Fox Valley Sierra Group

Kelly's Russia Blog

Written 02/18/04:

Saturday morning I had to make a 2.5 hour trip to the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI for the first of our monthly planning meetings for our trip to Russia. I left home feeling excited to meet the other teachers and to learn more about, well, everything. By the end of the meeting I was more overwhelmed than I had been before. There are a total of eleven teachers committed to one of two camps that will be held at Muraviovka Park in the Amur Region in the Russian Far East. Ideally, the director would like to have 10 teachers at each camp. If I counted right, there are only 4 people signed up to teach at the language camp and 7 for the environmental education camp. Needless to say, we are a few people short.

The Russian students that attend the Language camp are not allowed to speak Russian while in the classroom. They can only speak English therefore those that attend the camp are fairly fluent in our language. At the environmental camp (where I will be teaching), the high-school age students will not be fluent in English and each teacher will be assigned a translator. This year’s focus is to teach the students how to do research. Russian schools do not use research techniques like we do here in the states. Because this is an environmental camp, each lesson needs to be based on something environmental whether it be animals, plants, pollution, etc. I am told that the Amur Region is much like Horicon Marsh but on a much, much larger scale. Most of the area is wetlands or bog with only a few trees dotting the landscape. I will be working with the education coordinator at Heckrodt Wetland Reserve to develop lessons and presentations related to wetlands. There’s no way I could do all this on my own.

During the meeting, calendars of our departure dates and work schedules were passed out. Originally, I was only supposed to be in Russia for 3 weeks but as I counted the days on the calendar (not just once but 4 times to make sure my eyes weren’t fooling me) I realized the trip had been extended to 4 weeks. I’m excited that I will be in Russia for a whole month but I’m not sure how my boss is going to react to the unexpected change. The moment hasn’t been right to break the news.

I depart for Moscow on June 27th. Three days later I will finally get to Blago ­ the closet city to camp with an airport. That’s what happens when you travel the wrong way around the globe. My first 3 days in the Russian Far East will be spent touring the Amur Region. On the 4th of July the locals will bring their arts, crafts, and foods to the camp for the annual county fair in which we (the americans) get to be the judges. Afterwards, many of the items are for sale. The next 6 days are spent with only the Russian teachers. Then the kids come for 8 days of fun-filled environmental activities. We will teach from 9-12 and 2-5 and then have a campfire in the evening. I will arrive back in the states on July 23rd but first I will get to spend 4 full days touring Moscow and possibly St. Petersburg.

Now here’s the really cool part: While in Moscow we will be staying in the zoo guest house. The guest house is a converted castle that is literally in the zoo and surrounded by caged animals. Early in the morning before the zoo is open we can walk through the grounds and see the animals before the crowds arrive. Actually, the only way to get from the castle to the street is by walking through the zoo. How cool!

Muriaviovka Park can host up to 40 students at a time. In the past few years, the camp has upgraded from tents to cabins for a more comfortable stay. The teachers will be staying in a guest house with real beds, dressers, and closets. The camp does not have running water but each morning water is brought in from the city. There is a shower house but hot water is not always guaranteed. The sun needs to heat the barrels on top of the building. The camp has a fulltime cook who will treat us to 3 meals a day. From what I hear, Olga’s cooking is sensational. The weather in summer is typically around 95 degrees but there is still permafrost 16 inches under the soil. The winters are very harsh with average temps around in the negative 40s.

My Russian is getting a little better. I still can’t say much but I’m starting to get the accent down. I will be the only teacher in camp who can speak Russian (other than the director and his wife). Many of their words sound like ours. It’s just a matter of remembering which ones those are. Practice. Practice. Practice.

My guess is you’re probably sick of reading by now so I think it’s time to stop.

Poka (see ya)
Kelly

Written 03/22/04:

A lot has happened since I last wrote. First of all, I finally broke the news to my boss that I would be in Russia for a total of 4 weeks instead of the original 3. Jim was more concerned about me being able to make rent after going for a month without income. I tried to reassure him that I would be okay financially but deep down I have my doubts. I have written a total of 31 letters requesting sponsors from my relatives, various organizations and local businesses. The outcome doesn’t look promising. ICF has applied for a grant but we will not know for some time yet whether we got it or not. If we do get the grant, the money won’t come until June.

Last Saturday I had another 6 hour meeting at the ICF in Baraboo to go over more details on the trip. I’m slowly finding out information about the six other teachers I will be living, working, and traveling with over the summer. Doug is a young middle school social studies teacher from Rhinelander. He is friendly, humorous, adventurous, and has a very infectious laugh. I see the two of us getting along very well together. Gretchen and Dave are a retired married couple from Milwaukee who have traveled all over the world. Dave was an elementary school principal and Gretchen taught science in middle school. Acoustic guitar playing is one of Dave’s many talents. I plan on learning to play on the harmonica some of the songs he knows so we can entertain the kids around the campfire. Brenda is a young science teacher with a lot of experience in the agricultural field seeing as how she lives on a farm. In Russia she will be in control of teaching everything and anything she knows about soil. And then there’s Rochelle. What can I say about Rochelle. First of all, when we all had to share one thing about ourselves that we thought everyone else should know, Rochelle stated that she is a “pain in the butt”! I don’t see her as a “pain in the butt” but instead a very strong-willed, aggressive woman ­ which I guess can be a “pain in the butt”, depending on how you look at it. Rochelle and I will be the 2 art teachers in Russia. She has gone to the camp a number of times so I will be picking her brain and leaning on her for a lot of guidance.

One of the meals at camp will be prepared by us, the Americans. It was hard deciding on a meal considering we are extremely limited in ingredients and we have to make enough to feed 100 people. Anything that the camp doesn’t have we have to carry over in our luggage. After much thought, we decided on sloppy joes, german potato salad, rice krispie treats and kool-aid. We will have to bring the rice krispies, marshmallows and kool-aid but they don’t weigh much so I think it will work.

Elena, the camp director’s wife, spent all day exploring traveling options. In the past, the teachers have flown to Siberia either via Moscow or Beijing. Last year they were supposed to fly into China but SARS broke out so plans were changed at the last minute. Elena was just in Beijing last week. The only people wearing face masks were the street sweepers. The coast is clear. The Chinese government does not like people flying through their county without stopping to stay for a few days. Likewise, if you fly to Russia via China you must return the same way. If we fly via China we would have to spend a minimum of 2 days in the country either on our way to or from Russia ­ according to the Chinese government. A tour package would have to be purchased in addition to a Chinese Visa. In comparison to Moscow, Beijing is very expensive. On the other hand, we would get to tour the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace. Seeing the Great Wall would be absolutely amazing! As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care which way we fly as long as I don’t have to make the travel arrangements! Last I heard we’re flying into Moscow but nothing’s set in stone. Here’s an interesting little fact I learned about the cathedrals in Moscow: To enter women must have their shoulders covered and men must have their legs covered. The team last year ran into this problem when Adam tried to get into one of the cathedrals wearing shorts. The other teachers wrapped his legs in jackets so he could go on the tour with everyone else.

A few Russians recently came to Wisconsin to learn more about our farming and teaching techniques. While they were here they were amazed at the number of American flags flying above businesses and houses. In Russia the only buildings that can fly the Russian flag are governmental buildings. So you can imagine their reaction when they saw American flags everywhere, thinking each building belonged to the government! Big brother is watching you!

Aside from Russia, the whitewater kayaking season started for me on March 6. A few local rivers are running otherwise everything north of here is still frozen. The big thaw is only a few weeks away ­ hopefully I can get in shape before it happens.

I hope everyone is staying as busy as I’ve been. Work hard but play harder. Das Vihdanya.

Kelly

PS - This just in! I got my itinerary! I leave the States June 28 and fly from Chicago to Zurich, Switzerland then on to Moscow.

Written 05/23/04:

Only five more weeks till departure. Our travel plans are pretty much in place but it’s all the stuff that I need to take care of at home that’s overwhelming. Cancel cable. Hold the mail. Caretakers for the animals. Pay the bills in advance. Someone to water the plants….and the list goes on. I get tired just thinking about it! Somehow everything will fall into place. It always does. The hardest part right now is finding the time to get everything done – maybe it’s not the time that I need to find but the motivation. I have a hard time concentrating on chores when there’s fun to be had.

I have spent the last few months fundraising for my trip - mostly by sending out letters. My financial crisis has evaporated. So far I have gotten $1,075 in sponsorship money and I hear there’s more on the way. Thank you to everyone who has helped me out. My total expenses for the trip come to over $2,800 (not counting the money for the 3 days I will be in Moscow). And now for my shameless plug: On Sunday, June 6 I am having a brat fry/bake sale at the Pick ‘N Save in Sheboygan. Please stop by with empty tummies. Another part of the preparation is getting supplies and gifts donated from local businesses. It’s amazing what you can get just by asking. Everyone has been so generous. Gander Mountain of Appleton donated 10 beautiful pocketknives for the farmers at Muraviovka Park. I didn’t expect to get something that nice!

Sadly, my Russian language class ended on May 4. I loved that class and I learned so much, not just about the Russian language but about their culture as well. I plan to continue on with the next level this fall. On May 5, we were invited over to dinner at the instructor’s house. Betsy taught us how to make a few native Russian dishes. We had 4 types of open-face sandwiches, 3 salads (similar to the consistancy of coleslaw), pork/beef/onion filled tortellini type noodles, and a pink, slimy substance topped with whipped cream for desert. For those of you that know me, I’m a pretty picky eater. If it looks gross, I usually won’t try it. I have to admit, there was some pretty scary stuff on the table that night but I wanted the whole Russian experience so I tried everything – except the sandwiches that were topped with little decapitated fish. There was only one thing out of the whole meal that I really liked. Good thing I’ve been putting on weight because I might lose it all in Russia. I’ll have to smuggle in some beef jerky and energy bars.

Like I said before, along with Rochelle, I will be teaching art at the camp. Most of the classes will be devoted to creating keys (picture diagrams) of the species found at Muraviovka Park. One of the “fun” art projects I plan on doing with the kids is tie-dying. Hobby Lobby in Appleton has agreed to donate 40+ white bandanas that we can turn in to psychedelic works of art. I’m pretty sure they have never seen a tie-dyed garment before so I think it will be a big hit. I’m having a hard time thinking of other art projects that will keep high school kids entertained. Any ideas?

I’m about ready to wear a sign around my neck that says “June 28” because I’m getting sick of people asking me, “When do you leave?” It’s like they can’t wait for me to go. Maybe that’s why so many people have given me money. They want to send me to Siberia in hopes that I never come back, right Dave? That’s what my boyfriend keeps telling everyone.

Our last planning meeting was on Saturday. We have each day broken down so we know who’s teaching when and what. The first full day we’re in Siberia we are going to an orphanage. In the past when the Americans went into town they weren’t allowed anywhere near an orphanage. Now they WANT to take us to one. I’m not sure why they changed their mind. I have a feeling the visit is going to be very emotional. I have never experienced anything like that before. I’m not quite sure how I feel about the opportunity…

Sergei sent an email from Siberia. It has not warmed up yet. He recommends packing long underwear. Brrrrrrrrr. NOT was I wanted to hear!

Other exciting news: I have been house shopping. I’m getting sick of giving my money away to someone else. I could be making the same payments for a mortgage as I am for rent. I would ideally like to find a “handyman’s special” in the price range of $50,000-$60,000. Everything I’ve looked at so far has been pretty scary. The right house is out there, I just need to be patient.

Dobre Den (Good day)
Kelly

Written 06/27/04 (evening):

Let the journey begin...

I begin the long, and I mean LONG, journey to Siberia tomorrow at 8:30 am. Over the next two days I will spend a total of 26 hours on an airplane. I have a hard time sitting still through a 2 hour movie so I don't imagine I am going to handle traveling overseas very well. I'm still not completely packed. I guess the panic mode hasn't quite kicked in. I am writing you from my parent's computer. I cancelled my internet yesterday morning and I don't imagine I will get it hooked back up until some time in mid August. Please refrain from forwarding me jokes, chain mail, etc. This will be the last time I am online before I leave. Have a wonderful summer. Don't melt in the humidity.

God Bless,
Kelly

Written 08/17/04:

I know a lot of you have been waiting for stories from my adventure in Russia. I've been so busy having fun that just now, a month later, I've finally had enough time to sit down and put something together. The following 2 lists should give you a taste of Russian culture. I had a blast but Russia is a messed up country. As Doug, one of the American teachers, puts it, "The only thing certain in Russia is uncertaintly." I had to include a separate list based on food. When you don't have access to everything you crave for over 3 weeks, you tend to talk and dream about food every chance you get.

Make sure to check out the pictures. A short explaination of each photo is included at the end of this message. There will be more to come in the future.

Top 20 indicators you might in the Russian Far East:
1. Toilet paper is non-absorbent.
2. It takes 5 minutes to pull your shorts up because it is so humid.
3. There are no rules but they still can be broken.
4. The people who are paid to protect the wildlife also poach it.
5. You get whipped with oak branches while bathing.
6. The gold teeth in a Russian’s mouth are worth more
than what’s in their pocket.
7. Power poles are made of concrete because people
were stealing the wooden poles to build houses.
8. Awards are given for having the nicest yard in town.
9. You hear bugs buzzing in your ear when you are
doing laundry, brushing teeth, bathing, eating,
sleeping, walking, teaching, etc.
10. Everyone wears clothing with English brand names
but they are misspelled because they are Chinese
rip-offs. (Example: Fox Racing is Fox Rncinging)
11. Instead of saying "Super Duper" the Russian kids
say "Super Pooper"
12. Everyone wants your autograph because when they
tell their friends they met an American they won’t be
believed unless they have proof.
13. You’re the top news story the day after you visit
a city.
14. The women have more hair on their legs than they
do on their heads.
15. You put a fence around your house and garden to
keep the animals OUT.
16. You have strong thighs from squatting to go to the
bathroom.
17. It is considered bad luck to sleep with your
window open.
18. You are not allowed to touch anything in the
grocery store. Everything is behind a counter and you
have to tell the cashier what you want.
19. Wild marijuana is growing in every other field.
20. A heavy rain makes it hard to get to town.


Top 10 food-related reasons why I would never live in
the Russian Far East:
1. Donuts have meat filling.
2. Soup is eaten for lunch every day.
3. There is no peanut butter.
4. Guests are not allowed to eat with the hired help.
5. The only refrigeration is a hole dug in the
wetlands down to the permafrost.
6. A tray of fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers is
served at every meal. (YUCK)
7. The tinfoil in your bowl of soup is really fish
skin.
8. At least 1 cup of oil is poured on every dish.
9. No dessert!!!!
10. Beer only comes in 2 liter bottles, costs $1.25
and is 8% alcohol. Awww shucks!

Photographs: