I must say I have been totally amazed at Russia so far, it is totally different to what I expected. I thought the architecture would be like Japan with soviet blandness everywhere, but the churches and cathedrals are just amazing. In my ignorance I assumed the famous St Basil’s in Red Square was the only one like that, but in Yaroslavl and nearby Pereslavl there are domed churches and monasteries everywhere. And the icons are unbelievable, I’ve never seen churches like this. It is very European, but a whole new unexplored Europe for me.
Very often when you are travelling you get “templed out” but I must I’m still looking round in awe at everything here!
The people have also been fantastic. I guess just like Brits and Americans, maybe Russians don’t give the best impression overseas, but here everyone was so friendly, so intelligent and so beautifully dressed. I think many of the people I’ve met this week, and many of the teachers from the workshops I would be best friends with anywhere. And although we have had quite a few vodkas, tea is the national drink by far here.
The food has also been totally different to what I expected with fresh salads and soups and not that many carbs, which is great. Although I must admit I have found my new favourite “worst food in the world” – Salo – slabs of lard!!
Anyway, that was just week one, it’s now off to Moscow for a few hours and then on to the next Genki English workshops in Izhevsk – home of Kalashnikov and birthplace of Tchaikovsky – keep tuned in!
I’ve got to ask, how’s your Russian coming along?
I’m so happy you are enjoying it here! And I’m proud of my country!
Hope you had great workshop in Izhevsk! Can’t wait to read about it 🙂 and thank you for all your wonderful genki ideas, songs and games. I’ve used them with my kids and our lessons have become so much more fun! 🙂
Hi Richard!
It was nice to walk with you along the streets of my native city and look afresh at things I got used to in my everyday life and perceive them now like something ordinary. You helped me look differently at them and feel more patriotic. You’ve definitely got a very positive views on life! Thank you!
Hi Richard!
Thank you for all warm words about my country and Yaroslavl in particular!
Your visit had brought so many changes in my life – it’s now more positive, more creative, more genki! Now I know that failure means “try again”, I’m singing “I must, I should, I have to – I CAN, I CAN” all the time and now I know that my accent is posh. Somehow things that I considered difficult before turn out to be not so frightening! THANK YOU.
And my son was delighted to get a magic golden nut, that “helps you in studying English”!
Richard, thanks so much for these wonderful pictures and the report. It sounds just great~
Trying to remember back to BEFORE the first workshop I attended I just can say: fasten your seat belts! Nothing will be as before, and you should be full of energy and new ideas for a huge amount of time.
Please: Do share your changes and developments on the forum; I think this is very important to keep the experience alive and go on.
Richard, I teach adults at the US Embassy in Moscow…I was following your e-mails when I was tutoring kids at the beginner level and found many new ideas, but perhaps I should explore how your methods may work with making classes more fun/interesting with advanced adults?
Thank you everyone! And Thank you Anastasia for a wonderful day out last week!
@Liz: A lot of the techniques we use are just the same as they use in high powered business workshops and training camps. All you have to do is to flip out the English to be whatever they are currently studying!
The real trick though is to do half the lesson with boring/traditional methods then do Genki English in the second half. That way the students see it as something relaxing after what they think is the “real work”, when of course they are learning much more with the Genki English!
Russia has been fantastic on this trip so anything I can do to help just let me know!
Hi,Richard! I am very happy that you liked Russia. I think that you wiould be even more amazed at Russia and Russians if you came there in winter. Foreigners are usually shocked seeing children eating ice-cream and ice skating at the same time, and the temperature can be -20!At least my American-Greek son-in-law still remembers it. Thank you once again for your kind words and for your help and enthusiasm.