ニュース！ Новости!

It's a disjointed update, confounded by languages!

THIS IS HOW MUCH SNOW WE GOT IN LESS THAN THREE DAYS LAST WEEK (over 60cm, I heard):




This week has been insanely busy, and I haven't had time for much of anything that isn't related to class. In other news, I've started teaching a weekly English class and the second meeting was tonight. I have 3-5 students, and I really really really enjoy teaching. I find that having studied Latin, Russian, and Japanese (Latin most of all actually) helps me a great deal with teaching English, and I could see myself doing this a lot more. I've added links on the right (my Profile) to my Facebook, ВКонтакте, and ミクシ pages.

INTERESTING: I've finally started both a Russian and a Japanese language blog (it's great practice, hm?)--the Russian one can be found on VK and the Japanese one on Mixi. For my weekly Russian class, I'm currently reading some really excellent memoir-stories by one Вадим Смоленский (Vadim Smolensky), known for having translated some of Haruki Murakami's early works into Russian. Check out his awesome site here. The issue of shark-finning is significant, because while the popularity of these expensive yet apparently tasteless fins ought not to be more of an issue than eating tuna, I've learned that the fact is that sharks are often hunted in an extremely wasteful (and some would argue cruel) manner, and apparently some species are endangered. I'm not against the idea of eating shark in principle, but apparently this is a big deal environmentally speaking, so I'm told. Here's one BBC Correspondent's experience with the issue in China. What do you think? Here's a fantastic speech by President Obama from Dr. Martin Luther King Day, concerning race in America and issues that face us all in the past, present, and future. Recommended viewing.

News about the earthquake in Haiti seems to been somewhat glaringly absent here in Japan. I wondered why even The Japan Times featured Kobe's anniversary memorial for the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 15 years ago on its front page...without any mention of Haiti. None can deny Japan's late response (though extant), and this discussion explores why that happened.

Awesome musician I've just discovered: Origa （オリガ / Орига / Ольга Витальевна Яковлева）. A Russian singer who does most of her work these days in Japan, not to mention a friend and collaborator of Yuko Kanno （菅野よう子）, the genius behind the music of Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, and others (she's my other new favorite musician).

And here's some more gaijin perspective.

And of course, who could forget the Coachella lineup that just came out this week? I'd really really really really really love to go (TONS OF AMAZING BANDS), but that would mean $1000 in airfare, plus three days of missed class, not counting tickets, food, camping, a train to Tokyo, or gas money. So in other words, not happening though there are two really awesome-looking music festivals coming up this summer right here in Japan: Summer Sonic Fuji Rock Festival Hopefully I can go to both! ROCK!!!!

The news about Conan O'Brien has been disappointing, to say the least. I feel lucky that I was able to see his live show twice. Other disappointing news concerns the loss of Martha Coakley in Massachusetts. I even phone-banked for her all the way from here in Japan, but it came out a loss. Can't say I'm all that surprised, though. Given what I've seen in the news about American politics and the way the country is reacting to everything, it seems this was bound to happen. Finally, the weather has also been crazy in Los Angeles. Angelinos, I hope you're enjoying the change of pace. I know these people are!


Kiyomizudera in Kyoto, December 29


Shibuya in Tokyo, New Year's Eve

Now, ain't somebody gonna buy my bass?

Блин!

Literally "Pancake!" though it is used to mean "Darn it!" or "Oh, crap!"

I have nine days left, and life here is packed with all sorts of stuff. I have lots of pictures! Unfortunately, I can't expect to be able to upload more pictures until I'm back in California.

Last Sunday was the National Navy Day in Russia, and these sailors were marching down the street at 8am last Friday, in front of the university building along the embankment.


Earlier this week, I had dinner with a couple of new friends--one from Germany, the other from Poland. I think, really, that getting to know new international friends is one of the most fulfilling parts of being abroad.



Scene from the celebration on the strelka (embankment; spit) of Vasilevsky Island on Sunday.


Here's what the stage looked like. It translates to something like "Happy Russian Navy Day!" The flag you can see waving is the symbol of the Soviet navy. The flag of the modern navy is a simple cross that looks very much like the flag of Scotland.


A photo-shoot for a wedding, witnessed from within the krepost' (fortress) at Novgorod, one of the oldest cities in Russia (founded 1150). As one of the other students commented, "I now pronounce you Mullet and Wife."

This is Nastia, one of our tutors here in the program. Really, I wanted to take a picture of this roadside cafe here, but it was less awkward with Nastia posing. Notice the phrasology on the counter.

We saw Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake at the Aleksandrinsky Theatre on Monday. It was only the second ballet I've ever seen, as far as I remember. It was actually not amazing--the orchestra and dancers were often noticably not synchronized. As my host-mother commented, "that orchestra is only there to earn money--better to have seen it at or not seen it at all!" But it was a fun experience.

Mister Muscle.

On the bus to Novgorod: "Want to get out? YELL!"

The fortress (kremlin) at Novgorod.

Scene from the fifth-floor window of our university building.

Sometimes, Russia just doesn't make sense. In fact, it happens a lot, and Russia seems to be known for it. Near Nevsky Prospekt one day a week or two ago, the glass seems to have inexplicably fallen out of the frames in this bus stop. But life goes on around it.

Billboard advertising the upcoming Navy Day. "Glory to the Russian Fleet!"

A scene from last month, as a local takes her bear out for a walk. Actually, she was charging money to have people get their pictures taken while holding the bear.

"I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest." - Sir Winston Churchill

Anyhow, my hair has gotten unruly, as Jeph Jacques would say. I looked into a salon yesterday, but I didn't understand the prices. They had different prices depending on the style, but there were no pictures, and the woman seemed only able to give very basic descriptions of what the styles were, for example "That means bald" or "That means buzzed very short all around" or "That means short here and long here" which I took to be the Mullet. Needless to say, I think I'll wait until I can get one of those $12 haircuts in Harvard Square next month. It'll be worth the extra $8.

Like I said, making friends and getting to know international friends has been perhaps the single more fulfilling part of being abroad so far. My brother said to me, though, that it's impossible to comprehend how the experience of being abroad will affect every part of you. For one thing, though, I've gained great respect for those who are learning new languages and living in a foreign place. Many regions of the world are not so linguistically homogenous as the US, and communication can be a challenge all the time. I have great respect for those who move to a place like America in search of some opportunity, even though they may not speak good English.

It's also made me consider the experience of being an ex-pat in general. Last week a new friend of mine, a young robotics engineer from Murmansk (yes, THAT Murmansk!) took me to dinner at a Chinese restaurant, and we talked for over three hours (in English). It was a fantastic experience. I noticed that he would always refer to America as "your country" or English as "your language" and it made me feel somewhat unusual. I had never had occasion to feel such a connection with my homeland, but I suppose it did make me feel more American. Interestingly, though I think the Russian national anthem is a better song than the American anthem, it's nearly as notoriously difficult to sing. Go figure. I may feel more American, but it doesn't mean I love our national song!

Now a couple of short videos:



Square in front of the Hermitage.



The crowd at the Navy Day celebrations.


I haven't said a lot of personal stuff recently, so I'd like to say a few things. First, I seem to have come to terms with Saint-Petersburg. It really is a beautiful city, though it has taken a long time for me to comprehend the differences in culture and so-called "quality of life" here, as well as the language barrier and distance from home. It IS a hard language. I still don't honestly love Russian culture in general, but there are many aspects of the culture that are interesting or amusing or generally good to experience, and it's cool to be able to speak conversational Russian now. I've had many inconveniences, but there's no doubt I'll look back on this experience as being amazing and formative. The dead computer was a big setback and not having much money has also been comparatively difficult, but I'm surviving. I've had a lot on my mind, as always, and as my brother told me, being abroad is a huge roller-coaster ride. It's true. I'm glad that I have gained such perspective on life (, the universe, ) and everything. It's important to remember that there can be only forward motion, and no matter what, it cannot be predicted. I've been learning a lot. With all that being said, the last week here will be very busy but a lot of fun, and then I'm really looking forward to the way home and then being in Los Angeles, and then of course eventually to Japan as well. Life happens, and we do our best to live it according to our feelings. I think I'm growing up a lot.

Exhausted... but, pictures! And video!

Part of the group at the end of Shabbat before Havdallah, at Kibbutz Afik overlooking the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) at sunset.

With my trusty camel and my nice new shirt. Shirts like that, made in India, are popular among desert dwellers in Israel.

On the beach in Tel Aviv

I've been in the Ben Gurion airport for most of the day, and I'm pretty tired of just sitting around. Well, at least my computer works, but I'm too tired to study Hebrew much. I did get through three lessons in one of the books, though, and I've almost got the letters and vowels down.

Only one hour now until I can check my bags, I think!

I remembered something--when I was in New York two weeks ago, Brian told me that I might have some second cousins living in Israel. Is this true? I'd love to find out.

PICTURES! VIDEOS! WOO! More to come later on.

Sunset camel ride in the Negev!

Birthright Mega Event - Tel Aviv 2009