Celebrating the Russian/American Way
Activities
By Sandra White, University of Florida

     We had the privilege of celebrating two students’ birthdays on February 14, one American and one Russian. We decided that we would make this a joint party to save money and to learn about how each other’s culture celebrated birthdays. Now that we had planned the when and where, only the minor details were left, like food, drinks, and entertainment.
      We decided to split up the food duties so that we could have a mix of Russian and American foods to experience and share. Heather made macaroni and cheese, and Katie made a cream cheese and peach cake. The rest of us brought bread, cheese, soda, juice, chips, cookies and ice cream. The Russian students brought an array of salads including a tuna mix and an egg salad along with some homemade wine for the traditional Russian birthday toasts. We learned that it is traditional to have at least three toasts to the birthday person. The toasts are for wishes of good luck and health.
 

    We sat down for a delicious meal and plenty of fun and entertaining stories. After we finished the main meal, we moved the tables aside and played a mixture of Russian and American games. These included a game where a ring is placed on a large piece of rope, which is taped together. One person stands in the middle of the rope circle and must figure out where the ring is. Players holding the rope must try to discreetly pass the ring without getting caught. If you are caught with the ring then you must switch places with the person in the middle of the circle and the game begins again. This, along with a few other games, proved to be very amusing and very difficult, since some of us were beginners.
      Once we finished playing warm-up games, the dancing began. One of the Russian students who lives in the same building as we do, brought her boom box down and we searched local channels for dance music. Though not many participated in the dancing, all had a good time watching, laughing or dancing. As the evening wound down, we had tea and cookies and continued talking. After we said our good-byes, we commenced with the cleaning, which only took about 10 minutes. A total of 16 people showed up. All left with a smile on their face, pictures in their cameras, great memories and the promise of more birthday parties to come!

After weeks of gray skies and cold temperatures, the clouds over Moscow parted, revealing bright, warm sunshine. Three days of highs in the low 40’s F allowed the treacherous sidewalks to shed their ice layers making walking a somewhat safe activity.

Students had been hearing from friends and family about the cold and snowy conditions in the United States, and for the first time considered Moscow a vacation destination! We spent the sunny days (which conveniently fell on a weekend) showing Dr. Wilken around the Kremlin, throwing snow balls in the park, and catching up our sun bathing. Well, that last part may be a stretch. The sunny days brought about a few changes in attire, but Russians adapted seamlessly.
No matter what the weather is like, Russians keep up on all of the latest fashions in cold weather clothing. Whether you are a babushka or a young lady from Florida, you must take pride in the coat, hat, and scarf that you wear while trudging through the frigid Moscow snow. In the hat department, we have seen everything. There are hats that look like a chicken is sitting on your head, leather baseball caps with earflaps, and of course my favorite, the fuzzy shapka. This hat is the traditional hat associated with Russia, the tall and furry hat worn by men and women alike.
Coats can be long, a palto, or short, a curtka. The long Russian sable coats can be seen on any Moscow street, made from fox, mink, or even polyethyl polypropylene. One point of information, never try to pet a babushka’s sable coat. They really hate that. Other coats are made from wool or leather. However, the most popular coat right now in Moscow, is the ever-famous purple parka, worn by Heather McCartney. It is a dual-purpose jacket, it keeps Heather very warm, but it also serves as a beacon for lost Americans in the Metro.
Whether warm or cold, fashion in outdoor gear is very important in Russia. If you are planning a trip soon, remember to select your attire accordingly. Oh yeah, a pair of track cleats for the ice is also a good idea.

      After a month of daily Russian and getting used to life in Moscow, starting real classes again was anticipated with some apprehension. Especially classes that last for 5 or 6 hours a day. To an American college student who counts down every minute in a 50-minute lecture, 5 hours of class sounds like torture. However, the time seemed to go much faster than expected.
      Our teacher, Dr. Carolyn Wilken from the University of Florida’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences arrived in the first week of February to teach us Ethical Issues in Agricultural and Life Sciences. In addition, she gave a week of presentations at Bashkir State Agricultural University in Ufa, located in the Bashkortostan Region of Russia. She has been doing a good job of breaking long hours into different activities, showing us videos that correspond with our reading homework, small amounts of class time to work with partners on the group projects, and group presentations in addition to lecture time. In keeping with the Russian-American partnership theme of the program, we were required to work with a Russian student on a group project, using a case study to present what we learned in the class. Our test was also conducted using both Russian and American methods. We had a 4 page written exam, and then were given a slip of paper with a question on it. Students have a few minutes to decide on an answer, which is given orally to the teacher. Most Russian tests are given orally. It is usually a little more extensive than ours, and the teacher can ask other questions that don’t relate to the questions on the slip of paper.

       Another interesting addition to our class was a presentation given by Dr. Pavel Sorokin, a graduate, former teacher, and former International Dean at MSAU, on business ethics in Russia. He also led a very interesting discussion on classroom ethics in Russian universities. Exams given in Russian universities are often very difficult, and sometimes this results in the exam becoming more of a group effort to beat the teacher rather than an individual task.
       Overall, this class has helped us understand the Russian opinions on different ethical issues and through this we have gotten to understand the Russian students in our group better.

Only for the Able
Culture
By Heather McCartney, Montana State

     As I felt a sudden swoosh of air under my feet and the following crack of my bones on the unforgiving ice, I realized northern Russia is very treacherous in the winter. Neither my rubber-soled hiking boots nor a careful visual inspection of footing nor any balancing act has prevented me or my friends from taking quick trips to the ground. Our Russian friends call it “looking for rubles.” They ask us how many we’ve found as we scramble to regain our footing and dignity. Even for the most able-bodied, the terrain in and around the city is tricky at best.


     Upon closer inspection of the moving crowds and methods of transportation, it became clear to me at once that if I was to survive the pace of the city, I had to hustle between destinations and get used to my body being shoved and pulled in all sorts of directions. As I moved throughout my day, I noticed that I had not seen many people with physical handicaps. At first thought, it was rational...one could simply not move at a different pace than the crowd and survive, but upon closer inspection I realized that there is no way to move through Moscow if assistance is required in anyway. Stairs and escalators connect all metro stations. Schools, theaters, and department stores often lack elevators. The open market areas have rail ramps for moving carts and baby carriages over stairways and through underpasses but the incline is far too steep (>11%)for someone who is wheelchair bound. And let’s not forget the sheer amount of snow, ice, and slush that can hamper balance and movement with devices such as crutches or wheelchairs.
     And there are other physical impairments that have no assistance as well. None of the signs in public buildings, banks, or private businesses have been in a language for the blind, such as Braille. At public vocal concerts, I have not observed a translator for the deaf. So I wonder not only why these needs have not been addressed, but also where the people are who need access? According to the United Nations, 10% of the world population, 600 million people, live with disabilities. So it would follow that Moscow would have a number of people (with a population of over 10 million), that have physical handicaps, but we simply encounter very few.
     To this country’s credit, physical fitness is a big part of life here. Physical education and activity is given high priority every year of elementary and high school years with 2 class periods a week plus recess time given to sports and physical tasks. Since most people do not own vehicles, foot traffic is high and provides a plethora of physical activity especially when carrying bags on an extended trips or shopping.
    But the question remains, where are those who are not able to get around as I do (albeit tenuously over snow and ice)? How do they get their education, attend to their families, or go about tending to a daily routine? I could surmise, but will merely conclude that Moscow is a city of transformation and as economic stability increases, hopefully, so will the opportunities for those with physical disabilities.

    In my collegiate student career, I have never experienced participating in a class for only one month. However, this is the case for all our classes through this program. We were fortunate enough to have Dr. Carolyn “Go Gators” Wilken from the University of Florida as our first American professor. It was great to meet such a wonderful person. She brought a new light to the way many of us looked at ethics. I was lucky enough to have an interview with Dr. Wilken and to get some feed back from her on the program and herself.
    First of all, this isn’t Dr. Wilken’s first time here in Russia. She was also here in 1969. Why did she choose to come back to this frigid, but cultural country?
     “The opportunity to come back and teach” she said, “made it even more awesome to revisit this great country.”
     Being here during the Cold War, has allowed Dr. Wilken to observe changes between now and then.
     She stated, “Society is so much more open, the freedom to move about is evident. People dress differently, are more evident on the streets, and there weren’t any McDonalds!”
This was her first time teaching Russian students and witnessing the Russian university system. She noticed that the Russian students seem to be more separated from their professors as compared to the American students. The Russian students learning approach appears more dyadic, which is an authoritative respect.
     “American students are more responsible for their learning,” Wilken commented.
     In Russia, students can attend college for free if they meet certain criteria, and once they are enrolled, they take a planned curriculum set by the university. The main thing she hopes to take back to Florida is paired learning to foster the understanding of complex materials. She also aspires to introduce the Russian oral testing system to her American students in her smaller classes.
    “I hope that my students gain a better understanding of the cultural similarities and differences in the field of ethics,” she stated
     Dr. Wilken had the privilege to present at another agricultural university located in Ufa, Russia. There she gave a speech to the Ag Economics Department on land grant universities in the United States. She also presented at the Bashkir Ag University for their 2003 International Agricultural Exposition. Her topic was on the ethics of business as Russia prepares to enter the World Trade Organization.
     Dr. Wilken wrapped things up by conversing about what she will remember five years after her trip to Moscow.
     She said, “I will remember the students the most, and wonder were they are, what they are doing, and if they have used this opportunity to their advantage.”
     She stated that if we haven’t used this opportunity she is going to hunt us down, starting with myself. According to Dr. Wilken, she believes we can help with Russian and American relationships in agriculture.
     We would like to thank Dr. Wilken for providing an informative class and assure her that we learned a great deal. We hope she enjoyed her time here and will think of this experience with fond memories.

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