The great thing about coming back for another year to teach in this program is that I get to take a look at things in a greater depth. The Kremlin is awesome, but there's less of a desire to stand behind the walls and see the Tsar Cannon or the Tsar Bell (Both are also awesome. Look them up on Google). I enjoy going to some of the smaller museums, exploring the campus a little bit more, visiting nearby parks, different stores, and I think I will always enjoy standing in the middle of Red Square (which has nothing to do with the color red). But I think the thing that I'm enjoying the most is just getting to know people and expanding on the activities we do in class.
The hospitality here is great. Whenever we go out to the local canteen (restaurant) or on a field trip, the people are always very helpful. The International Office here at Moscow State Agro-engineering University cater to our every need and are always concerned with how we're doing.
Part of getting to know more people is the experiences it creates. I've been working out with one of the students here from Clemson. He found a gym in the basement of one of the hostels across campus for students. It's strictly a weight lifting gym. You won't find any ellipticals, bands or treadmills. You will find kettlebells, an assortment of different types of round plated weights that often have one other matching partner that are in kilograms, and my favorite of all, a professional arm wrestling table. I really want to see someone use that arm wrestling table.
One of the experiences was when Dima (spelling?) and Nikita asked us to come visit their room (in the same hostel as the gym) and friends. They are two guys on the wrestling team here for the University. They're powerhouses in the weight room. They are smaller than I am in regards to height, etc... but there's not a single thing in the weight room that I feel as if I could do better at than they. They're great guys and are a blast to work out with. They invited us to go to wrestling practice with them this afternoon, which I was excited about, but one of their professors scheduled an exam during practice so they had to cancel.
Yesterday, they took us up to their room. I've been to rooms of students in my hostel, but never theirs. There were four guys to one room, which is the norm here. There is one hostel that houses seven students to a room. The rooms are the same size as the ones that house four. The rooms were smaller than pretty much any room I've ever had in college. Everyone that we visited was excited to see us, even if they thought it was weird that Dima and Nikita randomly showed up to show off their American friends. They showed us their community bathroom, which is much different in style compared to back home, and their community kitchen.
There's no need to get into details, but it's safe to say that I don't know a single person back home that would find it suitable. The guys knew it was rough but found humor in it. They acknowledge that our hostel is very nice. Seeing the differences, I have to agree. The room I'm staying in is VERY nice. Still, I know several people back home that would find reasons to complain.
We take field trips here to local agricultural businesses. We ride on a bus that has an exhaust leak which fills the inside with fumes. We lift the air vent in the roof of the bus while we drive down the road at a top speed of about 45 mph with essentially a sun roof lifted open in freezing weather. I'm not complaining. It's just how it is. It gets us where we need to go, and the experiences once we get there have always been great. Last time we had to stop for gas twice on one field trip. We calculated the fuel efficiency of the bus to be 6 miles to the gallon. I haven't ridden on any other buses from the University other than this one so I don't want you to think this is necessarily typical of transportation in Russia. On the contrary, I would have to think that Moscow's metro station is one of the most, if not the most, efficient metros in the world.
The roads and infrastructure here is certainly lacking when compared to back home. I don't feel as if I can speak as to how great they could be, etc... because I don't know what it's like to maintain roads in such extreme weather conditions. Needless to say, I think it's safe to assume that I know some people back home that would complain.
I've been incredibly fortunate to travel recently. Growing up, I never would have imagined that I would have the opportunity to travel to Canada, Russia, Costa Rica and Antigua. I have a pretty strong feeling that I'm not done either. I really enjoy immersing myself in a culture. While it makes for funny and sometimes uncomfortable moments, I really enjoy the moments where I'm trying to communicate with someone that doesn't speak English and it's just the two of us. They are often the most memorable. They certainly were in Costa Rica and have been here in Russia.
Through my experiences, this year and last, here in Russia, I've learned that the weather is incredibly rough and unforgiving during parts of the year, feed prices are higher for farmers, fuel for automobiles is more expensive, the student living conditions are much worse, and people consistently doubt their government (I know what you're thinking. It's on a much different level than back in the states). With that being said, I love it here. The people make the experience. I've learned a lot. Mostly, that I don't know much.
Just know, we've got it made. It has become increasingly disappointing to log in to social media to find people complaining about stuff. One of the greatest things I appreciate about the Russian students is that I'm constantly asked "What do you think about (insert lightning rod of political discussion here)". My response is my opinion and is often followed by questions to clarify what I mean and then followed by their opinion and how things are here in Russia. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but there is never an argument or push to get each other to convert to the other's beliefs. I absolutely love that about our conversations.
I'm incredibly thankful for everything. I'm thankful for my experiences and possessions back home. I'm thankful for my education. I'm thankful for the people in my life. For absolutely everything. I've got it made.
The hospitality here is great. Whenever we go out to the local canteen (restaurant) or on a field trip, the people are always very helpful. The International Office here at Moscow State Agro-engineering University cater to our every need and are always concerned with how we're doing.
Part of getting to know more people is the experiences it creates. I've been working out with one of the students here from Clemson. He found a gym in the basement of one of the hostels across campus for students. It's strictly a weight lifting gym. You won't find any ellipticals, bands or treadmills. You will find kettlebells, an assortment of different types of round plated weights that often have one other matching partner that are in kilograms, and my favorite of all, a professional arm wrestling table. I really want to see someone use that arm wrestling table.
One of the experiences was when Dima (spelling?) and Nikita asked us to come visit their room (in the same hostel as the gym) and friends. They are two guys on the wrestling team here for the University. They're powerhouses in the weight room. They are smaller than I am in regards to height, etc... but there's not a single thing in the weight room that I feel as if I could do better at than they. They're great guys and are a blast to work out with. They invited us to go to wrestling practice with them this afternoon, which I was excited about, but one of their professors scheduled an exam during practice so they had to cancel.
Yesterday, they took us up to their room. I've been to rooms of students in my hostel, but never theirs. There were four guys to one room, which is the norm here. There is one hostel that houses seven students to a room. The rooms are the same size as the ones that house four. The rooms were smaller than pretty much any room I've ever had in college. Everyone that we visited was excited to see us, even if they thought it was weird that Dima and Nikita randomly showed up to show off their American friends. They showed us their community bathroom, which is much different in style compared to back home, and their community kitchen.
There's no need to get into details, but it's safe to say that I don't know a single person back home that would find it suitable. The guys knew it was rough but found humor in it. They acknowledge that our hostel is very nice. Seeing the differences, I have to agree. The room I'm staying in is VERY nice. Still, I know several people back home that would find reasons to complain.
We take field trips here to local agricultural businesses. We ride on a bus that has an exhaust leak which fills the inside with fumes. We lift the air vent in the roof of the bus while we drive down the road at a top speed of about 45 mph with essentially a sun roof lifted open in freezing weather. I'm not complaining. It's just how it is. It gets us where we need to go, and the experiences once we get there have always been great. Last time we had to stop for gas twice on one field trip. We calculated the fuel efficiency of the bus to be 6 miles to the gallon. I haven't ridden on any other buses from the University other than this one so I don't want you to think this is necessarily typical of transportation in Russia. On the contrary, I would have to think that Moscow's metro station is one of the most, if not the most, efficient metros in the world.
The roads and infrastructure here is certainly lacking when compared to back home. I don't feel as if I can speak as to how great they could be, etc... because I don't know what it's like to maintain roads in such extreme weather conditions. Needless to say, I think it's safe to assume that I know some people back home that would complain.
I've been incredibly fortunate to travel recently. Growing up, I never would have imagined that I would have the opportunity to travel to Canada, Russia, Costa Rica and Antigua. I have a pretty strong feeling that I'm not done either. I really enjoy immersing myself in a culture. While it makes for funny and sometimes uncomfortable moments, I really enjoy the moments where I'm trying to communicate with someone that doesn't speak English and it's just the two of us. They are often the most memorable. They certainly were in Costa Rica and have been here in Russia.
Through my experiences, this year and last, here in Russia, I've learned that the weather is incredibly rough and unforgiving during parts of the year, feed prices are higher for farmers, fuel for automobiles is more expensive, the student living conditions are much worse, and people consistently doubt their government (I know what you're thinking. It's on a much different level than back in the states). With that being said, I love it here. The people make the experience. I've learned a lot. Mostly, that I don't know much.
Just know, we've got it made. It has become increasingly disappointing to log in to social media to find people complaining about stuff. One of the greatest things I appreciate about the Russian students is that I'm constantly asked "What do you think about (insert lightning rod of political discussion here)". My response is my opinion and is often followed by questions to clarify what I mean and then followed by their opinion and how things are here in Russia. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but there is never an argument or push to get each other to convert to the other's beliefs. I absolutely love that about our conversations.
I'm incredibly thankful for everything. I'm thankful for my experiences and possessions back home. I'm thankful for my education. I'm thankful for the people in my life. For absolutely everything. I've got it made.
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