Sunday
Well, the cold weather seems to be arriving. Today, the temperatures did not get out of the upper forties and lower fifties, and for much of the day the sun was reduced to a hazy orb, obscured by a dismal blanket of clouds. Not exactly the most inspirational day for accomplishing anything. I got up early (with the help of my alarm), for the sole purpose of beating everyone to the washer and dryer at the AH. I woke up before Nina M, and was simply planning on heading out without waking her up. I’m a big girl; I can fetch my own breakfast. Of course, she woke up before I could escape, and was horribly offended that I wanted to leave without breakfast. She insisted that in the future, if I wake up before she does, I should bang on her door and wake her up. Protestations that I didn't want to disturb her sleep fell on deaf ears. So, following some yogurt and some kasha (like oatmeal), I set off for the AH with my laundry. I succeeded in making it to the washer and dryer first, and spent the morning cleaning my clothes. And I got to talk to A while waiting for my clothes to finish, which made my morning substantially more exciting than it would have been otherwise. I spent a few hours in the office, grading tests and journals and preparing my Monday lesson for VEMZ. My tests had mixed results. The average grade of the AH class that is at the same level of the VEMZ class was lower than the VEMZ grades, although they still performed quite well, and I had several students score 99%. My other two classes are supposed to be at the same level as one another, although one is definitely "slower" (as they would say in Forrest Gump). The "slow" class had a lot of students who wrote, "I am from in Russia" (despite the fact that we have drilled "I am from Russia" vs "I live in Russia" every day) as well as many who did not remember the correct past tense forms of verbs or who did not understand the "used to" construction. (Of course, at least half of the students in that class *did* understand those concepts, so I do not feel too bad.) My more advanced class of that level did very well on the test, with at least three students scoring 100%. Woohoo! I did not stay at the AH for very long, once my clothes finished drying; I have been feeling more headachy and back-achy than normal the past few days, and such feelings are more conducive to lying in one's bed than to planning lessons or being social. (I am getting old!) Okay... off to do my Russian homework.
Monday
Well, while yesterday I did manage to do my Russian homework, I also took a four hour nap. Later, when I went to bed, I did so wearing not only my pajamas, but socks, an extra sweater and a ThermaCare heat wrap. No, it was not cold in my room; my chills were illness induced. Today I was still achy, and my sinuses were doing something funky, but I managed to keep myself high on a combination of Advil Allergy & Sinus and Excedrin, which buoyed me through the day. B wasn't feeling well today either. It seems that today she felt as I did yesterday, although while yesterday I took a four hour nap, today she taught three lessons. I am hoping that my four-hour nap nipped this thing in the bud, because Brooke is also suffering from a sore throat, and we all know what happens when I get a sore throat. Remember last year when I had to email in sick to work? Yep, when I lose my voice it's gone for days, which is not exactly conducive to teaching. But, I think I am on the mend. While I am still planning on taking some cold meds before I go to sleep, I feel infinitely better than I did this time yesterday.
When I awoke this morning, the thermometer outside the window read 3 degrees C. According to the Fahrenheit/Celsius conversion chart in the back of my Lonely Planet, 3C is 38F. (Ahh yes, 38, the unlucky number strikes again. No wonder I felt like crap.) Anyhow, the morning was cold and dreary, and the day seemed to hold little hope for improvement. Oddly enough, it blossomed into a beautiful day, with temperatures in the upper fifties, and a bright blue sky. Russians love to talk about the weather; I seem to be picking up this habit. My day was fairly uneventful, and the class at VEMZ went well.
On the bus ride home from VEMZ, a thought occurred to me about gender roles in Russia. The buses and trolleybuses each contain two members of the city transportation staff: drivers and conductors. The driver, as you might guess, drives the bus/trolleybus. The conductor collects the money. You do not pay right as you get on. Instead, the conductor walks up and down the aisle, collecting money from newcomers. I have ridden on many, many buses and trolleybuses in the past six weeks. All of the drivers have been male, and all of the conductors have been female. Today I found myself wondering why that was. Do women simply not want to be drivers? Do men simply not want to be conductors? Or are these gender-specific roles? It is not as though being a conductor is glamorous work. In fact, in the six weeks I've been in Vladimir, not one of the conductors has seemed the least bit glamorous. Additionally, the work of the conductor is not exactly easy. I have seen conductors break up fights, and forcibly throw drunken and/or non-paying passengers off the bus/trolleybus. I am curious as to why men never fill the role of conductor. Do any of you have any ideas?
Tuesday
Well, there goes that idea. I may have seen a female trolleybus driver today. Of course, it may have just been a shaggy haired dude, but I think she was a she. Still no male conductors though, but I'll keep you posted.
Today was my "long day," my day with three classes. The first one (my "slow" 3rd-level class) was observed by L, our Teacher's Assistant. L is a great help to all of us, as she know the library and our gargantuan collection of resources inside and out. She can always find you supplemental materials if you're having trouble finding them yourself. Anyhow, I wanted her to observe my "slow" class and to give me suggestions. They are always so lost! Meanwhile, my other 3rd-level class understands everything that I tell them and all of the students do really well on their work. I am glad she observed the group, and I hope she has suggestions, but since she has *only* observed that class, I am worried that she will now think that I am ineffectual! Ahh well; I will talk to her about it tomorrow. Anyway, getting the students in both the "slow" class and my second class to participate today was like pulling teeth. (I hate to keep using that tired old expression, but it gets the point across quite well.) Additionally half of the students in each of those classes were obviously ill (where oh where could B and I have snagged this bug? Hah.), and not wanting to participate in the slightest. In my second class, I have a student who is always raising her hand and volunteering to speak or to go first or whatnot, and this class, she was obviously sick and did not say a word. I really wanted to tell her to go home; English class isn't worth it! Luckily, my last class of the day (the "fast" 3rd-level class) went fantastically, so at least at the end of the day I had something to feel positive about.
I am definitely getting better; I am no longer miserably achy, although I still have the remnants of a cold. I am hoping it will be gone tomorrow, although who knows how many virulent new Russian germs I was introduced to today in my sickly classes. However are teachers supposed to stay healthy? I'm taking my vitamins and washing my hands, what more can I do? Ahh well.
Well, the cold weather seems to be arriving. Today, the temperatures did not get out of the upper forties and lower fifties, and for much of the day the sun was reduced to a hazy orb, obscured by a dismal blanket of clouds. Not exactly the most inspirational day for accomplishing anything. I got up early (with the help of my alarm), for the sole purpose of beating everyone to the washer and dryer at the AH. I woke up before Nina M, and was simply planning on heading out without waking her up. I’m a big girl; I can fetch my own breakfast. Of course, she woke up before I could escape, and was horribly offended that I wanted to leave without breakfast. She insisted that in the future, if I wake up before she does, I should bang on her door and wake her up. Protestations that I didn't want to disturb her sleep fell on deaf ears. So, following some yogurt and some kasha (like oatmeal), I set off for the AH with my laundry. I succeeded in making it to the washer and dryer first, and spent the morning cleaning my clothes. And I got to talk to A while waiting for my clothes to finish, which made my morning substantially more exciting than it would have been otherwise. I spent a few hours in the office, grading tests and journals and preparing my Monday lesson for VEMZ. My tests had mixed results. The average grade of the AH class that is at the same level of the VEMZ class was lower than the VEMZ grades, although they still performed quite well, and I had several students score 99%. My other two classes are supposed to be at the same level as one another, although one is definitely "slower" (as they would say in Forrest Gump). The "slow" class had a lot of students who wrote, "I am from in Russia" (despite the fact that we have drilled "I am from Russia" vs "I live in Russia" every day) as well as many who did not remember the correct past tense forms of verbs or who did not understand the "used to" construction. (Of course, at least half of the students in that class *did* understand those concepts, so I do not feel too bad.) My more advanced class of that level did very well on the test, with at least three students scoring 100%. Woohoo! I did not stay at the AH for very long, once my clothes finished drying; I have been feeling more headachy and back-achy than normal the past few days, and such feelings are more conducive to lying in one's bed than to planning lessons or being social. (I am getting old!) Okay... off to do my Russian homework.
Monday
Well, while yesterday I did manage to do my Russian homework, I also took a four hour nap. Later, when I went to bed, I did so wearing not only my pajamas, but socks, an extra sweater and a ThermaCare heat wrap. No, it was not cold in my room; my chills were illness induced. Today I was still achy, and my sinuses were doing something funky, but I managed to keep myself high on a combination of Advil Allergy & Sinus and Excedrin, which buoyed me through the day. B wasn't feeling well today either. It seems that today she felt as I did yesterday, although while yesterday I took a four hour nap, today she taught three lessons. I am hoping that my four-hour nap nipped this thing in the bud, because Brooke is also suffering from a sore throat, and we all know what happens when I get a sore throat. Remember last year when I had to email in sick to work? Yep, when I lose my voice it's gone for days, which is not exactly conducive to teaching. But, I think I am on the mend. While I am still planning on taking some cold meds before I go to sleep, I feel infinitely better than I did this time yesterday.
When I awoke this morning, the thermometer outside the window read 3 degrees C. According to the Fahrenheit/Celsius conversion chart in the back of my Lonely Planet, 3C is 38F. (Ahh yes, 38, the unlucky number strikes again. No wonder I felt like crap.) Anyhow, the morning was cold and dreary, and the day seemed to hold little hope for improvement. Oddly enough, it blossomed into a beautiful day, with temperatures in the upper fifties, and a bright blue sky. Russians love to talk about the weather; I seem to be picking up this habit. My day was fairly uneventful, and the class at VEMZ went well.
On the bus ride home from VEMZ, a thought occurred to me about gender roles in Russia. The buses and trolleybuses each contain two members of the city transportation staff: drivers and conductors. The driver, as you might guess, drives the bus/trolleybus. The conductor collects the money. You do not pay right as you get on. Instead, the conductor walks up and down the aisle, collecting money from newcomers. I have ridden on many, many buses and trolleybuses in the past six weeks. All of the drivers have been male, and all of the conductors have been female. Today I found myself wondering why that was. Do women simply not want to be drivers? Do men simply not want to be conductors? Or are these gender-specific roles? It is not as though being a conductor is glamorous work. In fact, in the six weeks I've been in Vladimir, not one of the conductors has seemed the least bit glamorous. Additionally, the work of the conductor is not exactly easy. I have seen conductors break up fights, and forcibly throw drunken and/or non-paying passengers off the bus/trolleybus. I am curious as to why men never fill the role of conductor. Do any of you have any ideas?
Tuesday
Well, there goes that idea. I may have seen a female trolleybus driver today. Of course, it may have just been a shaggy haired dude, but I think she was a she. Still no male conductors though, but I'll keep you posted.
Today was my "long day," my day with three classes. The first one (my "slow" 3rd-level class) was observed by L, our Teacher's Assistant. L is a great help to all of us, as she know the library and our gargantuan collection of resources inside and out. She can always find you supplemental materials if you're having trouble finding them yourself. Anyhow, I wanted her to observe my "slow" class and to give me suggestions. They are always so lost! Meanwhile, my other 3rd-level class understands everything that I tell them and all of the students do really well on their work. I am glad she observed the group, and I hope she has suggestions, but since she has *only* observed that class, I am worried that she will now think that I am ineffectual! Ahh well; I will talk to her about it tomorrow. Anyway, getting the students in both the "slow" class and my second class to participate today was like pulling teeth. (I hate to keep using that tired old expression, but it gets the point across quite well.) Additionally half of the students in each of those classes were obviously ill (where oh where could B and I have snagged this bug? Hah.), and not wanting to participate in the slightest. In my second class, I have a student who is always raising her hand and volunteering to speak or to go first or whatnot, and this class, she was obviously sick and did not say a word. I really wanted to tell her to go home; English class isn't worth it! Luckily, my last class of the day (the "fast" 3rd-level class) went fantastically, so at least at the end of the day I had something to feel positive about.
I am definitely getting better; I am no longer miserably achy, although I still have the remnants of a cold. I am hoping it will be gone tomorrow, although who knows how many virulent new Russian germs I was introduced to today in my sickly classes. However are teachers supposed to stay healthy? I'm taking my vitamins and washing my hands, what more can I do? Ahh well.
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