Teaching English in Finland

I’ve been watching the weather (of course) and it looks clear for departure from MSP. The temps in Amsterdam are in the 40s F and the temps in St Petersburg are hovering around 32 degrees F. Keep your fingers crossed! Okay, folks ~ I’m on my way!

Nancy

Thought for the day ~ Travel light – preconception and prejudice are unnecessary luggage.

I flew in to St. Petersburg mid-afternoon on Wednesday ~ I usually plan to arrive in the evening, but have discovered (through trial and error) that arriving while it is still daylight is generally best, especially if you have to find your way around.  Unfortunately, sunset in St. Petersburg is around 4 pm, so it was dark by the time I got to the city.

Every traveler needs a visa to enter Russia.  And every traveler needs an invitation to get a visa.  I was prepared with the paperwork I needed to enter the country, but I wasn’t prepared to spend so much time completing additional forms at the airport (!!) and waiting in line for almost an hour.  I was happy to get through and retrieve my bag.

I was very thankful that I had arranged for an English-speaking driver to pick me up at the airport - there is NO WAY I could have found my hotel on my own.  It’s conveniently located near the metro and a bank, but is hidden away behind a gate and a courtyard, very private and very secure.   Had it not been for the driver (Leonid), I probably would not be staying at the hotel at all, as the staff speaks limited English.  The Russian lessons I took a million years ago are obviously of no value in a real life situation - thankfully the driver was there to translate every document, sign, and spoken sentence.

I thought the hassles with my visa were over … So naive!  You must register your visa with the OVIR (Russian Visa and Registration Department) within 72 hours of your arrival – or there may not be a departure.  The good news is that the hotel registered my visa for me – had they not, I could have experienced the joy of Russian bureaucracy first hand.  Final words of advice from Leonid – although the stories of police harassing the tourists may be exagerated, spotchecks do happen.  You must always have your passport and valid visa with you and be prepared to contact your embassy. Very comforting  …

Wow, I’ve only been here a few hours and I’m already worn out.  This could be a very challenging few days …

I definitely won’t attempt any public transportation until tomorrow, but I did venture out for a few hours to check out the neighborhood.  I did not find the internet cafe that is supposed to be nearby (yes, go left, cross the street, then cross the street, then it is across the street …  what?! ) but I did find a very hip restaurant, a bakery, and a coffee shop.  By the time I got back to the hotel, I was roasting inside my down coat.  I’ve been told that is really cold here, but the temperature tonight is around 32F/0C, and it appears that temps have been moderate for a while, as there is litle snow and the streets are very sloppy and wet.  I may have overpacked, with heavy sweaters and long underwear, but better too much than too little …  as long as it all fits in one bag, right?

Thought for the day ~ Americans who travel abroad are often shocked to discover that, despite all the progress that has been made in the last 30 years, many foreign people still speak in foreign languages.

At the risk of sounding like an absolute idiot, I will describe for you a day of “sightseeing” in St. Petersburg.

The plan for the day was fairly straightforward – Nevskiy Prospekt is the main street of St. Petersburg and the majority of attractions, shopping, restaurants are located close to it.  There are numerous metro stations on or linked to Nevskiy Prospekt, so I thought “no sweat!  I’ll just hop on the metro and make a day of it.”  Right.

Leonid, the driver, had told me that the metro system is very confusing but that if I follow the signs I should be able to get anywhere in the city.  What he failed to mention is that all of the signs are in Russian.  And all of the announcements are in Russian.  And even if any one had any interest in being helpful, no one speaks English.   I finally figured out how to buy tokens from the cranky lady in the booth, and immediately had 4 of the 5 picked from my pocket.  It’s not the loss of the token (equivalent to 40 cents), it’s that icky feeling …   Anyway, I used the remaining token to venture down the seemingly endless escalator to the bowels of the city and the network of metro trains.

I am generally very comfortable taking the metro in various cities, getting on and off, and riding from end to end.  Not in St. Petersburg – even though I have terrific maps and guidebooks, I could not figure out where I was or where I was going.  But the the worst of it was that I couldn’t figure out what I was looking at once I got out of the metro stations (lovely, but what is it?)  Well, okay, there were a few things that I recognized, like the River Neva, the Hermitage, and the bronze statue of Peter the Great – but I truly spent most of several hours completely baffled and rambling around the city.  Really, it was quite distressing!

To top it all off, I didn’t even get any great photos!  (urgh)  However, I can refer you to a link that has photos – absolutely spectacular!

www.saint-petersburg.com/photo/index.asp

Well, today was not my best tourist day – but tomorrow will be better!

Until then -  N

Today it is cold and snowing and blowing, not very pleasant at all.  But Russia in December is no place for complainers.  Get over it!!   I have to go out and identify what I may (or may not) have seen yesterday.  What is the USPS motto – “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds” – yep, that sure sounds like me …  I’m off on my rounds!

     Later in the day -

The metro experience was much better today – still a bit intimidating, but I did get to my destinations.  Last night I looked up what the sights I wanted to see and located every one on the map, so I was confident that I could do a lot in a short period of time (well, while there is some daylight).

First stop – the Hermitage.  Located in the heart of St. Petersburg, the State Hermitage is one of the greatest museums in the world, rivaling the Musee du Louvre.  The museum complex includes the Winter Palace,  the Great Hermitage, the Small Hermitage (a retreat for Catherine the Great), the Old Hermitage and the New Hermitage … confused? 

The basic display areas of the State Hermitage occupy 365 rooms in the Main Museum Complex. This consists of six buildings constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Small Hermitage, the Old Hermitage, and the New Hermitage display the collections of monuments of culture and art of the ancient world, Western Europe, Russia and the countries of Asia, as well as archeological collections.

The Winter Palace of Peter the Great is a unique architectural monument dating from the first quarter of the 18th century. The official residence of Peter I between 1720 and 1725 was located on the territory now occupied by the Hermitage Theatre. In the part of the palace which has been preserved, there is a memorial exhibit dedicated to Peter the Great.  In his rooms – the study, dining room and woodworking shop – the decor has been recreated using genuine articles that belonged to the Emperor. Here the so-called ‘wax effigy,’ a posthumous sculptural portrait of Peter I, has been put on display.

Across the River Neva, on Vasilyevsky Island, is the the palace of St Petersburg’s first Governor, Alexander Menshikov.  The Mishikov Palace, erected in the 1710s-1720s, is the location of the Hermitage exhibition works of art from the first part of the 18th century.

Also across the river from the Hermitage, the Fortress of Peter and Paul is a bit challenging to get to, following unmarked streets to the river and then across a wooden bridge to the island.  The fortress was originally intended as a defense against the Swedes, but was later converted into a prison for political dissidents.  Peter the Great’s oldest son was tortured here, and Dostoevsky, Gorky, and Trotsky spent time at the fortress as well.  Peter the Great (Peter I) supervised the construction of the fortress himself, living in a small cabin (named, what else, Peter’s Cabin) which is now a museum. 

The General Staff building was erected during the years 1820-27 and is an outstanding architectural monument in the style of Russian Classicism. The Eastern Wing of the building, where civilian ministries of the Russian Empire once were housed, there are both permanent and temporary exhibitions of the Hermitage. The Museum of the Russian Guard Regiments is found in the General Staff building.

Along or near Nevskiy Prospekt, there are Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Armenian and Lutheran churches, a Buddist temple, a synagogue, and a mosque.  One of the most famous and most beautiful churches of St. Petersburg is Church of the Saviour on the Spilt Blood.  The church was erected on the spot where emperor Alexander II was murdered.  The exterior features a number of “Russian-style” domes.  The interior walls are covered with mosaics based mainly on the New Testament and follows the canons of Orthodox iconography from the Nativity to the miracles of Jesus. 

St. Isaac’s Cathedral is in the center of St. Petersburg and is one of the world’s largest cathedrals.  The tower of St. Isaac’s Cathedral dominateds the skyline of the city and on a clear day, its gold dome is visible from far out in the Gulf of Finland.  It was officially designated a museum in 1931, but the cathedral still holds religious services on major holidays.

The Statue of Peter the Great astride a rearing horse has been in place at the site chosen by Catherine the Great since 1782.  It is considered a good luck charm for newlyweds who have their photo taken in front of the bronze horseman.

On the way back, I wandered through some of the shopping areas.  Prices for souvenirs range from ridiculously expensive crap around the area of Church of the Spilt Blood to very moderate prices in the areas less traveled by tourists.  I meandered through the food market – supermarket, I guess.  Grocery shopping here is a serious activity, a combination of the floor of the NY stock exchange and a farmer’s market.  It was quite something to see.

It’s simple enough to explain.  I answered the following advertisement:

English teachers (native speakers only) required for winter language camps in Finland. Duties: Teaching Russian teenagers, from beginnerto upper-intermediate, conversational English. Teachers should ideally have experience of working with teenagers and should be familiar with conversational teaching methods.

I was given a choice of six locations and chose Savonlinna.  After spending a couple days in St. Petersburg, I’m ready to meet the students and spend 10 days at winter camp in Finland.

This is where we are ~ Savonlinna Christian College (Savonlinnan kristillinen opisto)

http://www.sko.fi/english                

We left St. Petersburg at 8:20 am, spent over 3 hours at the border going through multiple passport and document checks, then the driver turn a wrong turn that added about 50 kms to the trip … Anyway, the kids were absolutely berserk by the time we got here at 7 pm.  We had planned to do assessment testing this evening, but decided it was best to delay it until tomorrow morning and have a general assembly instead.

I am staying in Wanha Pappila, the all-girl house.  I am fortunate to have my own room with an ensuite bathroom.  Actually, there were few options, as the other English teacher is male and no one else really speaks much English …

It is nearly midnight and the kids show no signs of cutting off for the night.  Perhaps it’s the coffee served at 9:30 pm that keeps them going like Energizer bunnies.  Or the excitement of the first night away from home.  In any case, I’m going to be the party pooper and head off to bed.

Tomorrow is going to be a big day …

29.12.07–09.01.08 KULTTUURI- JA KIELIKURSSI
Tutustutaan suomen kieleen ja kulttuuriin luentojen, retkien, yhdessä tekemisen ym. kautta. Yhteistyössä Nordic School.

We started our day with an assessment exam, to determine the level of the students (beginner, intermediate, advanced). There are 60 students – the youngest is seven and the oldest is 17 – all from Moscow or St. Petersburg.  There are two fitness instructors and several program coordinators, also from Russia.  There are only two English instructors – me (obviously) and Joe, who is from New Zealand but lives in St. Petersburg.

I am teaching 2 sessions of intermediate learners, ages 12-17, for 6 hours a day. Most of the students have been studying English since about the age of 5, and some are quite fluent.  Many also study other languages, including German and Spanish.

Most of the kids come from wealthy families.  My first clue was the amount of fur, jewels, LV luggage, and Hermes handbags, my second clue was the … attitude.  Something that I have observed about the kids already is that they appear pretty tough – not necesarily more mature, but maybe more … resilient?  That’s not the word I’m looking for, but I don’t really know how to describe it.

Anyway, it goes without saying that anyone who has a kid that age, has taught students that age, or has been that age will understand that this will NOT be a vacation.

Our coordinators have suggested that “Camp Life” may be a little different than what most of us are used to ~ healthy living guidelines include plenty of exercise and fitness,  challenging mental stimulation, frequent social interaction, 4-5 balanced meals a day, and no toxins (no smoking, alcohol, drugs).  

Perhaps someone should have advised the children of the *healthy living* guidelines.  I learned today that on the bus ride here, one girl purchased a carton of cigarettes to take to camp, as they are much cheaper in Russian than in Finland.  A more precocious teen asked the other teacher to buy her a martini – at 9:30 am.  (oh, and … Yes, Shannon, I suspect it was a VODKA martini …)

Of course this all came up for discussion as we were talking about activities for the New Year’s Evening – specifically, how to keep the kids busy and out of trouble! Fireworks began shortly after sunset (5 pm) and continued most of the evening. We had a special holiday smorgasbord beginning at 8, a talent show at 10, celebrated Russia New Year at 11, and Finland New Year at midnight.  The highlight was the “disco”, which had the kids dancing until 4 am …

Fortunately, we all had the day off today – lunch was served at 11, which was still a bit too early for many of the campers (after a night of dancing and carousing) so most of them just got up to eat and then return to bed. 

It was a quiet New Year’s Day around SFO.  (ha!)

Do you speak Finnish? No? Not a worry – almost everyone here speaks English as the major business language. (Russian and French are not widely spoken or understood.)  I have managed to pick up on a few Finnish words in the past couple days:

Ah, Kahvi ~ the Finns LOVE their coffee!  Coffee is consumed in massive quantity from the start of the cold, dark winter mornings until the evening just before sleep – almost any excuse will do to get your hands on a cup.

Sisu is a character trait associated with the Finns, a word that is difficult to translate.  The equivalent in English might be ”inner strength” or ”determination”.  It’s all it takes to survive in Finland in January.

Kippis!  Cheers!  Prosit! Cin cin! Salud!  After saying  Kippis!  a sufficient number of times, you suddenly realize what an enormous amount of alcohol has been consumed …

Valomerkki …  done for the night …

Krapula  is another word that I have added to my limited vocabulary ~ it’s Finnish for “hangover”.  My Russian collegues tell me that every one appreciates a good drink of vodka – almost as much as the Finns love their coffee.  What’s more, they think it’s rude if you don’t join in.  In social situations, a mixture of indulgence (so as not to offend anyone), diplomacy (to avoid doing too many shots), and caution (to remember you can’t handle too many shots) is necessary.  There’s a whole culture of krapula in this country – apparently the Finns understand that sisu needs help in the winter, and krapula is the price.  Everyone understands.

Hernesoppa is a traditional pea and ham soup that you can’t miss if you go to any cafeteria on Thursday.

Pulla is a Finnish sweet bread, sometimes in the form of a cinnamon roll (korvapuusti), that helps the Finns drink so much kavhi.

Karjalanpiirakka is a traditional pastry baked in rye dough with a rice or potato filling, sometimes described as “rice in bedroom slippers”  (?!)  Absolutely to DIE for – delicious!

oh, and of course, SAUNA !!

I think everyone who reads my blogs knows that I love to talk about food ~ the food here is plentiful!  We are served  4 or 5 meals a day – 8 am breakfast, 1130 lunch, 300 tea, 630 supper, 10 pm snack and coffee.

Everything is consistently delicious … and almost everything is white.  White fish in white sauce, white sauce and noodles, creamed chicken soup with white rice, white salads, white potatoes …  There is the occasional pink salmon (in white sauce), grey-ish meatloaf and meatballs (in white sauce), and a sprinkling of green dill.

The only deviation from white buffet has been the New Year’s Eve smorgasbord!  The cooks went totally crazy – pickled herring, marinated vegetables, several preparations of salmon, a variety of meats and cheeses, a selection of canapes, breads, and sauces.  It was absolutely outstanding – and remarkably colorful.

Today, however, there was a bit of color that perhaps we could have done without.  Next to the boiled potatoes and the pan of cod was a steamer tray of mysterious reddish-purple fried patties (similar to a hamburger patty).  Of course, everyone paused to look and ponder the ingredients (what the hell do you suppose that is?) but only a few brave souls gave it a nibble, concluding that it was something of a combo mash of beets and potato (and perhaps some meat – not sure) that had been formed into patties and fried.  It was weird – I suspect there may be leftovers that appear in some form at supper this evening.  Probably in white sauce.