Come Rain or Snow the Students Will Go
Activities
By Ronald Westover

In the past two weeks, the U.S. students have become more self-sufficient while abroad. Many of the Americans have dared to venture out on the town in small groups. Josh, a student from Florida, said, " Going on small trips whether to the grocery store or a restaurant by ourselves is an adventure in itself. We feel a sense of leadership and independence as we struggle to practice our Russian language." We have toured many exciting sites and cultural exhibits. One of many things that we have realized in the last two weeks is that we cannot wait for good weather to go siteseeing. Recent activities have included a trip to the Pushkin Museum, Red Square, the old Circus, and a tour of the Kremlin.

Back Row: Jane, Mr. Fritz, Dr. Fritz, Julia, Josh, Kristin, Jessica, Maria
Front Row: Abby, Ron

The Pushkin Museum is known for it's popular collection of paintings and artifacts. A Monet exhibit was at the museum, which furthered our interest in attending. We arrived around noon and found ourselves at the end of a very long line of people. The exhibit was only to be displayed for two weeks and the Russian public was very interested in seeing it. The line turned out to be 3.5 hours long. We took pictures and engaged in intriguing conversations as we stood in the cold weather. Some of the students felt the line was justified while others were a little less amused. Abby, a student from Nebraska, said, " It was very impressive to see his work in real life." On the contrary, another student reported, " If you have seen one painting you have seen them all. I couldn't tell the difference between Monet's work and a paint by number."

Our new teacher, Susan Fritz, is from Nebraska. Her first cultural experience was to visit Red Square. Of course, the American students are not the kind to pass up a trip to anywhere. So after class one afternoon we made our way to the metro and traveled to Red Square. Susan and her husband were taken away by its beauty.

Welcome to the greatest show on earth or at least in Russia. In the Moscow region there are two known circuses, the old one and the new one. As a group, we decided to make our way to the tent of the old circus first. The old circus is actually located inside a beautifully designed building. Honestly, without knowing which one was which, one would probably believe that this one was the new one. The show began with acrobats on high wires doing amazing feats that seem to exceed human capabilities. Following the opening act there was various skits that featured animals included dogs, seals, and elephants. We also had the opportunity to see a very good trampoline act as well as numerous jugglers and clowns. The circus also had a live orchestra that played classical music that would completely set the mood of the moment. After the intermission came the featured act. The act entitled, "Triumph of the XXI Century," involved six well-trained tigers. The trainer not only taught the tigers numerous tricks but also taught them to perform these tricks on top of large balls. The balls had a diameter of about three feet and rolled freely around the center stage. The trainer also stood atop one of these balls the entire time yelling out his commands. The sights and the sounds under the big top thrilled the American and Russian students.

Our most recent adventure was to the Kremlin. For weeks we have walked past the big red brick wall and pondered about the contents held within. On one early February afternoon we had all our thoughts put to rest as we traveled into the fortress. The students all agreed that the architectural design of the buildings inside was the best part of the entire experience. One area inside was called Cathedral Square. Various cathedrals, that have greeted a large number of foreign visitors for centuries, surround this area.

The past two weeks have been a great adventure for the nine American students. All of us have grown from these experiences and are starting to get a greater sense of appreciation for the Russian culture.

How to Make an Elephant Footstool

Moscow's Unusual Weather
Weather
By Maria Warnick

"Why are you going to Russia, especially in winter?" This is a question that the students here at MSAU were asked by friends and family before leaving for Russia. The Moscow region is notorious for its cold, harsh winters. However, in the past month, we have not experienced a very typical Moscow winter.

In Russian Language classes we not only learn the language but we also obtain knowledge of Russian culture and history. Ludmila, one of our Russian teachers as well as a native to Moscow, told the class that she has, "Never experienced this warm of a winter!" in her life. Numerous Russian students have told us that this winter is not normal at all. They worry because this winter is so warm it may last much longer than usual. For the most part I have found that many of the Russian people would prefer colder weather, so the streets and sidewalks are not covered with slush and mud puddles.

Listed below were the weather conditions for the end of January, beginning of February. As mentioned above, these temperatures are atypical for this time of year in Moscow.

High (F) Low (F) Humidity Conditions
28-Jan 37° 33° 93% Sunny
29-Jan 27° 18° 93% Cloudy
30-Jan 25° 7° 91% Light Snow Showers
31-Jan 9° 3° 74% Partly Cloudy
1-Feb 7° 2° 85% Cloudy
2-Feb 30° 16° 92% Cloudy
3-Feb 34° 25° 87% Partly Cloudy
4-Feb 36° 27° 84% Cloudy
5-Feb 38° 29° 78% Sunny
6-Feb 39° 33° 70% Sunny
7-Feb 38° 34° 81% Light Rain Showers
8-Feb 36° 33° 87% Mostly Cloudy
9-Feb 35° 30° 93% Cloudy

Learning to be a Leader
Education
By Jessica Daehnke

During the month of February the MSAU INTAG students are taking a course called Leadership Development for Small Groups and Teams, taught by Dr. Susan Fritz. Dr. Fritz has taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for thirteen years. In her class we have been developing our concept of leadership, learning to evaluate leaders, and our own personal leadership styles.

The class began on the fifth of February. After learning the basic principles of leadership we immediately began to use what we were learning. We broke up into four groups, each with a different purpose related to getting the most out of our experience here in Moscow. The areas we will be working on are culture, interaction, independence, and personal growth. While we participate in these small groups, we has been learning about working together and adjusting to different leadership styles.

To help us understand how our personalities affect our interaction in groups, we took the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) evaluation. This is a multiple-choice test that classifies personalities into sixteen groups based on eight different characteristics. Our class turned out to be very diverse, covering twelve of these types among the eighteen students. This test helps us learn a lot about ourselves, as well as the personalities of our new peers. This proved to be extremely helpful and useful.

Along with our leadership course, we continue to study the Russian language. When our study first began in January, we had a lecture/discussion Monday through Friday. Because we have secured some basic Russian language skills, we only have class for three hours on Tuesday and Friday. We attend class in hopes gaining knowledge that will take us through the supermarket or help us fight our way through the metro. We have two teachers, Vera and Lyoudmila. Both are extremely enthusiastic about the Russian language and are willing to help us in any way possible. This class has and will continue to be very successful and motivational.

On the Gray Line
Culture
By Josh Brown

For most of us, living in the city without our own transportation can be quite a hassle at times. The public forms of transportation that are available for people living in Moscow include: taxis, buses and the metro. The Moscow Metro is the most popular and overcrowded public transport facility of the city.

The first line of the Moscow Metro was open in 1935. It covered the distance from Sokolniki to Gorky Park and included 13 stations. Currently, there are over 150 stations (including transition stations) of the Moscow Metro. The Metro stations were designed and decorated by prominent Russian architects, artists and sculptors. Their talent and remarkable skills created a unique underground network of great artistic value. The collection of original materials, which were used to ornament the stations, is so wide that the Moscow Metro may be called a unique "Museum of Geology" or even a peculiar "Museum of Arts".

Economically, the metro is the best alternative for traveling throughout the city. At a price of five rubles (approx. $.17), a person can buy a one-way ticket that gives him or her access to all trains, including transfers from one track to another. Since the students take many excursions about the city they purchase tickets that allow from ten to sixty rides, in order to save time and money. As for Moscow citizens, many obtain unlimited monthly or season passes.

As for the US students, exploring various metro stops has become a normal activity. The most frequently used stop includes an Internet café and several restaurants. Sometimes, it is a common occurrence to see the students counting the stops on their fingers so that they know when it is necessary to get off the train.

At first, it was hard for a few students to adjust to such large crowds of people at one time. To some it seems as if there is urgency among Russians to board and exit both the trains and the escalators. However, it is recommended to be prepared for large crowds of people during peak hours in the morning, between 7.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m., and in the evening, from 4.00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Also, the operating hours for the metro begin at 5:30 a.m. and close for the train's final route at 1:00 a.m.

The hostel is located conveniently near the north section of the gray line, with access to all the other stations of the metro. With time and use, everyone has become comfortable with using the metro and traveling throughout Moscow.

Ron, Abby, and Maria in the Metro

Do you remember the time…
People
By Chris Rogers

…when you sat down and remembered when being the coolest kid in the school was the most important thing you could be in life? Kristin and I were given the opportunity to speak at a Moscow secondary school. This was an amazingly, exciting situation for us, since we are both interested in education. We were brought back to our high school days.

When we arrived at the school, the English teacher, and several students greeted us. We deposited our coats in the closet and took a small tour of the school. Along the way we could heard the voices of the students talking about the visit of American people. This was truly an interesting place.

Children singing in English

Technological advancements such as new IBM's and Macintosh's filled the rooms of computer labs. After viewing these rooms we were escorted to the auditorium where we spoke to the students. Within 15 minutes, close to one hundred children entered the auditorium and we took our places on the center of the stage. At first, we were a little uneasy due to the fact that after Dr. Frick had introduced Kristin and I, the auditorium went completely silent. All of us were questioning our purpose for the afternoon. We were in a room with a group of children and not one of them would speak. However, the teachers rescued us by asking questions about our situation with Afghanistan, the Winter Olympics, and our career objectives. After an hour, there was a break and we felt a bit relieved. We were told that the next group of students would be a little older and more interested in what we had to say.

The group entered the room and it was incredible. Every student wanted to know something. Questions ranged from whether or not Kristin was single, to what my favorite bands were. These students were inquisitive and full of laughter. In the remaining five minutes of our time, the original English teacher came in once again with a small group of 4th grade students. We were a little curious as to what was going to happen. Our curiosity soon ended. After a brief introduction, the children began to sing a song in English. We were utterly amazed. After the children finished their song Kristin and I felt like movie stars, because the small children, along with the teenagers, stood in line to get our signatures. We were surprised, but willingly agreed to do so. The students were then asked to go to class and Dr. Frick, Kristin, Dr. Chumakov and I were invited into a conference room where we were given tea and a slice of cheesecake. After everything was finished we were extremely pleased and felt as though we had made a difference. This was truly an amazing opportunity and we definitely made some very indelible memories that will shape our lives forever.

Questions? Comments? E-mail Us!