US, and Great Britain opened up. Russian: "so what is difference between Russia and the US minds" me: "well I think that because of our seperate histories, Americans have a more independent mentality then the Russians" other american: "yes, that can be easily seen in our history differences, the Russian I work with arent as upgoing as their American collegues, theyre more conservative with standing up than the Americans" English Teacher: "that may be, but we as Russians have a better understanding of a state, Americans are unreliable. Russians can work together better then Americans". it went on for a while, and after words I was asked to write a short article about it. I will soon have that, and pictures :). so something else thats been bothering me about Russia I want to get out there, is that all the thoughts of no American gum and products are false. Russia has opened up greatly since the fall of communism, I walk through a store and I see power drinks like "Monster". american gum "5" "Dirol Senses", american food "Pringles" and of course, Hot dogs and hamburgers (:
another thing about Russia that surprised me was the television, I was told to expect the Russian Siberia to be a place where finding american programing would be hard. yet I turn on the TV and I end up watching Russian Dubbed Alladin and Dark Wing Duck (when theres trouble you call DW). also more surprising about Russia is its balance between public transportation and private sectors. my city is struck in the middle of Russian-Japanese car competition. Japanese and Russian car companies both try to run the island, eventhough the Russians drive on the right and its hard to drive a car on the wrong side like you do in a japanese car (point one Russia). but the Russian public transportation industry is really effective and good. even though 1 of every 2 people has a car. the public transportation has not takes much hits here. it is really surprising. something more interesting ive heard about Russia is how people think of the new democracy. my host father told me a story in the Banya about how they think of the new democrary "better then the Soviets. but we refer to the democrary as что будет завтра. (what will happen tomorrow) then he tells me the story about when he wanted to buy a Japanese car that would of costed him $1,000. yet at the customs the government added on $8,000 in taxes. he then gets really upset. but because hes a good worker, he got bonuses at his work after a few years he had enough to buy his car. then at the customs, they told him "ahh forget about it". bow was he mad and glad i bet.
my Host dad is probably the coolest man in all of Russia, he lets me help out on construction projects in the house, and on Tuesdays we somethimes go to play volleyball with his work friends. the kids love him and he plays Guitar. along with the host dad being the ticket to fun, the host mom is the ticket to survival.. oh how thats true.
at the last club meeting, my club said they were looking into buying a device that filters out alcohol in the blood or something. the first ever device of its kind on sakhalin. and are looking for grants to help reach the goal. and after my story of Greg Miller. they want me to ask my club in the US if they would want to help. but as always, Ill see what I can do.
Russian language is betting better :) I can understand basic speach. every day I tell meself. "I can do this, 3 months for basics, no english, dont think its bad to talk slow". and its working greatly :)
"So I wanted to go abroad to give people like you, the ability to meet and conversate with a native english speaker. It is really hard to find americans in the middle of the Russian Siberia" then out of nowhere I hear "there's a few of us :)" "omg.... talk to me after this! (watch what I say) It turns out that he was an American working on Sakhalin 2. the oil and gas project that is endorsed and run by english speaking countries like Shell and Exxon Mobil. after the presentation, questions were opened up, and deep cultural conversation between Russia, the US, and Great Britain opened up. Russian: "so what is difference between Russia and the US minds" me: "well I think that because of our seperate histories, Americans have a more independent mentality then the Russians" other american: "yes, that can be easily seen in our history differences, the Russian I work with arent as upgoing as their American collegues, theyre more conservative with standing up than the Americans" English Teacher: "that may be, but we as Russians have a better understanding of a state, Americans are unreliable. Russians can work together better then Americans". it went on for a while, and after words I was asked to write a short article about it. I will soon have that, and pictures :). so something else thats been bothering me about Russia I want to get out there, is that all the thoughts of no American gum and products are false. Russia has opened up greatly since the fall of communism, I walk through a store and I see power drinks like "Monster". american gum "5" "Dirol Senses", american food "Pringles" and of course, Hot dogs and hamburgers (:
another thing about Russia that surprised me was the television, I was told to expect the Russian Siberia to be a place where finding american programing would be hard. yet I turn on the TV and I end up watching Russian Dubbed Alladin and Dark Wing Duck (when theres trouble you call DW). also more surprising about Russia is its balance between public transportation and private sectors. my city is struck in the middle of Russian-Japanese car competition. Japanese and Russian car companies both try to run the island, eventhough the Russians drive on the right and its hard to drive a car on the wrong side like you do in a japanese car (point one Russia). but the Russian public transportation industry is really effective and good. even though 1 of every 2 people has a car. the public transportation has not takes much hits here. it is really surprising. something more interesting ive heard about Russia is how people think of the new democracy. my host father told me a story in the Banya about how they think of the new democrary "better then the Soviets. but we refer to the democrary as что будет завтра. (what will happen tomorrow) then he tells me the story about when he wanted to buy a Japanese car that would of costed him $1,000. yet at the customs the government added on $8,000 in taxes. he then gets really upset. but because hes a good worker, he got bonuses at his work after a few years he had enough to buy his car. then at the customs, they told him "ahh forget about it". bow was he mad and glad i bet.
my Host dad is probably the coolest man in all of Russia, he lets me help out on construction projects in the house, and on Tuesdays we somethimes go to play volleyball with his work friends. the kids love him and he plays Guitar. along with the host dad being the ticket to fun, the host mom is the ticket to survival.. oh how thats true.
at the last club meeting, my club said they were looking into buying a device that filters out alcohol in the blood or something. the first ever device of its kind on sakhalin. and are looking for grants to help reach the goal. and after my story of Greg Miller. they want me to ask my club in the US if they would want to help. but as always, Ill see what I can do.
Russian language is betting better :) I can understand basic speach. every day I tell meself. "I can do this, 3 months for basics, no english, dont think its bad to talk slow". and its working greatly :)
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
More Events
well its been 3 weeks since i left my home in the US to go to Russia. but in the last week a lot of stuff has happened that ill try to tell about. the trip to frog mountain was really exciting and fun. i noticed how much my scouting experience in the US helped me scale hills and know how to manage in the wilderness better then most others. it was also really good to have Karcakov Rotary Club with us. that day in Russia was probably my wierdest yet. for in that same day i jumped into a freezing cold lake. and when i got home. i went for my first time in a Russian Banya. soon, ill be able to handle the 100 degrees temperatures.
when i returned to school the next day, the Russian school had an issue with my language. apparently i was suppose to come over already fluent in Russian?? well the school became less of an issue. and i am now seeing myself help teach english class.
i can actually say now that i have seen a chicken cross the road, on my way to school, in my village, a chicken crossed the road right infront of us. i immediately said "why?" "wait.. its a rooster!" "wait, no.. its a chicken"..
i also am trying to get my schedule full to keep myself busy. basketball, library, and classes of Russian tradition and language by my host mom's friend. i did try out for soccer. but the fact that they dont have and shoes in my size is an issue they dont wanna deal with.
everywhere in Russia has flies. i have probably killed more flies then i can imagine, i definately beat my record of 2 in the US for flies killed. besides the school not understanding Youth Exchange and difficulty of the language, i am really enjoying it here. Russians are very curious about Americans. the Russian nation doesnt live in the cold war past like the US. all the time in school. people i dont even know, come up and say hello to me. and contrary to american fears, Russian people would never support a war against the US. the impressions Russia gives off makes it seem like the minute it was said, nobody would want to partake in it.
when i returned to school the next day, the Russian school had an issue with my language. apparently i was suppose to come over already fluent in Russian?? well the school became less of an issue. and i am now seeing myself help teach english class.
i can actually say now that i have seen a chicken cross the road, on my way to school, in my village, a chicken crossed the road right infront of us. i immediately said "why?" "wait.. its a rooster!" "wait, no.. its a chicken"..
i also am trying to get my schedule full to keep myself busy. basketball, library, and classes of Russian tradition and language by my host mom's friend. i did try out for soccer. but the fact that they dont have and shoes in my size is an issue they dont wanna deal with.
everywhere in Russia has flies. i have probably killed more flies then i can imagine, i definately beat my record of 2 in the US for flies killed. besides the school not understanding Youth Exchange and difficulty of the language, i am really enjoying it here. Russians are very curious about Americans. the Russian nation doesnt live in the cold war past like the US. all the time in school. people i dont even know, come up and say hello to me. and contrary to american fears, Russian people would never support a war against the US. the impressions Russia gives off makes it seem like the minute it was said, nobody would want to partake in it.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
First Time
well. im in Russia. not exactly what i imagined at first but then again what is. ill try to sum up everything thats happened since i last posted. i met up with other exchange students in LAX and Seoul/Incheon international. so it was good to have some people to talk to while waiting hours to get to Vladivostok. when we arrived in Vladivostok. some of our friends were there and also some rotary people. it was a great welcome to Russia. we all drove 2 or so hours to Partisanks, Russia for orientation. and it was also nice to see my other friends who were there, and make some new ones. the orientation was great and surprising, as it was in the center of mountains and had no service. after the orientation, some of the kids left and those who remained (me and 7 others) got a tour around Nahodka, Russia. where we visited many sites, such as a WW2 memorial and a sacred Russian church and saw Nahodka's shipping port. we also ate lunch in Nahodka in a restaurant. then Lillian, Roxane, and I all went to the airport (Vladivostok International is very small.) to go to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. after the funnest plane ride ever, we finally landed in Yuzhno and saw our host families. Julia and i became instant friends in a day and she loved all the gifts i had for her. im starting to read Russian children stories that Julia has and she is reading english books. soon it will be my englished version of "War and Peace" by Loe Tolstoy. hahaha.
on the first day of school, i was asked to make a presentation of myself to the class. i did so, and once i stood up, the kids automatically asked me if i was into basketball. i said no, and that i have never played it officially before. but they insisted that i come after school some days and play with them.
as for school. i really like the Russian system. it would be better if i could understand what was going on. which brings me to the next topic.. language
as for the language. it is really hard, i dont even understand the Russian children stories. mostly because im not paying attention because im spending so much time reading. i can hold my place in a conversation and understand the meaning of whats going on. but im no where near ready to be on my own.
so i did end up playing with the students after school. and even though i told them, and that they saw that i cant shoot first hand. they want me to join the school basketball team. partly because Russians are short, the hoops are inches from dunking to me, and the court is much smaller. but i will join if possible, just will practice a lot.
it does get rather annoying in school, everyone stares at Roxane and I like we have the word "Foreigner" written on our foreheads. and everyone comes to talk to us in english. even though they know i speak well enough Russian to make small talk.
after school on saturday, we had our sport day. which was basically just for me, refereing for "tug of war". and tomorrow, we will go to "frog mountain" (i dont feel like spelling it in Russian)
Russian food is awesome. the first words i leanred in Russia all had to do with food. "im not hungry" was the first. Russians love to feed as it seems. probably some culture taken from the soviet times when they would make giant meals for foreigners. but im not sure.
I HAVE 4 KITTENS!!!! :D
and i have seen more cows in the road than Bears in Russia. so stereotypes arent always true :)
the Russiabn people really live it rough. looking out my window i see run down houses that no american would want even for a minute. yet the Russians live in everyday. it just goes to show the strength of the Russian people and spirit. when the first americans set foot in Russian after the fall of communism. they said "and this is the enemy we took so long to defeat". yet looking at that question now, after only 1 week in Russia, you can see why.
on the first day of school, i was asked to make a presentation of myself to the class. i did so, and once i stood up, the kids automatically asked me if i was into basketball. i said no, and that i have never played it officially before. but they insisted that i come after school some days and play with them.
as for school. i really like the Russian system. it would be better if i could understand what was going on. which brings me to the next topic.. language
as for the language. it is really hard, i dont even understand the Russian children stories. mostly because im not paying attention because im spending so much time reading. i can hold my place in a conversation and understand the meaning of whats going on. but im no where near ready to be on my own.
so i did end up playing with the students after school. and even though i told them, and that they saw that i cant shoot first hand. they want me to join the school basketball team. partly because Russians are short, the hoops are inches from dunking to me, and the court is much smaller. but i will join if possible, just will practice a lot.
it does get rather annoying in school, everyone stares at Roxane and I like we have the word "Foreigner" written on our foreheads. and everyone comes to talk to us in english. even though they know i speak well enough Russian to make small talk.
after school on saturday, we had our sport day. which was basically just for me, refereing for "tug of war". and tomorrow, we will go to "frog mountain" (i dont feel like spelling it in Russian)
Russian food is awesome. the first words i leanred in Russia all had to do with food. "im not hungry" was the first. Russians love to feed as it seems. probably some culture taken from the soviet times when they would make giant meals for foreigners. but im not sure.
I HAVE 4 KITTENS!!!! :D
and i have seen more cows in the road than Bears in Russia. so stereotypes arent always true :)
the Russiabn people really live it rough. looking out my window i see run down houses that no american would want even for a minute. yet the Russians live in everyday. it just goes to show the strength of the Russian people and spirit. when the first americans set foot in Russian after the fall of communism. they said "and this is the enemy we took so long to defeat". yet looking at that question now, after only 1 week in Russia, you can see why.
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