Greetings, everyone! I trust everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is feeling quite stuffed today, despite the avalanche of leftovers that await us all (myself included :)). I have to express bolshuyu blagodarnoct' to our gracious hostesses for a terrific meal yesterday! It was a fantastic way to spend the evening. As much as I missed out on Auntie Sharon's mashed potatoes and turkey with all the trimmings, it was great to spend the traditionally American holiday in Moscow with some people from the British Embassy who celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time with us last night. It was a wonderful evening!! I have very much to be thankful for, but I've already expressed my gratitude in my last note (in Tolstoyan detail, thank you very much), so I will move on.
ONE MONTH LEFT!!! I am v shockye. Vremya letit. I have an insane amount to do...write a presentation for a conference (general topic: the role of literature/art in our contemporary society, but it's open to pretty much any possible interpretation), study for three exams, freak out about my oral exam in music history, pray that I won't miss my Christmas Eve connecting flight to Boston from London, and sing in three concerts, during which I have not one, but TWO solos! Yes, on Tuesday at rehearsal I was asked to sing the tenor solo in the second movement of Vivaldi's Magnificat. For my first time through, I think I did okay. I am at least confident enough to try it out. I'm pretty sure I won't break anyone's eardrums (at least I hope not, lol) it's kinda nice to be given a chance to sing a big solo. It really develops one's confidence as a singer. So yeah, we've got our concerts coming up quickly now, Dec. 8 and 11 at 7:30 at St. Andrew's on Voznesensky Pereulok (4oo rubles in advance, 450 at the door). Come hear the Magnificat, excerpts from the Messiah, and some traditional and interesting Christmas carols!!! We've got a few rehearsals left to work out the kinks and get accustomed to concert tempo (hopefully we will repeat the verses in "Once in Royal"!!!). This leaves me with four rehearsals to listen to and learn my solo. Oh, and don't forget Dec. 13 at 6.30 is our lessons and carols service, where I will be singing a verse of "I Saw Three Ships." Admission is free (it's a service as opposed to a formal concert), so come out to St. Andrew's and hear some excellent Christmas carols!
As you can see, I've got way too much going on the next few weeks, hopefully everything will go smoothingly! I'm very very excited for these concerts! I'm also excited about the coming of advent. I miss singing Night of Silence and Advent Lullaby, but maybe we will sing them in church??? Just a thought...anyway, gotta go, off to a concert and church party then a weekend of Christmas caroling (just rehearsing, but that would also be fun, going somewhere to sing Christmas carols!!!) It's also pretty excellent that the day after Thanksgiving, I"ve already started watching Christmas movies...don't judge, it's socially acceptable!!! LOL. And if you don't agree...well then you're just wrong. ;)
Talk soon, everyone! Hope to see some of you at St. Andrew's!!! Everyone else I'll see in just a few weeks in WINTHROP!!! WOOT!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Crunch time...
"Follow me, in merry measure!" NO, YOU"RE LATE!
"Once in royal David's city, stood a lowly cattle shed. Mary was that..." SIGH. С повторением! Repeat!
Apparently I can't stand up without almost falling over, nor can I get out of tables without making a complete fool of myself. Such was my Saturday afternoon, full of hilarious and frustrating and awesome moments. Yes, I believe everything will go smoothly in the end, they generally do, but at the same time, we have about two and a half weeks to our concert on Dec. 8 so hopefully things will come together sooner rather than later.
All this being said, we're singing some wonderful music in four different languages (English, Latin and one song each in Russian and French), and we had a brilliant Messiah rehearsal on Tuesday, after which I feel totally confident to sing the excerpts we're performing: "And the Glory of the Lord", "O thou, that tellest good tidings to Zion" and of course the "Hallelujah Chorus". I'm really really excited for our concerts, and with a little extra effort on everybody's part, we're gonna knock the socks off the audience on those two nights!!!
Apart from the inconsistency of rehearsals, everything else is entirely on the up and up. I just found out that I've been invited to Thanksgiving dinner by an acquaintance from church, which will be really nice, because I wasn't expecting it and I normally have class for about 5 hours or so on Thursdays without a break (Stylistics, Music History and Skazki). Speaking of skazki, my class is going really well. We're getting ready for our open class on Dec. 10, in which we'll be performing three plays: "V krugu druzei", "Kolobok" and "Repka". Should be quite an experience, I'll be playing an old man, the kolobok and a cat. Quite the repetoire, LOL.
Yes my friends, it is indeed crunch time. For the next month, I will be thoroughly immersed in my studies, singing Deck the Hall until I go insane, trying to improve my French pronunciation, attempting not to fall over, friending participles and cursing the declension of numbers (don't get me started on fractions or decimals...), reading book after book on teaching pedagogy and Russian folklore, watching As Time Goes By before I go into all Christmas mode next week after Thanksgiving (when it is socially acceptable to start listening to Christmas music, something I thoroughly disagree with, why not enjoy Christmas music and films for what their worth at any point during the year???), writing ridiculously long sentences with endless amounts of subordinate clauses and participial phrases (or, more accurately gerunds, since they all follow the preposition in and after prepositions come gerunds) like this one (can you remember what the original subject and predicate was?) and apologizing profusely to everyone reading this sentence and questioning how the hell I ever got to be an English teacher. Wow. James Joyce, eat your heart out.
On a more serious note, I do want to take some time and thank all the people who have been an incredible blessing and support net. I apologize in advance if I embarass anyone. Thank you, Mom, Dad, Linda, Gramma, Grandma Joan and Grandpa Jin, Auntie Suzanne, Uncle Dave, Jess, Josh, and everyone else in my family too numerous to name but no less important and special. Thank you Matt, Monique, Andrew, Bob, Alexa, Eileen, Sara, Maureen and all my friends out there for reading my blog, for chatting with me and giving me words of encouragement and keeping me strong. Thank you Mike, Jim, and all my friends at Language Link for our weekly get-togethers. Thank you Ilona for your friendship and for the two books you so graciously bought for me. I hope you're enjoying Stephen Frye. ;) Thank you to my Russian host mom, Nana, and my professors for a smooth transition back into life in Russia in all its aspects, both academic and cultural, as well as daily life in Moscow. Thank you to the MPC (Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy) and St. Andrew's for welcoming me with open arms into your worship community. I really feel at home and part of the family, and I thoroughly enjoy coming to sing every Sunday. Thank you Stef, for reading my numerous messages in Russian and not cringing at the numerous grammatical mistakes, but rather, keeping me up to date with life in Peter and making my day with a friendly word or two and your wonderful smile. :) It is so evident that I have quite a deal to be thankful for, so I just wanted to take a few minutes to express my love and gratitude to all of you for being such an important part of my social, academic and spiritual growth and development, not just here in Moscow, but back home in Boston as well.
May God bless and watch over you, especially now at this time of Thanksgiving and the approach of Advent and Christmas. Please keep in touch, keep writing, and keep swimming! Talk soon! :)
"Once in royal David's city, stood a lowly cattle shed. Mary was that..." SIGH. С повторением! Repeat!
Apparently I can't stand up without almost falling over, nor can I get out of tables without making a complete fool of myself. Such was my Saturday afternoon, full of hilarious and frustrating and awesome moments. Yes, I believe everything will go smoothly in the end, they generally do, but at the same time, we have about two and a half weeks to our concert on Dec. 8 so hopefully things will come together sooner rather than later.
All this being said, we're singing some wonderful music in four different languages (English, Latin and one song each in Russian and French), and we had a brilliant Messiah rehearsal on Tuesday, after which I feel totally confident to sing the excerpts we're performing: "And the Glory of the Lord", "O thou, that tellest good tidings to Zion" and of course the "Hallelujah Chorus". I'm really really excited for our concerts, and with a little extra effort on everybody's part, we're gonna knock the socks off the audience on those two nights!!!
Apart from the inconsistency of rehearsals, everything else is entirely on the up and up. I just found out that I've been invited to Thanksgiving dinner by an acquaintance from church, which will be really nice, because I wasn't expecting it and I normally have class for about 5 hours or so on Thursdays without a break (Stylistics, Music History and Skazki). Speaking of skazki, my class is going really well. We're getting ready for our open class on Dec. 10, in which we'll be performing three plays: "V krugu druzei", "Kolobok" and "Repka". Should be quite an experience, I'll be playing an old man, the kolobok and a cat. Quite the repetoire, LOL.
Yes my friends, it is indeed crunch time. For the next month, I will be thoroughly immersed in my studies, singing Deck the Hall until I go insane, trying to improve my French pronunciation, attempting not to fall over, friending participles and cursing the declension of numbers (don't get me started on fractions or decimals...), reading book after book on teaching pedagogy and Russian folklore, watching As Time Goes By before I go into all Christmas mode next week after Thanksgiving (when it is socially acceptable to start listening to Christmas music, something I thoroughly disagree with, why not enjoy Christmas music and films for what their worth at any point during the year???), writing ridiculously long sentences with endless amounts of subordinate clauses and participial phrases (or, more accurately gerunds, since they all follow the preposition in and after prepositions come gerunds) like this one (can you remember what the original subject and predicate was?) and apologizing profusely to everyone reading this sentence and questioning how the hell I ever got to be an English teacher. Wow. James Joyce, eat your heart out.
On a more serious note, I do want to take some time and thank all the people who have been an incredible blessing and support net. I apologize in advance if I embarass anyone. Thank you, Mom, Dad, Linda, Gramma, Grandma Joan and Grandpa Jin, Auntie Suzanne, Uncle Dave, Jess, Josh, and everyone else in my family too numerous to name but no less important and special. Thank you Matt, Monique, Andrew, Bob, Alexa, Eileen, Sara, Maureen and all my friends out there for reading my blog, for chatting with me and giving me words of encouragement and keeping me strong. Thank you Mike, Jim, and all my friends at Language Link for our weekly get-togethers. Thank you Ilona for your friendship and for the two books you so graciously bought for me. I hope you're enjoying Stephen Frye. ;) Thank you to my Russian host mom, Nana, and my professors for a smooth transition back into life in Russia in all its aspects, both academic and cultural, as well as daily life in Moscow. Thank you to the MPC (Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy) and St. Andrew's for welcoming me with open arms into your worship community. I really feel at home and part of the family, and I thoroughly enjoy coming to sing every Sunday. Thank you Stef, for reading my numerous messages in Russian and not cringing at the numerous grammatical mistakes, but rather, keeping me up to date with life in Peter and making my day with a friendly word or two and your wonderful smile. :) It is so evident that I have quite a deal to be thankful for, so I just wanted to take a few minutes to express my love and gratitude to all of you for being such an important part of my social, academic and spiritual growth and development, not just here in Moscow, but back home in Boston as well.
May God bless and watch over you, especially now at this time of Thanksgiving and the approach of Advent and Christmas. Please keep in touch, keep writing, and keep swimming! Talk soon! :)
Saturday, November 14, 2009
We taught the world new ways to dream...
Bonus points to anyone who gets the reference in the title. Happy Saturday to y'all! As the sun has long since disappeared and it is generally unknown, when it will be making a reappearance (experts think sometime in March or April, LOL...jk), and as Thanksgiving draws closer, I must find ways of keeping myself busy. Believe me, that is not difficult. I'm either working diligently on a translation for class, in which I try so hard not to focus on the fact that I'm one of the weaker students in the group, or I'm collecting books and articles for my thesis in which I am determined to find new ways of teaching Russian grammar (i.e. through fairy tales), as well as other interesting books about linguistics and teaching Russian as a second language. Needless to say, I have a mountain of materials to read and analyze. Generally I like to read a source one for general concepts and then reread again in more detail, making comments in margins. I have analyzed a few sources in some detail, so when it comes time to begin writing the beast, I will be able to easily incorporate that. Plus my introduction is pretty much written already, having established that on the outset in my outline. So let's say in a paper of 25+ pages, I have one written already. As I told my classmate, I am much more comfortable expressing my ideas in written form. Writing allows time for me to gather my thoughts and organize them, whereas in oral form I always feel rushed, hesitant to speak, seemingly sure that my ideas are either not good enough or require serious reworking. It's a character flaw that I've been working on for years. The good news is I'm definitely more comfortable (even if I still seem shy, I am by no means passive) in social situations or in situations requiring me to defend/present an argument, identify main ideas/theses, etc.
But yes, I never tire of reading, especially if the material is worth my attention. In general, almost everything I have read has been fascinating. What is most interesting to me is that for a single fairy tale, there are often multiple variations of the same fairy tale. For example, in a fairy tale about Ivan the fool, who always ends up being the hero and marrying the tsar's daughter and inheriting a huge kingdom, there might be 4-5 variations of the same fairy tale. It should be mentioned that Ivan the fool is one of the major reoccuring characters in Russian fairy tales, and he is by no means a "fool" in the sense of being an "idiot." He is a simple character, but with a good heart and determined to complete the tasks set for him. I look forward to advancing my idea that you can use fairy tales (both folk fairy tales and contemporary literary fairy tales, like for example those of Chukovsky, who wrote such amazing skazki as "Doctor Aibolit"...my thesis focuses exclusively on narodniye skazki because of space restrictions, but I will be surely including both modern and traditional fairy tales when I one day set foot in a classroom to a bunch of eager students of Russian, be it beginners or more advanced learners.)
One thing that has surprised me (pleasantly so, I might add) is that I have not felt culture shock to the extent that I had when I first arrived in Moscow last winter or when I was in St. Petersburg four years ago. This isn't to say that everything has been perfect, I've had to face some challenges, most notably the lack of focus or purpose of my history class, but overall I haven't felt terribly depressed. Part of it is due to my enduring sense of optimism, you all know that, but most of that is of course due to singing in choir, which has been directly connected to my strengthening faith. I've said it before and I said it again, ever since I started out in Chapel Choir six years ago (wow!) I've gone to church more frequently, I've develeoped a better relationship with God and in general I'm more confident about my abilities. While I may never be fully independent, it's not such a bad thing because we are all, like it our not, dependent on one another to sustain ourselves each and every day.
I hope that you all get something from my blog. I totally understand that people are incredibly busy all the time, and can't always respond with a quick comment, but if even one person takes something useful from this stream-of-consciousness style of writing, in which I don't always make sense, I'm happy. In a culture where everything has to have been done yesterday, where technology simultaneously brings people together and drives them further apart, it is SO important to forge and maintain some sort of connection. This is why I write my blogs: to connect with the people I care about since I can't physically see them at the moment (although that too will happily be remedied as of Christmas Eve!!!!). Maybe then, through the connections we make and keep with each other, we will teach each other something new, something you can't learn from a book or in a classroom. That is my wish for you this week: to learn something new and pass what you have learned to others, thereby making a new connection between what you have learned and to whom you are transmitting that newly acquired knowledge and wisdom.
I leave you with the words of Emerson: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/trust_thyself-every_heart_vibrates_to_that_iron/262305.html
as well as this link from the same site, this time from Lois Wyse: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/a-good-friend-is-a-connection-to-life-a-tie-to/348586.html
May God keep you and your loved ones in good health and excellent spirits. As always, I pray for and miss each and every one of you. Talk soon! :) Peace!
But yes, I never tire of reading, especially if the material is worth my attention. In general, almost everything I have read has been fascinating. What is most interesting to me is that for a single fairy tale, there are often multiple variations of the same fairy tale. For example, in a fairy tale about Ivan the fool, who always ends up being the hero and marrying the tsar's daughter and inheriting a huge kingdom, there might be 4-5 variations of the same fairy tale. It should be mentioned that Ivan the fool is one of the major reoccuring characters in Russian fairy tales, and he is by no means a "fool" in the sense of being an "idiot." He is a simple character, but with a good heart and determined to complete the tasks set for him. I look forward to advancing my idea that you can use fairy tales (both folk fairy tales and contemporary literary fairy tales, like for example those of Chukovsky, who wrote such amazing skazki as "Doctor Aibolit"...my thesis focuses exclusively on narodniye skazki because of space restrictions, but I will be surely including both modern and traditional fairy tales when I one day set foot in a classroom to a bunch of eager students of Russian, be it beginners or more advanced learners.)
One thing that has surprised me (pleasantly so, I might add) is that I have not felt culture shock to the extent that I had when I first arrived in Moscow last winter or when I was in St. Petersburg four years ago. This isn't to say that everything has been perfect, I've had to face some challenges, most notably the lack of focus or purpose of my history class, but overall I haven't felt terribly depressed. Part of it is due to my enduring sense of optimism, you all know that, but most of that is of course due to singing in choir, which has been directly connected to my strengthening faith. I've said it before and I said it again, ever since I started out in Chapel Choir six years ago (wow!) I've gone to church more frequently, I've develeoped a better relationship with God and in general I'm more confident about my abilities. While I may never be fully independent, it's not such a bad thing because we are all, like it our not, dependent on one another to sustain ourselves each and every day.
I hope that you all get something from my blog. I totally understand that people are incredibly busy all the time, and can't always respond with a quick comment, but if even one person takes something useful from this stream-of-consciousness style of writing, in which I don't always make sense, I'm happy. In a culture where everything has to have been done yesterday, where technology simultaneously brings people together and drives them further apart, it is SO important to forge and maintain some sort of connection. This is why I write my blogs: to connect with the people I care about since I can't physically see them at the moment (although that too will happily be remedied as of Christmas Eve!!!!). Maybe then, through the connections we make and keep with each other, we will teach each other something new, something you can't learn from a book or in a classroom. That is my wish for you this week: to learn something new and pass what you have learned to others, thereby making a new connection between what you have learned and to whom you are transmitting that newly acquired knowledge and wisdom.
I leave you with the words of Emerson: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/trust_thyself-every_heart_vibrates_to_that_iron/262305.html
as well as this link from the same site, this time from Lois Wyse: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/a-good-friend-is-a-connection-to-life-a-tie-to/348586.html
May God keep you and your loved ones in good health and excellent spirits. As always, I pray for and miss each and every one of you. Talk soon! :) Peace!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Don't afraid! Make a phrase!
Ah yes, another riveting choir rehearsal. One of these days we're going to sing "Once in Royal David's City" correctly...i.e. WITH repeats and (GASP!) a soprano soloist! Haha, getting reminiscent about Lessons and Carols at the Cross...sigh. One of these days the tenors will get to sing a tenor 1 line (but I think that's just too farfetched for the imagination, lol.) One of these days we'll sing something other than Deck the Hall or Silent Night during rehearsal. Apart from all these quirks, we're steadily heading towards our concerts (that's right, there'll be TWO concerts, all you friends of mine who live in Moscow) on Dec. 8 and 11. Mark it down on your calendars! A little bummed about not singing O Holy Night (which is my personal favorite carol), but I suppose singing excerpts from the Messiah will be an acceptable alternative. :)
Also, December 13 (I told you I would plug our concerts any and every chance I get, hahaha) is our lessons and carols service (this should be FREE) at 6:30 in the evening, during which you get to hear me sing vs. 2 of "I Saw Three Ships" as well as ding-dong in the background during vs. 6. Yes, exciting, I know :))) There we will also be properly singing "Once in Royal David's City" as well as the descants on "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", not to mention a couple of other a capella pieces. This I highly recommend to all who adore Christmas music and Jesus.
Classes are quickly moving towards the end of the semester. Before we know it exams will be here (just over a month away, can't believe it!!!) In my fairy tale class, we are putting on a performance of a few plays written in the style of traditional Russian fairy tales, one of which based on the skazki "Kolobok". I always seem to be typecast as the dedushka, but I try to ham it up, since obviously I am in no way, shape, or form a professional actor. Anyways that will be coming up as well. My music history class is fun, we're already covering the Romantics (Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Chopin, etc.)
And now for the most important information you all (namely of course, my family and friends back in the Homeland) are just dying of curiosity to hear about...my plans for winter break. As you may have seen from my ecstatic facebook status, I am indeed coming home on Christmas Eve Day, leaving from Moscow at 5 pm Moscow time and should arrive in Heathrow around 6:15 in the evening London time. Great, EXCEPT that I have a ONE HOUR layover in Heathrow
Airport before my flight to Boston leaves at 7:15. God-willing, if everything works out, as I believe it will, I'll be arriving in Logan around 9:45-10 p.m Thursday evening, just in time to greet my family and crash before spending Christmas at home in the Throp with teh Tardif and Semedo crew. I am also totally free for New Year's, as I'll be home until Jan 28, when I have to fly back to Moscow, but that leaves me 30+ days of relaxation, a little bit of thesis writing, but mostly being in good company. May be making a trip up to the Cross or down to the Cape, we'll see once I'm home. Right now, I'm just taking it easy, getting excited for all the crazy things going on in September. T-minus six weeks and 5 days...perhaps, it's too soon to start thinking about a countdown, but I can't deny how eager and relieved I am that I'll be home in time for Christmas, having missed it this year, and having given in to the prospect of missing it again before we got really lucky and found an incredible price (British Airways has failed to let me down yet, and I am grateful beyond words). It may take a miracle but I am definitely coming home in time to have some Christmas turkey, lots of stuffing and mashed, squash, and plenty of wine of course, that goes without saying, haha. Save me a spot next to you, Josh, I will be hooooooooome!!!! :) YAY!!!!!! See you all in just a few short weeks! Vremya letit (Time flies.), doesn't it? Miss you all! Can't wait for our concerts and I CAN"T WAIT TO GO HOME!!!! Talk to you soon!!! Peace out, homies! Word.
Also, December 13 (I told you I would plug our concerts any and every chance I get, hahaha) is our lessons and carols service (this should be FREE) at 6:30 in the evening, during which you get to hear me sing vs. 2 of "I Saw Three Ships" as well as ding-dong in the background during vs. 6. Yes, exciting, I know :))) There we will also be properly singing "Once in Royal David's City" as well as the descants on "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", not to mention a couple of other a capella pieces. This I highly recommend to all who adore Christmas music and Jesus.
Classes are quickly moving towards the end of the semester. Before we know it exams will be here (just over a month away, can't believe it!!!) In my fairy tale class, we are putting on a performance of a few plays written in the style of traditional Russian fairy tales, one of which based on the skazki "Kolobok". I always seem to be typecast as the dedushka, but I try to ham it up, since obviously I am in no way, shape, or form a professional actor. Anyways that will be coming up as well. My music history class is fun, we're already covering the Romantics (Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Chopin, etc.)
And now for the most important information you all (namely of course, my family and friends back in the Homeland) are just dying of curiosity to hear about...my plans for winter break. As you may have seen from my ecstatic facebook status, I am indeed coming home on Christmas Eve Day, leaving from Moscow at 5 pm Moscow time and should arrive in Heathrow around 6:15 in the evening London time. Great, EXCEPT that I have a ONE HOUR layover in Heathrow
Airport before my flight to Boston leaves at 7:15. God-willing, if everything works out, as I believe it will, I'll be arriving in Logan around 9:45-10 p.m Thursday evening, just in time to greet my family and crash before spending Christmas at home in the Throp with teh Tardif and Semedo crew. I am also totally free for New Year's, as I'll be home until Jan 28, when I have to fly back to Moscow, but that leaves me 30+ days of relaxation, a little bit of thesis writing, but mostly being in good company. May be making a trip up to the Cross or down to the Cape, we'll see once I'm home. Right now, I'm just taking it easy, getting excited for all the crazy things going on in September. T-minus six weeks and 5 days...perhaps, it's too soon to start thinking about a countdown, but I can't deny how eager and relieved I am that I'll be home in time for Christmas, having missed it this year, and having given in to the prospect of missing it again before we got really lucky and found an incredible price (British Airways has failed to let me down yet, and I am grateful beyond words). It may take a miracle but I am definitely coming home in time to have some Christmas turkey, lots of stuffing and mashed, squash, and plenty of wine of course, that goes without saying, haha. Save me a spot next to you, Josh, I will be hooooooooome!!!! :) YAY!!!!!! See you all in just a few short weeks! Vremya letit (Time flies.), doesn't it? Miss you all! Can't wait for our concerts and I CAN"T WAIT TO GO HOME!!!! Talk to you soon!!! Peace out, homies! Word.
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