Boy, you could tell it was Friday yesterday. The kids were off the wall.
They were not in the mood to listen to any language. The high point of the day, however, was when I told on kid, "Good boy!" And he answered in English, You're welcome. Right sentiment and right language. I'll take that after two weeks of class. And this came from one of my incessant criers.
Went home yesterday and spent the entire evening watching old Stephen Colbert monologues. I laughed out loud.
Today I got up and just hung around the house till about noon. Then I took the new shortcut I learned to the MacDonald's near the subway station. I actually ordered the shrimp and it was very good. So also plan to try a hamburger sometime soon, just to compare.
From Mickey D's, I took the subway to the end of the pedestrian zone where I went into one of these large 3-4 story buildings that house all sorts of stores. They are actually multilevel malls. I found the bookstore "Read World". It has a decent collection of English language books and not just the classics for school kids. In any case, I ended up buying a book about Kazan with one page in Russian and the next page in English. I bought two copies, one to give to my colleague whose birthday party I'm going to attend in an hour.
Then I mosied down to the theater where the entire staff met to see the play "Hotel Vegas". Of course I didn't understand everything, but I got the gist and the dancing and singing we're terrific. It rivals anything I've seen at GEVA. It was so well directed and entertaining.
After the theater I headed back to the pedestrian zone to my internet cafe where I ate mushroom soup and a Greek salad. Now I'm just hanging out until I go to the birthday party. I didn't feel like going home and then coming back to the city after a couple of hours.
More fun facts. Sales tax her is 18% and is included directly in the price. You also do not have to tip here. If I'm figuring right, gas is between $2.20 and $2.40 a gallon. But he careful with that. Remember, I also figured that public transportation cost less than a penny. OK, I'm on my way to the party.
Tomorrow I'm planning on hitting the trails in the forest on my bike.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Thursday, September 28, 2017
NationalPreschool Teachers' Day, part 2.
To clarify the presents, next to the plant is a box of very delicious macaroons and freshly cut flowers. It was very kind of the parents. They also gave the teaching assistant and the nanny the same presents.
There are no paper kleenexes here. When a kid's nose was running the other day, I asked my TA where the tissues were. She said, "We don't have any. We just use napkins." The things are useless. When I sneezed and had to blow my nose the other day, I grabbed one and ended up with a handful of snot. No I run and grab paper towels from the bathroom when I have to blow my nose. They are about the same consistency as good old German kleenexes. The just don't come in the small packages of ten. And for all of you who are fans of my German toilet paper, Russian toilet paper is right up their with it. There's no squeezing the Charmin here. It's like wrapping a package to send overseas. This stuff is sturdy. I like it, as opposed to the alternative.
One neat thing I learned is that the Russian license plates only use letters that are legible in both alphabets. They may sound different in each, but everyone, Russian or foreigner alike, can read them.
"P" in Russian is pronounced the same as our "R". "C" is "S". So you're understanding it in either language, but understanding it differently.
I tried to make slime for the kids the other day but there is no liquid laundry starch here, so I got inventive and tried to liquefy some corn starch. Of course it didn't work and it was an awful mess. But what did work was that I made bubbles with dish liquid and water. I didn't have and of the wire things that you dip in the liquid to form the circle so I used a pai of toy scissors out of the pay doctor's kit we have in the classroom. It worked very well.
We also made plastic bag kites. The kids got to cut out circles from colored paper and paste them on the plastic bags. I tied string on them and now we take them out everyday on the soccer field and run around with them.
Had another long meeting today.2.5 hours. Still some problems which have be be resolved between the Russian contingent and the English-speaking contingent. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
On the weekend, the entire staff of the school is going to the theater together. This must be an annual event. I've found on my map.me app and will order a taxi on Saturday afternoon. It will be in Russian, put the Revue is called "Vegas", so it might not be so difficult to understand.
There are no paper kleenexes here. When a kid's nose was running the other day, I asked my TA where the tissues were. She said, "We don't have any. We just use napkins." The things are useless. When I sneezed and had to blow my nose the other day, I grabbed one and ended up with a handful of snot. No I run and grab paper towels from the bathroom when I have to blow my nose. They are about the same consistency as good old German kleenexes. The just don't come in the small packages of ten. And for all of you who are fans of my German toilet paper, Russian toilet paper is right up their with it. There's no squeezing the Charmin here. It's like wrapping a package to send overseas. This stuff is sturdy. I like it, as opposed to the alternative.
One neat thing I learned is that the Russian license plates only use letters that are legible in both alphabets. They may sound different in each, but everyone, Russian or foreigner alike, can read them.
"P" in Russian is pronounced the same as our "R". "C" is "S". So you're understanding it in either language, but understanding it differently.
I tried to make slime for the kids the other day but there is no liquid laundry starch here, so I got inventive and tried to liquefy some corn starch. Of course it didn't work and it was an awful mess. But what did work was that I made bubbles with dish liquid and water. I didn't have and of the wire things that you dip in the liquid to form the circle so I used a pai of toy scissors out of the pay doctor's kit we have in the classroom. It worked very well.
We also made plastic bag kites. The kids got to cut out circles from colored paper and paste them on the plastic bags. I tied string on them and now we take them out everyday on the soccer field and run around with them.
Had another long meeting today.2.5 hours. Still some problems which have be be resolved between the Russian contingent and the English-speaking contingent. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
On the weekend, the entire staff of the school is going to the theater together. This must be an annual event. I've found on my map.me app and will order a taxi on Saturday afternoon. It will be in Russian, put the Revue is called "Vegas", so it might not be so difficult to understand.
National preschool teacher's day!
Picture two was tapes in my computer by friends. Parents who saw it were shocked and asked my TA if I liked Trump.
Picture three is my really nice classroom. I have a smart board and everything. The only thing I hate is the decorations hanging from the ceiling. I haven't found a suitable substitute yet so they will stay until I do.
Picture four is how to warn about a sunken pothole cover in Kazan. You stick a tree branch in it! It's been like that since I've been here.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Ordering the taxi.
Forgot to mention that I used my Uber app to order a taxi to get home from the bank. Electronics savvy as I am, I did push a couple of wrong buttons and had to start over a couple of times. But Matthew showed me a couple of tricks and I should be able to figure it out by myself now.
The bank account - NOT!
OK, so my British colleague and his Russian wife Valeria, have a bank account at Alphabank, which they had set up for them when they were teaching in Moscow last year. Matthew explains that it's really easy to make money transfer back to the U.K. So he says Valeria will help me set up the account. We push the machine at the bank to get our number and wait for it to show up on a screen above a desk. When it's our turn, we go sit at the lady's desk and Valeria explains what sort of account I want. Since bank lady doesn't seem to be able to handle that, she sends us across the room to Anton.
Valeriya again explains what I want and he asks for my documents. I give him my passport, which has my visa in it in the Russian language, my immigration card in Russian, and my work permit in Russian. So he starts checking his computer and wants to know where my green card is. Geez, I'm not immigrating permanently, I just want a bank account for the school year! So he consulted with a colleague in the bank, then they consult with a colleague online. Although all my Russian documents, with my picture on my visa, are in the Russian language, I will have to fill out a special form, get a notarized Russian translation of my passport and bring them back to the bank. Then they MIGHT open an account for me without a green card. But they reserve the right to turn me down. Screw Alphabank.
I will talk with the head of the school tomorrow and insist that he go with me to another bank and help me. If he's going to pay me in cash, he's going to find a way to help me deposit it. Valeriya texted her former employer who helped her open the account in Moscow and he said, yup, everything is different in the Republic of Tatarstan where Kazan is located. Geez, that's just great.
But a couple of good things came out of the evening. When we walked to the bank, we stopped at a little bakery that sells lepyoshka, some of the best flat bread I've ever tasted in my life. Now, anytime I'm down in that area, which is right near the subway station, I know what I'm going to buy.
While Valeriya and I were in the bank, Matthew ran into MacDonalds's to get some shrimp. Yes, folks, shrimp. Not just crappy little hamburgers here. Real shrimp. And he says it's really good stuff.
Class went well today. The kids are really getting into the routine and saying more and more things in English. They are understanding what my expectations are and starting to really listen. We have to put on a little performance at the end of October. We are going to sing rain, Rain, Go Away in a little skit. The kids seem to like it. I had to sing it about 10 times today. And nobody put his elbow in his soup today.
My cold is feeling a little better. I fell asleep at 8:30 last night, which is why I didn't blog. So, I'm signing off for now. I sure there will be more adventures soon.
Valeriya again explains what I want and he asks for my documents. I give him my passport, which has my visa in it in the Russian language, my immigration card in Russian, and my work permit in Russian. So he starts checking his computer and wants to know where my green card is. Geez, I'm not immigrating permanently, I just want a bank account for the school year! So he consulted with a colleague in the bank, then they consult with a colleague online. Although all my Russian documents, with my picture on my visa, are in the Russian language, I will have to fill out a special form, get a notarized Russian translation of my passport and bring them back to the bank. Then they MIGHT open an account for me without a green card. But they reserve the right to turn me down. Screw Alphabank.
I will talk with the head of the school tomorrow and insist that he go with me to another bank and help me. If he's going to pay me in cash, he's going to find a way to help me deposit it. Valeriya texted her former employer who helped her open the account in Moscow and he said, yup, everything is different in the Republic of Tatarstan where Kazan is located. Geez, that's just great.
But a couple of good things came out of the evening. When we walked to the bank, we stopped at a little bakery that sells lepyoshka, some of the best flat bread I've ever tasted in my life. Now, anytime I'm down in that area, which is right near the subway station, I know what I'm going to buy.
While Valeriya and I were in the bank, Matthew ran into MacDonalds's to get some shrimp. Yes, folks, shrimp. Not just crappy little hamburgers here. Real shrimp. And he says it's really good stuff.
Class went well today. The kids are really getting into the routine and saying more and more things in English. They are understanding what my expectations are and starting to really listen. We have to put on a little performance at the end of October. We are going to sing rain, Rain, Go Away in a little skit. The kids seem to like it. I had to sing it about 10 times today. And nobody put his elbow in his soup today.
My cold is feeling a little better. I fell asleep at 8:30 last night, which is why I didn't blog. So, I'm signing off for now. I sure there will be more adventures soon.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Green snot, part 2!
Friday turned out to be a good day. The mother who wanted to send the nanny with her kid out the kid (with the nanny) in another class when I sai no to the nanny idea. OK by me. The kids are understanding and saying more and more everyday. But one little girl came in with a snotty nose and I just knew I was going to get something because my immune system is still down from my sold from3 weeks ago. I was out and about yesterday, but then my nose started running, so, except for getting the defective pedal on my bike replaced and going to the pharmacy for some meds, I'm laying low today.
Here are some things I learned on Friday. Little kids are not allowed to converse when they are eating. They are told to be quiet and eat. Here I'm trying to speak some English to them and they look at me like I'm crazy.
I also learned how to get a taxi with my mew phone. I downloaded the uber app. I just put in the address where I'm at, where I want to go and it sends me the number and color of the cab, a picture of the driver and how much the trip will cost. And i can do it in our script. I don't have to use the Russian alphabet. While probably try it the first time next week when I go to the theater with the teachers.
So yesterday, the first thing I did after breakfast and cleaning up was go and get a haircut. I found the place with no problem. I asked very nicely in Russian and she told me I had to wait 7 minutes. She was right. I told her I wanted it short and she really made it short. I kept saying good, good, and she kept saying wait a minute, wait a minute! So it's shorter than I'm used to, but doesn't look bad and it will grow out quickly.
I came back home, then took the bike on the subway to see what I could see. My first stop was the tourist office. I got lots of info about boat trips to monasteries and city bus tours. It turns out that they have very little tourist info in English because they don't get that many visitors from English-speaking nations. The lady told me that most of the tourists are from Germany and France. Boy, what a missed opportunity if you have the chance but don't visit Kazan. It is an amazing city.
So then I just sort of troodled around again taking pictures and found "the house of books". It's a very nice little bookstore with lots of material about Kazan, none of which is in English. But I bought a great 500 piece puzzle of the Kul Sharif, the beautiful mosque at the Kremlin. I already started it this morning. I asked if they had an section of English language books. They did, but it's mostly classics like Treasure Island. After that I went to the Internet cafe and my young English colleague Emma met me there for a cup of coffee. She's already been at the school for a year so she caught me up on all the gossip. She also told me where to find a book store with a lot of English language books.
We parted and I headed for the subway to go to a mall which had an art supply store. I'm looking for google eyes for a project and nobody at school had any idea what I'm talking about. It's interesting that none of the elevators at the subway and tram stations meant for wheelchair users and children's strollers seem to work. I either have to hold on to the bike with the brakes on engaged on an escalator or carry it up and down the stairs. One nice young man asked me yesterday if I needed help. By now I've got the hang of it and it's a lightweight aluminum bike. Also interesting is, that the security guard at my subway station now knows who I am. She is so excited that someone who speaks English wants to live and work in Kazan.
Besides her, many people speak to me on the street because I'm wearing a bike helmet. I don't understand all that they are telling me, but it's obvious they think the helmet is a good idea. When they hear my struggling Russian, then they start asking all sorts of personal questions. Where am I from? Do I live alone? Do I make a lot of money? That's when I don't "understand" Russian. One guy even wanted to know how much my bike cost!
Forgot to mention that, at the subway station underground there are lots of stores and cafes.(Except for the fact that the elevators don't work, they are gorgeous.) I found a great pair of new sneakers at one of the stores and grabbed them. Even sneaker prices here are less than in the States.
OK. So I make it to this beautiful shopping mall with the arts and crafts store. I found string, scotch tape and cupcake papers, but no google eyes. At least they und erstood what I was talking about. And it's always interesting how two or three salespeople and a couple customers will gather around to try and help out. This is such a hospitable city.
Did I mention that the haircut cost $4.30.
Got home at about 6:30' just in time to hear the 2nd half of Wait,Wait, Don't Tell Me and just spent the evening communicating electronically. Not all good news. A dear, dear friend passed away . I will miss her very much.
As the evening went on, my nose started running, so I knew the green snot had had an affect. I decided that I would just lay low today. I did my exercises and started doing the puzzle. I'll take a pictuecwnen I'm done. I also made a list of import words I need to know, like the numbers and the days of the week. I need to know how much I need to pay and when. I taped them to my bathroom wall with my new scotch tape that i got at the arts and crafts store.I did, however, ride to my bike store. My right pedal was defective. They fixed it immediately. I stopped at a coffee shop and had an interesting piece of pizza and a cappuccino while I watched the end of a British soccer game on TV .
On the way home I stopped at a pharmacy to get something to make my nose stop running.
And now it's nothing but rest for the rest of the day.
Here are some things I learned on Friday. Little kids are not allowed to converse when they are eating. They are told to be quiet and eat. Here I'm trying to speak some English to them and they look at me like I'm crazy.
I also learned how to get a taxi with my mew phone. I downloaded the uber app. I just put in the address where I'm at, where I want to go and it sends me the number and color of the cab, a picture of the driver and how much the trip will cost. And i can do it in our script. I don't have to use the Russian alphabet. While probably try it the first time next week when I go to the theater with the teachers.
So yesterday, the first thing I did after breakfast and cleaning up was go and get a haircut. I found the place with no problem. I asked very nicely in Russian and she told me I had to wait 7 minutes. She was right. I told her I wanted it short and she really made it short. I kept saying good, good, and she kept saying wait a minute, wait a minute! So it's shorter than I'm used to, but doesn't look bad and it will grow out quickly.
I came back home, then took the bike on the subway to see what I could see. My first stop was the tourist office. I got lots of info about boat trips to monasteries and city bus tours. It turns out that they have very little tourist info in English because they don't get that many visitors from English-speaking nations. The lady told me that most of the tourists are from Germany and France. Boy, what a missed opportunity if you have the chance but don't visit Kazan. It is an amazing city.
So then I just sort of troodled around again taking pictures and found "the house of books". It's a very nice little bookstore with lots of material about Kazan, none of which is in English. But I bought a great 500 piece puzzle of the Kul Sharif, the beautiful mosque at the Kremlin. I already started it this morning. I asked if they had an section of English language books. They did, but it's mostly classics like Treasure Island. After that I went to the Internet cafe and my young English colleague Emma met me there for a cup of coffee. She's already been at the school for a year so she caught me up on all the gossip. She also told me where to find a book store with a lot of English language books.
We parted and I headed for the subway to go to a mall which had an art supply store. I'm looking for google eyes for a project and nobody at school had any idea what I'm talking about. It's interesting that none of the elevators at the subway and tram stations meant for wheelchair users and children's strollers seem to work. I either have to hold on to the bike with the brakes on engaged on an escalator or carry it up and down the stairs. One nice young man asked me yesterday if I needed help. By now I've got the hang of it and it's a lightweight aluminum bike. Also interesting is, that the security guard at my subway station now knows who I am. She is so excited that someone who speaks English wants to live and work in Kazan.
Besides her, many people speak to me on the street because I'm wearing a bike helmet. I don't understand all that they are telling me, but it's obvious they think the helmet is a good idea. When they hear my struggling Russian, then they start asking all sorts of personal questions. Where am I from? Do I live alone? Do I make a lot of money? That's when I don't "understand" Russian. One guy even wanted to know how much my bike cost!
Forgot to mention that, at the subway station underground there are lots of stores and cafes.(Except for the fact that the elevators don't work, they are gorgeous.) I found a great pair of new sneakers at one of the stores and grabbed them. Even sneaker prices here are less than in the States.
OK. So I make it to this beautiful shopping mall with the arts and crafts store. I found string, scotch tape and cupcake papers, but no google eyes. At least they und erstood what I was talking about. And it's always interesting how two or three salespeople and a couple customers will gather around to try and help out. This is such a hospitable city.
Did I mention that the haircut cost $4.30.
Got home at about 6:30' just in time to hear the 2nd half of Wait,Wait, Don't Tell Me and just spent the evening communicating electronically. Not all good news. A dear, dear friend passed away . I will miss her very much.
As the evening went on, my nose started running, so I knew the green snot had had an affect. I decided that I would just lay low today. I did my exercises and started doing the puzzle. I'll take a pictuecwnen I'm done. I also made a list of import words I need to know, like the numbers and the days of the week. I need to know how much I need to pay and when. I taped them to my bathroom wall with my new scotch tape that i got at the arts and crafts store.I did, however, ride to my bike store. My right pedal was defective. They fixed it immediately. I stopped at a coffee shop and had an interesting piece of pizza and a cappuccino while I watched the end of a British soccer game on TV .
On the way home I stopped at a pharmacy to get something to make my nose stop running.
And now it's nothing but rest for the rest of the day.
Green snot!
The MacDonald's in the pedestrian zone. One of the many outdoor markets on Saturday and one of the numerous Orthodox churches in Kazan. 
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