Tihven... My one-horse town

Well, friends it was an interesting week. We thought it would be a week just like any other - lecturing in English classes, giving lessons at home, going to the orphanage and the music school, etc. However, that was not to be.

Last Monday night, Leona and I were enjoying a relaxing evening at home. We had finished supper and I was settling in for another Russian study-session when there was a knock at the door. Much to our surprise, two policemen were waiting outside. Leona showed them in and they begain to talk. After just a few minutes she looked at me and said, "Jessica - there is problem." Yes, there was a problem, for my registration had expired and we had not been able to figure out how to register me in Tihven. I had been assured by the director of International Affairs that this would not be a problem, but apparently she had not conveyed this to the local authorities. The policemen proceeded to question Leona and I about who I was, why was I here, why were my papers not in order, etc. (All without a translator, of course.) This went on for about an hour without any resolution. So now I have an official file on record with the local police - they wrote up and filed a "Protocol". I still don't know what this means, really, or what they are going to do about it, but I have been told that I will have to pay a large fine. As soon as they left I called the director of International Affairs and asked all kinds of questions , but mainly "How did they find out I was here? Who told?" "Well," she replied with a laugh, "as I said earlier, Tihven is a one-horse town. Word just gets around." Yes, word had gotten around that the American had expired papers. We still are not sure who told, and after another week of trying, I am still not registered. I have been told that the trouble is that the local authorities don't know what to do with my papers because they never have foreigners here. They simply haven't had to deal with this before.

So, I took this all in with a smile and a laugh (for really, how many times do you get visited late at night by two Russian policemen, who very much enjoy trying to scare you?) and hoped for a quieter day on Tuesday. However, this was not to be either. For on Tuesday I was visited by the police at home, and Leona was visited by the police while at work. And that night when I got home from class, Leona greeted me at the door with a copy of the local weekly paper. "When did you talk to a reporter?" I was shocked. I hadn't talked to a reporter, that I knew of, but there certainly was an article about me in the paper. And whoever wrote this article had obviously done their homework - they knew where I was teaching, how long I was going to be here, who I was living with - everything was right there in the paper. We were surprised, to say the least. But that is how things go in Tihven - it is definitely a one-horse town.

Other than the crazy events of last week, things here are fine. I am greatly enjoying speaking at various schools and adult classes. While the students primarily want to know about things like Hollywood, fashion, and movie stars, we have managed to have a few meaningful conversations as well. My adult classes start in a few weeks, and I am scrambling to find material that I think will be interesting and meaningful to all involved.

I think this week might be normal, although the term "normal" is quickly beginning to take on new meaning. Hopefully all legal issues will be resolved this week without too much more trouble and I can again focus all my energy on all the interesting people I have met here. In the meantime, I have a request of you - my family has not been able to call me since I left St. Petersburg over a month ago, and it is extremely expensive for me to call them from here. If anyone has any idea how people from the United States or Guam can call a remote village in Russia, I would appreciate knowing! Thanks so much!

Russian Life is Interesting...

Sunday, January 22, 2006 11:30 A.M.

Well, a month has passed since my last update, and so much has happened in that month that it would take pages and pages to describe it all to you. So I will spare you the majority of the details and try to give you a quick overview of what has taken place in two tiny towns in the far north of Russia.

After spending about 11 days in Moscow and St. Petersburg, I was finally on my way to Pikalevo. I arrived on a very cold, snowy evening, and after the director and I hauled my luggage about a half-mile through the snow, we came upon the orphanage. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is not like an institution, but rather a home for children who's families have fallen upon hard times. Most children still have family in the area (aunts, grandparents, etc.) who simply cannot afford to raise them. Only twenty-one children currently live there, and they enjoy many of the things a “normal” Russian child would enjoy – weekly skiing outings and trips to the local pool, New Year's parties, and even an afternoon at the Discoteca on occasion. My time in Pikalevo was...interesting. So much happened that I don't know what to say, other than, due to a variety of reasons, I am now living in a nearby town, Tihven, and will be working at a variety of places in both towns.

So, in Tihven I am living with a wonderful lady named Leona, who speaks a little English, but who's very eager to learn, and very helpful and patient with me as I continue to struggle learning Russian. Through Leona's contacts and friends of my own that I've made along the way, I have been given several opportunities to assist in a variety of ways in the community:
1. I will be working at the orphanages, in Tihven and Pikalevo, helping the children with English, assisting the music teachers, possibly giving piano lessons, and just being a person for the children to communicate with, in whatever way possible.
2. Much of my time so far has been spent as a guest lecturer of sorts. Although Tihven is a town of 70,000, it very much has a small-town feeling, and word travels extremely quickly; hence, the English teachers in the area soon knew of my arrival, and were rather excited that a “native” had come to their town. I have been invited to several schools to speak to the English classes, and very much enjoy these times. Usually I speak to older students (15-17 years of age) who have been studying English for about 7 or 8 years. I was very surprised at their high level of competency, and we have enjoyed many conversations about all kind of things since these talks first began. In addition, in February I will begin teaching a 5-month class for advanced adult speakers at the local language school. I am very excited about this, as I hope to quickly get through all their questions about America and move on to other topics – I can choose whatever material/subject matter I want, as long as we are discussing it in English. There is also a teacher's college in another nearby town where I will serve as a trainer for English teachers. The details of this have not yet been confirmed, so more about that when in happens.
3. Opportunities for me to become involved with the local nursing home, the Rimsky-Korsokov Music Academy (heaven on earth), a local home for abused children, and other places have also arisen. Leona and I are also starting to teach English to community children out of our home. So while I still don't have a “set” job or an established schedule, and while I still struggle for an answer when people ask what I am doing here, I think that things will continue to fall into place. Concentrating on living among people and participating in life with them (wherever we are) is, I believe, one of the greatest things we can do on this earth. Whether it's helping Leona with laundry and cooking (which are both all-day processes), walking across town with a single mom and her daughter, listening to a music director tell of her travels across Europe, or watching the children from the orphanage perform a New Year's play the nursing home, I love celebrating the day-to-day activities of life with my new friends.

And now for a few notes on Russia in general:
1. -30 Celsius is colder than I could have ever imagined. Yes, it hurts to breathe when you first step outside, and when the heat inside hardly works, a down sleeping bag comes in quite handy. And while some may advise me to just put on more clothes, I have discovered that after about 4 or 5 layers, moving around becomes quite difficult. Also, I do not advise practicing the piano with gloves on.
2. I love simple living and I am thrilled that I can now practice my ideals here in Tihven. I walk everywhere (except when it's -30C – then I take the bus). Cooking is a process, for everything is made from scratch, but it is one of my favorite times Leona and I have shared, and the health benefits are many. You do not need a washing machine, dryer, microwave, toaster oven, vacuum cleaner, coffee pot, or many of the other inventions we take for granted in the states.
3. It was rather funny when I was first invited to the administration building to talk with the director of International Affairs...her surprise at my traveling so far on my own, without speaking the language, was apparent. I was amused when she asked how in the world did I ever find out about this tiny little town in the middle of nowhere in Russia; it took great effort to conceal my surprise when she said, “You know, we do have one other foreigner in town.” No, foreigners are not common here, especially when they can't really explain why they're here. It's amazing how many times I've met people and they say “Oh, you're the American we've heard so much about.” I still have not been able to figure out exactly what it is they have heard.
4. People's differing reactions to my faith have been very interesting – some are fascinated and want to know more, others say that they believe in God as well, and others advise me not to talk about it with anyone at all. I have been told that in Tihven there used to be over 40 churches; now there are only 5 (all Russian Orthodox). During the Communist reign most were torn down or turned into museums or schools. I have visited the monastery twice, but still have yet to find someone who actually attends services, or can at least tell me when they are. I miss the fellowship I have shared with others every week of my life. I feel that I still have a connection with the rest of the world as I read the daily lectionary texts, but long for the days of a good potluck dinner.

So there is an introduction to what my new life in Russia is like. I don't know what I am doing this next week, but know that something will come up, for it always does. One last note: I was informed by my mother that a great lady, Nettie Day, died recently. She was not only a fabulous teacher, but a wonderful friend as well. I still have the last email we exchanged the week before she died - she told me she was proud of what I was doing, and I told her that her influence was being felt 50,000 miles away as I used the same book to teach a 26 year old woman how to read, that Nettie used with me. To her family and friends who are grieving her death: Nettie was an exceptional woman and she is greatly missed by many people, including one now half-way around the world. Every time I pull out my Handbook for Reading I think of her, as well as her daughter-in-law Julie, and aspire to teach people how to read with the same dedication and love these two women showed me when I was young. Know that she is missed, she is remembered, and the effects of her life's journey are very far-reaching.