Ramblings from Russia

Cousins Linda and Kathy in Juneau, Alaska
Hello Everyone,

It's been a beautiful fall weekend here with our first frost of the year making its arrival this morning. The fall colors are beautiful. I enjoyed walking around the town with my camera as my companion on Saturday.Lots of great photo opportunities which I will have to post when I return home. Walking is a necessity here and everyone seems to be out and about all hours of the day. The children are all bundled up in snowgear, hats and mittens even though it really isn't that cold yet. Women, especially young women ,wear very high heeled shoes or boots and stroll more than power walk. Older women seem a little more sensibly dress and I would include myself in this catagory for sure. Dark colors seem to be the style so I know I must really shout out "American!" in my bright fuschia Juneau parka. Dodging traffic a daily adventure and so far I am still standing.

I went with my class to their gym this week which is a 15 minute bus ride away. They use a public gym and reserve time there for their PE classes. It's a riot to watch avid athletic adults work out and then go outside to chain smoke. A slight contradiction. As I was helping kids tie shoes after gym I glanced up at the video screen and there was a naked woman advertising something. It didn't phase the kids at all. I wonder what she was advertising? Must have been sunscreen since she was at the beach.

School is going well and I am absolutely loving teaching once again. I asked one very precocious American girl in my class how she thought things were going. This is what she said:
"Well, Mrs. Hanna, number one, you know you are a Grandma and they are always nice. Number 2, You are very funny and a little silly but we're learning SO I think you're a good fit." Guess I got the thumbs up. I am having a ball with Science Notebooks. (Thanks Chris!) We have been exploring leaves and apples and I noticed today that the rose hips out in front of the school need some investigating. They love doing plays so we've been acting out stories we've read. Simple games like "Mother May I" they love. I'm finding that surrounding them with language is my role at this point.

This week I went to two ballets: Swan Lake and Don Quixote. I really do feel I am in the center of an amazing cultural scene here. I went back to the Hermitage Museum again on Saturday for a look at the Dutch and Flemish paintings. During the war they took all the art work out of the museum and hid it. They barely had firewood to stay warm during the 900 day seige by the Germans but they found a way to preserve their artifacts and cultural history. Amazing sense of perspective.

I went over to a friend's apartment last night for brownies, tea and a chick flick which was fun. Ann and John Symonds from Juneau who are now living in Moscow arrived last night by train so it was fun catching up with their lives. They've been in Moscow for four years now. Ann brought us canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce and two turkey roasting pans for our Thanksgiving. All the American teachers get together to celebrate.

Tom is working on his visa to come and visit and I am so looking forward to having him here. There's so much to see and do. All for now. Have a wonderful week.

Love,
Kathy