more English graffitti

I saw this tag the other day and it struck me as being humorous. I mean, people my age talk about something being Old School... but I have yet to see anyone my age tagging a garage.

Thankful

Last week was a tough one. It was filled with difficult meetings and
consultations. We are grateful to have made it through and are looking
forward to having a peaceful week before Tom leaves for Yakutsk.

We have a new bakery!

Right next door to our local supermarket is a brand new bakery. This is exciting for us because we are lovers of fresh bread. We have tried a few different things there already. Whole grain bread, sandwich rolls, and my personal favorite croissants! Croissants are not new here in Krasnodar but to find them freshly made and not filled with chocolate or some type of cream is a rare treat.

Tom went in the other day and the person behind the counter had never seen an American. He asked Tom his nationality and wanted to take his picture. It is funny to us that after four years there are still people around us that have never an American in person. Spencer and I have gotten used to having our picture taken but this was a first for Tom!

thought for today

A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours.
Milton Berle

which path would you choose?

There are several superstitions here in Russia. One of them involves a setting like the one in the photo. On the right side of the photo there is a narrow path between the tree and the column or you could choose the wider path between the two columns. Superstition says that walking under that angled beam means walking through the devil's gate.

It is fascinating to me to watch a group of people walking this direction so that I can take note of which path they choose. Not being superstitious I always choose the wider path.

Which path would you choose?!

I finally learned how to post from my cellphone!

um... thanks?!

I am still taking Russian lessons. I speak well enough to translate for Tom when he has counseling appointments. However, there is always room for improvement as far as grammar and Russian expressions are concerned. Especially, when constructing sentences... I have a tendency slip into using English structure when speaking Russian quickly without thinking it through.

Today my teacher began working with me on improving my translating skills. She chose a short story and would read a sentence or two and I had to translate them as quickly as possible. I did fairly well. We both knew my what my weaknesses would be. There are a few constructions I tend to avoid using when I speak just because of how tricky they can be for me.

The positive feedback though was this... she was proud, pleased and shocked at how well I did and how long a passage of text I can remember. She was sincerely giving me a compliment when she compared my capacity to remember with hers. She even mentioned our age difference and how most people my age struggle with memory. I am 14 years her senior.

When I got home Tom asked me how my lesson went. My reply? I simply said "She thinks I have a good memory for an old lady."

Or at least that is how I chose to translate it!!

Engagement...

Olga and Arustam invited us to come to their church to celebrate the announcement of their engagement. It was an honor for us to be included in this event. This couple has been coming to Tom's Saturday teaching sessions and it has been great to watch them both as they grow and develope as individuals and now as a couple!

thought for today

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.
Mother Teresa

Kalishnikov Turns 90!

Gun inventor, 'happy man' Kalashnikov turns 90
By Alexander Osipovich (AFP)

MOSCOW — Mikhail Kalashnikov, the Russian inventor of the globally popular AK-47 assault rifle, on Tuesday declared himself a "happy man" as he celebrated his 90th birthday with a burst of poetry.

Lavished with honours for designing the iconic rifle, Kalashnikov said he had never intended for it to become the preferred weapon in conflicts around the world.

"I created a weapon to defend the fatherland's borders. It's not my fault that it was sometimes used where it shouldn't have been. This is the fault of politicians," he said during an award ceremony at the Kremlin.

Kalashnikov was handed the prestigious Hero of Russia prize by President Dmitry Medvedev, who hailed the AK-47 as "a brilliant example of Russian weaponry" and "a national brand which evokes pride in each citizen."

The white-haired Kalashnikov -- who is an amateur poet and the author of six books, as well as a weapons designer -- also read aloud a brief patriotic poem that he penned himself.

"I wrote poetry in my youth, and people thought I would become a poet. But I didn't become one. There are many bad poets out there without me. I went along a different path," he told reporters at the Kremlin.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin praised Kalashnikov as a "truly legendary" figure while state television was filled with tributes to the 90-year-old inventor.

In one tribute, two Russian cosmonauts congratulated Kalashnikov by video link from the International Space Station (ISS).

"Your name, like that of the first cosmonaut, Yury Gagarin, became a symbol of our country in the 20th century," ISS crew member Maxim Surayev said in the video message.

Kalashnikov is considered a national hero in Russia for designing the AK-47, a rifle whose name stands for "Kalashnikov's Automatic" and the year it was designed, 1947.

Also called the "Kalashnikov", the rifle and its variants are the weapons of choice for dozens of armies and guerrilla groups around the world.

More than 100 million Kalashnikov rifles have been sold worldwide and they are wielded by fighters in such far-flung conflict zones as Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

But their inventor, a World War II veteran, has barely profited financially from them and lives modestly in Izhevsk, an industrial town 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) east of Moscow.

Part of the problem, according to Izhmash, is that "counterfeit" AK-47s are produced in Bulgaria, China, Poland and the United States, costing the company 360 million dollars (261 million euros) annually.

Kalashnikov himself has dismissed the importance of money, insisting that he has always been more motivated by service to his country.

"In my 90 years I feel myself to be a happy man," he said in a interview in the Russian government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

"Of course, like anyone else, there are things to regret.... But I can say one thing: I would not have chosen to lead my life any other way if I had had the opportunity."

Born in a Siberian village on November 10, 1919, Kalashnikov had a tragic childhood during which his father was deported under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in 1930.

Wounded during combat in 1941, Kalashnikov started working on his rifle in 1947, driven to design by Soviet defeats in the early years of World War II at the hands of far better armed German soldiers.

The rifle quickly became prized for its sturdy reliability in difficult field conditions.

Kalashnikov remains surprisingly healthy for his age, speaking regularly at conferences devoted to Russian weapons. He told Rossiiskaya Gazeta that he had slowed down recently, but still goes moose hunting once a year.

shopping at the Galleria

Spencer and I went shopping Saturday at Galleria Krasnodar. We didn't make any purchases... he is still adjusting to being back in Russia after his year abroad and wanted to see what had changed while he was away.

One of the stores that he enjoyed was Cropp Town. It is sort of like Hot Topic or Urban Outfitters in the sense that it is the kind of place the teens love to go for trendy clothes, sarcastic t-shirts or a great pair of jeans.

If you would like to check out their selection just click here: Cropp Town

press one for....

Our cellphone service provider is MTC. We have been pleased with their service for 4 1/2 years now. Today I had to call to get my cell phone working again. As I made the call I was confronted with one of my fears and one of my pet peeves while trying to solve my problem.

One of my pet peeves is automated phone directory service. You know the kind where you dial the company and rather than get a live person you get a machine giving you a list of choices and telling you which number to press that corresponds with your choice. One of my fears is speaking Russian on the phone... well, not the speaking part just the understanding what is being said to me when the other party is speaking really fast part.

The combination of the automated service with the menu of choices being presented to me in Russian was a mini nightmare! Thank goodness I remembered a trick that works with most of these types of services in America. Just press '0' for the operator. Once there was a live person on the phone to speak with the rest of the call went smoothly. Within 15 minutes of hanging up my cell phone was back in operation!

some things are the same...

Here is a photo from McDonalds in Ternopil, Ukraine. We stopped there on our way to the airport the day we were flying back to Russia. McDonalds is pretty much the same all over the world... the most noticeable difference is the language on the menu!

One thing that was different and immediately stood out for us was seeing people wearing masks. I realize they face the public all day long but it was a little unnerving to see McDonalds staff in masks!

Thought for today

Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

Italian Proverb

Spencer is home!

We are so happy to have Spencer back with us!

He spent the past year in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia (the country) and Armenia. We are not sure how long he will be with us. But his return to Krasnodar is a joy for us right now. If Nathan were here this little family reunion of ours would be complete!

Ternopil 2009

Final day of class... DTS staff and students under quarantine in Ternopil! Fortunately, Tom and I were able to make it out of Ternopil to fly back to Russia. We are safe and healthy back in Krasnodar and are excited to have Spencer back with us again!!

Dinner at the Old Mill in Ternopil, Ukraine

Last night Tom and I were taken out to dinner by Sasha and his lovely wife, Luda. Sasha is the director of the school here in Ternopil. We were treated to an incredible meal in a Ukrainian restaurant. All of the decorations were antiques and the wait staff dresses in traditional Ukrainian attire.

Tom and I were issued a challenge right off the bat. The appetizer was sala with bread and garlic. We have both tried sala before so that was not new. The challenge from Sasha was: would we be willing to eat it again or face being put on Sasha's black list?! We both passed with flying colors. Sala is basically bacon fat. This particular restaurant melts it into a spread with various spices and all you have to do is put a layer of it on the fresh bread, top that layer with thinly sliced garlic and then enjoy!

After the appetizer of bread and sala we had green borsht:

Our green borscht was presented in the this freshly baked bread!

The yellow is just of bit of butter... once it was stirred it was sooo tasty!!

Take notice of the ceramic cup with no handles. That was our drinking glass. The small wicker container shaped like a shoe held the silverware. Tom had salmon steak with Ternopil potatoes and I had cabbage rolls. It was a great meal, very filling and beautifully presented.

And the time with Sasha and Luda... Priceless!

,

A quarantine in Ternopil

We just found out last night about this quarantine here in the city. We saw store clerks yesterday wearing masks and that was our first clue. Late last night we were told to close the windows due to the spraying that was going on. We were told that the buses and trains are no longer running in and out of the city. We are hoping that we will still make our plane on Saturday... keep us in your prayers!

УНІАН (www.unian.net)

28.10.2009 13:04
Flu is in Ukraine

In Ternopil a quarantine is prolonged because of high level of prevalence of flu and acute respiratory viral infection.

The press office of the city council disclosed to an UNIAN correspondent, the relevant decision was made today at the regular session of city extraordinary antiepidemic commission under chairmanship of deputy city chairman on social issues Roman Legkiy.

During the session the head state sanitary inspector of Ternopil Volodymyr Panichev said that as of October 27 level of prevalence of acute respiratory viral infection and diseases similar to flu in the city makes up 255.5 per 10 thousands of population.

УНІАН (www.unian.net)

29.10.2009 11:48
Educational institutions are closed in two Oblasts because of flu

The quarantine in educational institutions is announced in the Ternopil and Ivano-Frankovsk Oblasts because of spreading of flu.

The Propaganda Center of the Directorate of the Emergency Ministry disclosed to UNIAN that education is suspended in 10 universities, 11 vocational training colleges and colleges in the Ternopil Oblast of Ukraine and in Ternopil from October 28.

The relevant decrees were issued by heads of the educational institutional institutions because of growth of number of flu and ARD cases. As of 22.00 pm, October 28, 244.5 ill people per 10 thousands of population are registered.

thought for today

You don't really see the world if you only look through your own window.
Ukrainian Proverb

check out the details...

This little house is the dining hall... there are three houses on this property. I love the paint job on this one. Even though this is a university it has a "home" feel to it!

in the classroom...

Here are a few shots from the classroom where Tom is teaching. The flags on the wall represent the nations of the 11 students attending the school. There are 3 students from Sacramento, California...they are all immigrants to the US from former Soviet Union countries and their English is much better than their Russian! The students range in age from 18-45.

Tom and I are here with 11 students, and 7 staff members in this 3 story house. Everyone seems to be in good spirits despite the fact that yesterday it was announced that the water would be turned off for two days here in this region for maintenance. Last night there was a mad dash to gather up as many buckets, tubs, large pitchers and bowls to hold water for cleaning up and even more important flushing the toilets! Some of the bathrooms have been made off limits to force people to use the outdoor toilet. Our bedroom has its own bathroom so we have a tub and a bucket filled with water. Just another ordinary day here in the former Soviet Union!

UT Air

Tom and I flew on UT Air for our Moscow, Russia to Lvov, Ukraine leg of our trip to Ternopil, Ukraine. We flew on an ATR-72 Twin-turboprop aircraft. It was the smallest plane we have ever been on for an international flight. It was noisy but the ride was smooth and it was less than a 3 hour flight!

on our way to Ternopil

Tom and I are traveling this weekend for him to teach at University of the Nations at the base in Ternopil, Ukraine. (up near the Polish border!)

We finished the first leg of our trip and are in Moscow. Tomorrow, bright and early, we fly to Lvov, Ukraine and then when we get there we will have to get on a bus to go to Ternopil.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

UN Report:

I found this article on the Russia Today website...

Russia becomes largest market for Afghan heroin

22 October, 2009, 13:02

Russia has become the biggest consumer of Afghan heroin with 21% of all the drug consumed in the world, as of the latest UN Office on Drugs and Crime report “Addiction, Crime and Insurgency” published on October 21.

According to the report, no less than 70 tons of heroin were trafficked to Russia in 2008 – that’s three times more than to the US and Canada together, and much more than previously estimated.

Russia's Federal Drug Control Service Head, Viktor Ivanov, stated that over 180 Afghan drug cartels were busy trafficking opiates to the Russian Federation. He pointed out that most of them are operating in Afghan provinces that are under the control of coalition forces in Afghanistan, and therefore lie in their zone of responsibility.

“About 2-2.5 million people [in Russia] are drug users… and 90% of drug-dependent people use Afghan opiates,” Ivanov told RT.

Over the last 10 years, the quantity of drug addicts in Russia skyrocketed tenfold, claiming 30,000-40,000 lives annually.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan remains the world leader in opiate production with 92% of all global opium poppy cultivation. This market is valued at $65 billion. It involves 15 million addicts, of which 100,000 people die every year.

An Afghan policeman shows six and a half tonnes of drugs to be set on fire during an anti-narcotics ceremony in the outskirts of Kabul (AFP Photo / Massoud Hossaini)

Widespread corruption and the lack of enforcement results in the interception of only 2% of the trafficked Afghan opiates, while in Colombia up to 36% is being seized.

The UNODC report estimates the main consumer markets in Europe consist of 3.1 million heroin users.

A decade ago, the Taliban earned $75-100 million annually by putting a tithe tax on opium poppy cultivation. Starting from 2005, the Taliban and terrorist groups in Afghanistan have boosted income up to $90-160 million per year from simply taxing opium production and trade.

The smuggling of Afghan opiates is fueling addiction and drug use along trafficking routes in Central Asia, as well as spreading diseases, the report says.

Though the production of opium in Afghanistan has fallen by some 10% in 2009, the opium in storage is enough to satisfy the worldwide demand fully for two years.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has named opiate production in Afghanistan the major threat to the national security of Russia and discussed the issue during the meetings with the US President Barack Obama and the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying the efforts of the West to counter drug trafficking in Afghanistan are insufficient.

thought for today

When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.

Lao Tzu

more photos from the conference

Here is Anya translating for Tom. She is a university student there in Novorossisk.

A glimpse of the attendees taking notes...

The buidling where the conference was held...

A small taste of the view that we had up there in the mountains. We were short on time and didn't get in any sight seeing this trip. Tom had to get back home to teach the final session on Words that Hurt Words that Heal. Maybe next time!

Russian Mothers of Preschoolers Conference

From the dining hall to the conference room everything was decorated for the event. It was held at a campsite not far from the city of Novorossisk.

The photo with the large ball was taken during the ice breaker game. The ball was tossed about the room and if you caught it then you had to answer the question your hand landed on!

We had a great time there... and hopefully as I get rested I will get some more photos up for you to enjoy.

heading off to the Russian National MOPS Convention!

Leah Aleyeva, the National Director of MOPS for Russia, (pictured above) asked Tom to speak on "Words That Hurt and Words That Heal" this week at the Russian National MOPS Convention. Leah also requested that both of us speak on "How to Survive in a Marriage with an Alcoholic." She believes that this topic is much needed here in Russia and is hoping that the women will be eager to take what they learn and pass it on to the moms in their groups.

We are not sure how many women will be in attendance. Two representatives from each MOPS group are allowed to attend. There are a total of 50 MOPS groups registered here in Russia. Our group in Krasnodar is #50!

Tom and I both feel honored to be able to participate in MOPS on a national level. The convention will last from today until Saturday... please keep us in your prayers!

thought for today

Learn to face things as they come, and when they come, with calm deliberation. We may not be able to control events, but we can control our attitudes toward them.

One Day At A Time in Al-Anon

Praying Mantis...

As we were coming home from church on Sunday we came across this praying mantis. Tom got down on the sidewalk to get a photo up close. One of our neighbors saw us looking at something and came over to see what we were doing. When he saw the mantis on the ground he looked at him and asked "where did you fly in from my friend?" The mantis was not in a talking mood so we were left without an answer!

Russia Today

Russia to get its first fashion museum

11 October, 2009, 16:25

The history of Russian fashion is to be unveiled as the brand new Fashion Museum is being prepared for opening in 2010, as part of the All-Russian Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts.

As the director of the new museum, Margarita Barzhanova, says, it has already collected over 40,000 costumes, from 15th Century dresses to modern clothing, fabric and embroidery samples, as well as sketches and photographs dated from the 19th and 20th Centuries. The museum has been collecting all these priceless pieces of fashion history since its foundation 125 years ago.

However there is a slight lack of contemporary fashion in the collection – it was last updated in 1987. The museum’s administration can only rely on “the free will of the fashion designers”.

“Now we are refilling the collection as fashion forges ahead. But we can only do it with the help of fashion designers. The artist is our main donor,”Barzhanova says.

The presentation of a special museum’s “Black and white” project, dedicated to the history of city costume, will open on October 16 to mark the official start of the Russian Fashion Week, which will pass through the capital from October 17 to October 23.

Oy! more graffitti

Spelling, grammar and the message are all in question here. Goodness!

in the arms of love...

As I was walking to my Russian lesson today I saw a little girl out near the playground with her grandfather. She was around 4 years old. She was clutching two baby dolls, one in each arm, close to her chest. One doll was white and the other black. That sight still makes me smile when I think back on it!

Perhaps, I was struck by the sight because when I was a little girl black dolls were hard to find. So, to see one in the arms of a little girl here in Russia was just priceless to me.

Thought for today

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991

Cossacks on Parade

We are not sure how frequently this happens... Sunday, while on Krasnaya street we happened upon this parade. A taste of Kuban (our state name) culture at its finest!

Strolling Krasnaya Street

While strolling Krasnaya with some friends of ours we caught sight of this electric patrol car. It is amazing that 4 officers can actually fit inside. Granted, they are riding pretty low!

Convenience pack

1 beet, 1 carrot and 2 small onions... this little set could be used as a starter kit for borscht or for a salad. Quite often we see people shopping for one meal at a time. It is great to see that our local supermarket is making shopping easier for its customers who shop in small quantities!

it's all good in my 'hood!

Yesterday coming home from teaching I met up with my neighbor, Tanya, who is always feeding the stray cats outside of our building. She is not one of Tom's favorites because we have a lot of stray cats close to our building, due to the free food she provides, who have decided to use the boiler room as their cat box.

Tanya was filled with stories about cats needing to have surgery and how sorry she feels for them. As she was speaking another neighbor, a long distance trucker, walked up behind her carrying a crowbar. He asked me if she had offended me. I laughed and told him everything was fine. He pats the crowbar against his other hand, like they do in the movies, smiled really big and said "if she gives you any trouble just call me!"

We all laughed together and after listening to one more story about cats and discussing our kids, Tanya and I said our goodbyes and I came inside our building. As I reached the 3rd floor where the crowbar carrying truck driver lives with his family, I was just in time to see him having a conversation with his cat about going out of the house or staying in!

thought for today

Curiosity is one thing; wisdom is another. Maybe neither can fully cover the territory. Maybe one is meant to drive us, the other meant to beckon us.

Sidney Poitier, from his book The Measure of a Man

The youthful exuberance of curiosity partnered with a wisdom that can only come from experience guides me out of my comfort zone to take on a new project or learn a new skill. As I learn what I am and am not capable of I grow as a person. My desire is to always possess a healthy dose of human curiosity balanced out by heavenly wisdom.