The Lyceum

Sometimes my life here in Russia is confusing and I am certainly not my own. On Monday this week the director of the English program told me that I'd be needed on Friday for about an hour to judge an English competition at the first building of our University.

As anyone who has worked with me before or knows me well, I really like knowing what's going on and not having my schedule messed with (I think it goes back to being lost at Cedar Point amusement park sometime in my childhood). Anyway - more likely it's just a part of my nature.

So when Habiba told me that I'd be busy Friday morning, I was a bit nervous because a ONE hour commitment is never a ONE hour commitment here. So I informed my Russian teacher I might be late.

It was an enjoyable morning that started with the students arriving to 'pick me up' 45 minutes early! I was still asleep in bed! Needless to say, I set a new world record for getting ready and being, um, presentable… I think a full 17 seconds. I ended up with them for 5 and a half hours, not one! Ah, yes… the American perception of time. I'm still working on UNlearning this aspect of my own nature/ culture. I really do love it here, it's just different.

The gala event started with a presentation of the entire school, the lyceum is a university magnate, prep school located INSIDE the university. They have 300 students who were competing in various academic competitions. So there was a skit, a really nicely done powerpoint presentation, and some nice words by the school administrators. The theme was something like, rediscovering space.

I was undercover as a Russian speaker - and completely in the role of special American guest. It was really fun and the students enjoyed my mini English lesson, the conversation about changes in value structure in American and Russian society and it's effect on child-rearing (not a planned conversation, but just sort of came into being).

There was a real Russian tea party after the presentations! There was a special torte too. It was 2 KILOS! (that's over 4 lbs!) Needless to say, today will be a day filled with yogurt!

I really do love these opportunities to speak with young people, to invite them to our cultural center for our programs, and more than anything - the opportunity to get them really thinking about important issues. Moral character, safe sex, healthy bodies/minds just don't seem to be the focus of any instruction that they receive now-a-days.