Month: September 2011

(Thursday 15th September 2011, written up 16th September 2011)

Now that was a busy day! There are no photographs because, although there were some interesting things to see I didn’t have my camera with me at the time. I didn’t have time to write things up at the time, because I didn’t finish working until nearly midnight, by which time I was well and truly ready for bed.

The internet connection in the flat isn’t working at present, so there may be some delay before this actually gets recorded.

At breakfast I was told that I was going out to dinner. I was told that the place we were going was “Rimski Caniculi”. At the time I was told this meant “Roman Holiday”. I have to confess that at the time it took a little time for exactly what I was being told to sink in, but I got it in the end. By the time I left for school I knew where the restaurant was, and what time I was to be there (Krasny Prospect 42a, for 19:00). Fortunately the address is near the school so I was able to find the building and the restaraunt on my way there.

The morning was spent with lessons on verbs. Lots and lots of verbs. I think at the time I was told there were about twenty. Even a day later it has become a bit of a blur. There were lots of new verbs, and before they had time to settle in my mind, lots of exercises requiring me to find the correct conjugation for a verb in a particular situation (I run, She runs, They run…)

This was followed by a game where there was a standard sentence and using cards drawn from the 3 different piles (Subject Gender: Masculine/Feminine/Neuter/Plural,

Verb and Location) I had to provide a “Subject”. The objectives of the exercise were to put the (new) verb into the correct conjugation, provide a suitable subject, put the subject into the “Accusative Case”, and put the location into the “Locative” Case. There’s also another little wrinkle, in that you have to be “in” some locations and “at” or “on” others. There are a few which can be both (you can be both “in” and “on” the sea). Don’t worry if you read this and don’t understand it, I not sure I do either! If you read it and _really_ understand it, explain it to me some time.

As you can imagine, some of the results were a little strange, if not surreal. One that has stuck in my mind was:

• “It” (=Subject) “waits” (=Verb) “toilet” (=Location; this is the room by the way)
• to which I added “Service” (=Object), so after some changes to the component words we got:
• “It waits for service in the toilet.”
• I really don’t want to dwell for too long on what that might possibly mean!

The result was often a bit like David Bowie or Brian Eno lyrics. Sometimes it made real sense, sometimes it was complete nonsense and sometimes it had a slippery quality which made me think that perhaps there was some peculiar message hidden in the sentence.

(by the way, my landlady has just come it. It’s 22:00 and time for dinner!)

Homework was a comprehension exercise. I had to translate a passage and answer questions on it. I was given the passage as a sound file for my computer, and the passage text is in my textbook. The teacher made sure I understood the questions before we finished.

After this, it was time for lunch (thank goodness). Lunch was our now favourite (only) restaraunt, “Vilka-Lojka”. Apparently, not only is there a chain of Vilka-Lojkas, but there is a class of restaraunts known as “Staloviya” (dining room).

After lunch, there was an opportunity to visit a museum in town with one of the teachers. I wanted to visit the museum but that created a possible problem with the homework, because of dinner.

The museum was the “Novosibirsk history and natural history museum” (I’m not sure of the correct title. I may update thisket). It’s situated in a hundred-year-old converted metro station just off Lenin Square. Admission is cheap (For us. 200 rub = 5 Eur). Like many Russian public buildings, you are expected to leave your coat and bag in the “garderobe”. The first thing that meets you when you enter the exhibition proper is the skeleton of a mammoth. You’re probably already aware that from time to time they did up mammoths in Siberia. The museum contains sections on:

• Natural history
• Native cultures – Siberia has a number of peoples somewhat like the native americans and inuit.
• The way people lived at various times the Russians were colonising siberia.
• The Revolution
• The Second World War (or Great Patriotic War)
• Artistic material

The contents are interesting, but it’s difficult to explain the intensity of the experience of really trying to understand what the labels of the exhibits say in a foreign language. At least I was able to tell the teacher who was acting as our guide that the motorcycle in the middle of the “Revolution” section was a Norton and that it was made in Birmingham, England. And that was before I read the label!

After the museum we returned to the school and so I go stuck into the comprehension. Rather than listen to the passage (which was difficult at the school), I decided to translate from the text first and then listen later. It was a good job I did, because otherwise I would have run out of time. In the mean time I attended a presentation on “Soviet films” (which was pretty interesting). I had completed about three-quarters of the translation when it was time for the school to kick me out, and me to go to dinner.

The restaurant (“Rimski Kaniculi” (Roman Holidays), use your web browser to translate) was only a short distance away. I spent a little while trying to look inconspicuous waiting for my hostess to arrive. My hostess is my landladies employer (I think) she was accompanied by two of her sons: Ivan (12) and Anton (9). They arrived just a few minutes late. My landlady was delayed. I was struck by Ivan wearing a military uniform. He attends a “Officer School” and the uniform was for the “Siberian Cadet Corps”. Wikipedia has an article of the historic Siberian Cadet Corps. I’m not sure about any associations between the modern and historic organisations, but I know that “the cadets” are significant in Russian history. Both sons spoke a little english and we were able to converse, me speaking Russian, and them speaking English.

Dinner for me was an extremely good lasagne. As we dined we were entertained by an Italian chef (named “Fabio”) demostrating how to cook a couple of pasta dishes. Later he demonstrated making ice-cream using liquid nitrogen. Later still, he demonstrated tossing pizza bases to the music “Love, Sex, American Express” (?!). The Russian word for show is “spektakl” and this was certainly spectacular! All we drank all evening was several different varieties of black or green tea. At the end of the evening my hostess gave me a lift home at about 22:00. It was a thoroughly good evening.

I got home and had to get down to work. I had the translation completed before midnight, and so to bed.

Today was a straight “work day”, so not many photos. Lessons in the morning, administration at lunch-time, homework and prep in the afternoon, presentation on “Siberian Cities” in the late afternoon.

The day started with a lady friend of my landlady’s arriving for breakfast. She spoke some English, but we spoke Russian. It wasn’t an exciting conversation, but we communicated. I used my pre-prepared stories, she told me a little about herself. I’m starting to understand things. It’s limited, but I’m improving.

School was more individual work. This time I had a man teacher. I think it is good to move between different teachers. Different tones and vocal styles help my understanding.

The first exercise was about Ireland! It was conducted in Russian. At first I didn’t really understand what was happening, but it was very good. The objective was to teach me, what I knew already about my home country, and how to express that in Russian.

• How big is Ireland?
• How many people?
• Famous people?

To my surprise I found I was holding a conversation, in Russian, about a subject I hadn’t prepared. You wouldn’t call it “fluent”, but I came away with a resource sheet, which I had completed, in Russian which I can use as the basis for small talk. The exercise was useful, and the product was useful. I also learned the equivalent facts about Russia.

Then on to more grammar. More on personal possessive pronouns and Nominative, Accusative and Locative cases. Don’t worry if you don’t understand, because I’m not sure if I do. I do the exercises and I think I’m learning, but it isn’t clear yet.

This is followed by an exercise in aural comprehension supported by written comprehension as well. It’s all about some ghastly little boy’s plans for his birthday. The boy may be horrible, but the exercise is good. Part of the homework is finishing off the written translation and checking/completing the answers to questions.

The rest of the homework is conjugating verbs (don’t worry…) and the prepositional case (…).

When the 3 students escape from their lessons, we all go to eat in Vilka-Lojka. This is the McDonald’s meets a works canteen. It’s good and cheap.

After lunch we go back to the school. One of the other students has the same problem as me, his cards won’t work. With the help of the school we identify another bank to try, and also go armed for my “Plan C”, which is to exchange some of my emergency stash of Euro’s and Sterling.

We’re in luck! We find a bank which accepts our cards. We have access to money. We can eat! The other student suggests a celebratory beer. I think that’s an excellent idea. So we do. Half a pint of (keg) London Pride, with a Frenchman in an Irish themed pub in the middle of Siberia. And it feels great! I haven’t felt so good about getting the equivalent of 25 Euro out of a cash machine since I was a student (and they didn’t have cash machines, I cashed cheques)!

Back to the school where I spend the afternoon doing the translation and answering the questions.

Then we have a presentation on “Cities of Siberia”. The teacher giving the talk has an excellent style. Not slow, but clear as a bell. Even though I can’t understand it all, I can make out the words. After the presentation, I explain that two of my reasons for being interesting in the City of Tomsk. One is the name: it stands on the River Tom. The other means that I have try and explain “The Wombles” to the Russians! It got a few laughs anyway.

After the presentation, I went home by a new route. I took a photo of the roof-line.

At home, after tea, it was conjugating verbs.

Then write up the journal, and so, to bed.

(Tueday 13th, written up on Wednesday 14th)

Beautiful autumn day. Here is the view from my window. On the way to school I saw a poster advertising an exhibition: “Siberia through Chinese Eyes”.

This was the first day of real work. I don’t know if something has gone wrong (or right), but I’m getting something more than I expected. I (thought I’d) booked group sessions with some additional tuition. What I seem to be getting now is individual attention. There is no escape! No hiding at the back while the class swat answers all the questions, or while the naughty student distracts the teacher. There is only me. It’s relentless, but rather fun!

The morning was spent doing revision exercises. Revision of what I’ve covered, or maybe not covered, in other places:

• What questioning words correspond to answers to which parts of a sentence (who, what, where, whither, what-kind-of…)
• Plurals
• Parts of the head (hair, eyes, nose, mouth…)
• Parts of the body
• Months and Seasons
• Animals
• Antonyms (North-South, Morning-Evening…)
• Posessive pronouns (my, his, her, our, their…)
• Choosing the correct question to elict something about an object or person (difficult to explain in English)
• This and that (but for different genders: masculine/feminine/neuter)
• Cardinal numbers

My head is spinning!

Then there is a load of homework to be done by tomorrow.

It’s a beautiful day outside, so I decide to go on a trip, organised by the school to the “Transiberian Railway Museum”. I uploaded the pictures yesterday. Only just managed after the homework. It was a terrific day: Metro trip (15 Ru = 40c), Mini-bus trip (35 Ru = .87c), Admission (200 Ru = 5 Eur), Bus-trip home (14 Ru = 35c). That’s an afternoon out for 7 Euro.

By the way, “Euston we may have a problem here”. A money problem. It’s not that prices are higher than I expected, but the credit card I planned to use to get money doesn’t seem to work, and the back-ups don’t work either. Time to try plan’s “C” and “D”. No point in worrying yet.

The metro ride was what I expected: clean, efficient, fast. I will go back when I have more time.

The minibus ride to the Museum was exciting. The roads are busy.

The museum is just amazing. There were just the 3 of us: 2 students (including me) and our teacher/guide. The entrance is a the side of a busy road. Our teacher bought the tickets, but we paid.

Once inside there are loads of things to see. These are just a sample:

• Impressive locomotives
• Industrial equipment (reminding me of my time working for British Steel)
• Snow clearing equipment
• Soviet motor cars and trucks and tanks and tractors.
• Wagons for carrying prisoners, or first class passengers
• An “Elektrichka” local electric train
• A maintenance wagon (can you spot the motorcycle engine to drive it?)
• A metro train
• Even refrigerated tanks for carrying wine. The were great to hear about but boring to look at, so no photo.

That was just a fraction of it. I expect any train-spotters are drooling. All you have to do is come here!

The ride home was exciting as well. A crowded bus in the rush hour!

From the bus terminal in Novosibirsk I decided to walk home. Partly to save money, partly because it was such a nice day and partly to explore a new bit of the city which I had seen from the internet. On the way home I passed an interesting looking church. Later research shows that it is dedicated to St Alexander Nevski.

Just when I thought I was safe, I get home to find that my landlady’s boyfriend is visiting. While she cooks my tea, he tries to engage me in conversation. He is friendly and helpful. This is what I came here for, but boy is it hard work! I’m relieved when they go out.

Then it is time to do the homework, which takes almost all of the rest of the evening. There is only time to upload and annotate the photos.

And to bed.

(12th September, written same day)

I woke up this morning and found that I had overslept. Everyone else had gone to work. Raced to the office and got there just in time! Here’s a picture of the outside of the office. The sign advertises offices and cellars to rent.

Today was hard work. There are three students in my group: A spanish lady, a french man and me. I’m the oldest, then the frenchman, then the spaniard. We started with some assessment tests and then moved on to a lesson where we listened to people introducing themselves and saying what they do. My homework is to list professions and where those people work (eg doctor in a hospital). Thankfully I’ve completed the homework already.

Even lunch was an adventure. The three of us went out to lunch. “A Frenchman, A Spaniard and A Scotsman went to lunch in Siberia” sounds like the introduction to a chauvanistic joke, but isn’t. We each spent about 3 Euro for a meal in “Fork and Spoon” (a Russian cross between MacDonalds and a canteen) and then paid the same or more for a coffee/tea in “Coffee House” (which is equivalent to Starbucks). Confusing isn’t it?

On the way home from the office I walked through Lenin Square. Novosibirsk still has Soviet names and Socialist Realist sculptures. The square has statues of “Soldiers”, “Lenin” and “Workers”. In the workers, the man is holding a flaming torch, and the woman is holding corn. I’m sure the symbolism is obvious to those who know. It seems to me to have something to do with industrial and agricultural workers but there may be other levels as well. After the square I pass a church which is the symbolic geographic centre of Russia. I’m not sure what it is called. It’s very small. Its floor area would fit inside Christ Church in Feltham. I visited briefly yesterday and I’ll pop in again when I have more time.

Just before I get home I pass an art gallery/museum which is advertising an exhibition of paintings by Salvador Dali. I’ll try and visit that as well. I’m sure Dali would approve!

Finally, my flat is on the 2nd floor of one of a group of buildings looking out onto a courtyard. The Russians count floors with “1” on the “Ground”. I will too while I’m here. You can see my bedroom window in the shade.

(Blog Post updated to include pictures directly, rather than as links. 17th November 2015)

(11th September written up 12th September)

At 3 o’clock Diana, one of the school staff, came to the flat to take me on me “excursion” – tour of the city centre. I think the tour had three objectives:

• to show me how to get to the school on Monday,
• to show me some of “the sights” and give me landmarks
• to informally assess my knowledge and skill with Russian.

It would be tedeous to describe exactly the route we took, or what I saw (especially if you do not have access to a map of Novosibirsk). Alyona’s flat is about a mile south of the city centre. Diana and I set off north up Krasny Prospect (“Red Prospect”, one of the main thoroughfares), towards Lenin Square. During the tour I saw: the school, one significant church, several cultural buildings, a Metro station and a couple of parks. As I expected, (based on what I saw) Novosibirsk is not an especially beautiful city. It contains some interesting and beautiful buildings, but most is functional, some stark or even a bit “brutal”. The tour lasted an hour and a half. Diana returned me to the flat and we said goodbye until tomorrow.

Alyona and Gleb were out. My bed is a fold-away divan. I had converted it into its divan form before going out. It is covered with a loose sheet. I sat down, to type up some of these notes into my laptop, when to my surprise the sheet beside me moved! Moosa (the cat) was underneath the sheet. I was relieved that nothing bad had happened but quite amused. As there was nothing wrong, I went on with what I was doing, and left Moosa beneath the sheet (See the photo).

When Alyona came back, I told her what had nearly happened and showed her the bump. I deliberately used the word “Catastrophe” (which is almost exactly the same in Russian). She found this incident very funny, and said that she had a favourite movie (a British comedy of manners) where a woman accidentally sits on a small dog and kills it!

A little later, “Slava”, a lady friend of Alyona’s came to visit. I am introduced. We have tea together and they include me in some of the conversation. It is very hard work both for the guest and the host when you have limited command of the language, but we get by. One of the issues I have with Russian is that it is possible to change the meaning of some words by changing the stress. Naturally, I often put the stress in the wrong place! You mustn’t do this sort of thing unless you are prepared to have people laugh at you (in a friendly way). I ask Alyona to tell Slava about the incident with Moosa. Slava finds it funny too. A little later, Alyona gets me, and herself, supper (roast chicken and macaroni). She has found the film she referred to on YouTube and we all watch the relevant clip together. I don’t recognise the film, but it is very funny (even with the dialogue in Russian), and the entirely appropriate. I’m glad no harm came to Moosa, but the incident has certainly “broken the ice”.

A little while later Alyona goes out and leaves me in the flat. I am left to tell Gleb to have chicken and macaroni for tea! I do my journal, revision and preparation and eventually go to be. I’m writing this at 3am because my body clock is still a bit haywire!