The first week of classes….

I must start off by saying that this has been a wonderful week. I began teaching this past Monday which was Labor Day in America. Before my first class I was feeling quite nervous, but I needn’t have been. Class went smoothly and it was actually really exciting to be standing up in front of my students. After the night class, Brighid and I were asked out to coffee by a couple of our students. We were thrilled that they would feel comfortable enough to invite their teachers out on the first day of class, so of course we accompanied them. On the bus ride to Klootch, the coffee place/billiard hall/bowling alley/night club, one of my students Elena asked me, “Ms. Stewart, is it okay for me to call you Lindsay?” I laughed, despite myself, and said, “of course. I am only Ms. Stewart in class.” I don’t think that I will be getting used to being called that for some time, if ever. Our coffee date was fun even if we didn’t and couldn’t understand each other all of the time. The girls were great and we will definitely be going out together again. My other students have been amazing as well. And as much as I know I shouldn’t have favorites, I already do. I just can’t help it that I love getting feedback from students. When they nod and smile and seem to be getting into what I am saying….I just like them more. Shoot.

My class schedule looks different every other week. Each class has between 12-20 students. And even though Russian last names are impossible for me to say, I have already memorized all of my students’ first names….its kind of easy when in one class I have five Nastias. Monday and Wednesday I have class from 930-11, and 6-8. Tuesday I have class from 3-430, and English Club from 6-8. Then Thursday I have class from 3-430 and 6-8. My morning and afternoon classes switch days next week and then will go back to this schedule the following week. You may wonder what I do with all the hours of my week that I am not teaching. Please don’t worry that I have too much time on my hands. Because when I am not in class, I am lesson planning (which is a ton of work!), meeting with students, reading, taking a walk around this beautiful town, emailing you, spending time with God, and soon enough I will have a membership at a gym and be there too. Once I get the hang of my schedule in the next few weeks, I will start looking into the orphanage and begin volunteering there as well.

There is one orphanage very close in proximity to the Russian Methodist church that I went to this past Sunday. Brighid and I had quite the experience at church but I will save those stories for another blog entry.

I tried writing this blog entry earlier today but I lost it twice because I forgot to save it…and long story short, I gave up and went for a walk, which is actually much more fun than sitting in the library. I have been walking around as much as possible because I want to soak in these last few days of warmth. I know that the bitter cold is coming….I know that soon the flowers will be gone, and the trees will be white instead of green, and the days will be short. Vologda is such a beautiful town with wonderful architecture, beautiful churches, large park areas, and a gorgeous river flowing through the middle of the city. I know it will be beautiful in the winter too, but I feel lucky that I get to see it in its summer glory.