Do you see it?

Do you see it? Look closely.  That's right, the trees are starting to bloom!  Slowly but surely spring is arriving.  On my tram ride to church this morning I noticed that there was just a little bit more green outside then there had been in the past two weeks.  Low and behold on my afternoon walk I noticed more trees and plants starting to become green.  The sun is shinning and staying out later with each passing day.  The temperature is still fluxuating but today was a nice warm spring day, granted yesterday was on the chilly side.

Let's play a game...

I have decided to start playing a game everyday and it is called "see if I can read the sign (or at least sound out part of it) and pick out words that I hear in conversations".  Yes it is a long title but I couldn't think of a shorter name to call it.  Language learning is overloading my brain with information and so to make it more fun my supervisor suggested that we start to view it as a game.  Games are fun and I am trying to make language learning a little fun.  During the initial phase of the game I could recognize and read signs of stores that we have heard talked about by other coworkers and so those were easier to read/recognize.  There are some words and signs that are easier to pronounce if they have a lot of letters and sounds that are the same in both english and russian.  This week I was able to read a little more than last week and I was able to pick out a few words during conversations.  The goal is to be able to pronounce more sign names and pick out and understand more words used in conversation next week and the following weeks.

"Stop"

"Apteka" it is a pharmacy

Adventures in exploring

Today and yesterday were gorgeous days with blue skies, plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures.  I decided after church to walk around the city center before heading back home.  In the past two weeks we have seen most of the main part of the city center, so yesterday(Sunday) and today I decided to explore the side streets around the city.  So I set my pace to a stroll (as people only walk fast if they are in a hurry to get somewhere) and started walking.  Sunday I explored more of the streets around one of the tram stops we use and like many streets the buildings contained apartments, stores and restaurants.  The main city square is filled with people walking, biking and roller blading.  There are even pony rides and hot wheel cars for kids to ride.  I saw a wedding party in the square.  When people get married they walk around from statue to statue and take photos.

The city center with the government building in the background

Wedding party in the center square.  It is the third one we have seen.

The orthodox church.  I also use this as a landmark reference for figuring out where I am in the city.

Small amusement type park with rides for children.

View of the street I live on

Today's adventure took me toward the Kama (river) and the area around there.  Slowly I am beginning to recognize streets by landmarks and slowly gaining a since of direction.

Week one

Week one complete!  We have now been on the field for one week.  It has consisted of moving, paper work, registering, doctors offices, living out of a suitcase, blowing a fuse in our apartment, conversations in limited russian, meeting people from church and english club, slowly figuring out the bus/trolly system and roads, and attempting to order coffee at a restaurant using charades, attempting scottish dance, a few stares and being laughed at, being confused for a french person and learning that we almost have to whisper so that we aren't too loud when talking to each other out on the streets.

This first week has been full of change and transitions and learning to be patient and flexible.  Culture shock is setting in at different times and rates.  

During our first week we got a glimpse into the english club and church we will be working with and in.  Thanks to church, english club and a get to together at another co-workers house we have been able to meet some people.  I have learned that many people here may say that they are Christian, but when it comes down to if they really believe in Christ and have a relationship with Him, that they do not.  One of our goals while here is to develop relationships with these women from english club and church and to start reading the Bible with them and going through the Gospel message.  We are also praying for doors to be open to meet others outside of english club and church to start reading the Bible with others and inviting them to church.

We moved into our new apartment and were finally able to unpack.  We were very thankful that Janet let us stay in her apartment while she is visiting family back in the states.  Layna and I have started to venture out some more on our own and it is very clear that we are not able to do much on our own, communication wise.  All this first week we have been with our superior or another co worker or our supervisors children so we have always had someone who could speak russian with us.  We communicate on a two year old level, if that and have been laughed at by store clerks when checking out at the grocery stores.  God is definitely teaching me humility and that it is ok to ask for help.  

Pictures

Here are some pics

View from where we are temporarily staying

Street view

Graffiti can be found on many of the buildings, but usually not this elaborate

Cigarets lining the side of the sidewalk from where people threw them in the snow over the winter and now the snow is melting.

Arrival

We made it!  Layna and I arrived on Tuesday morning (my time) at 3 am.  We landed in the international airport and in all honesty the airport looked similar to airports I had flown into in West Africa.  I was expecting something bigger and fancier, but it was a plain airport with two customs gates and a rinky dink baggage claim.  Thankfully we were both able to get all of our luggage through security without being questioned or charged for overweight bags, and this included us going back and forth through the security.  We were greeted by our supervisor and another man who works with us.  We left the aport and headed for a temporary home for the next four days.  We won't move into our apartment until this weekend, so we are currently living out of suitcases but so thankful that we get to stay in a coworkers cozy home while she is in the states.

My first impressions of the city were mixed.  It was what I had expected but also completely different then  what I had thought.  The snow has just melted and it is muddy, trash and cigaret buds are everywhere (they will begin to clean up soon) and the trees are barren.  People fill the sidewalks as they walk to work, stores or walk for the sake of walking, and busses, trolleys and aggressive drivers rule the road.  The rule of "Cars yield to pedestrians" does not exist here, instead you follow the green walk light and double check that the cars are stopping.  The skyline is filled with grey buildings that range from building built decades ago to new buildings, yet they all look the same and even the newer buildings look old.  There are some new building that are more colorful or have a different architectural build, which are great for using as landmark references.  People are dressed in coats and hats and the woman here are very fashionable and many walk around in heels all day.

People do look at us oddly on the streets when they hear us speaking english.  I did learn that the older generation sometimes can not differentiate between french, german and english so one man asked if we were french.  We are beginning to recognize some landmarks and know were we are in parts of the city, yet today I got turned around when we were walking.  We also took the trolly for the first time today when we went to the market that is near our house (the house we will be living in soon).  The market reminded me of the markets in Africa, they sold the same things basically and it was open air.  Different people on the team have been showing us around and helping us get acquainted with the city.  Our days have also been filled with trips to offices to make sure everything is in order to live here for the next two years.  We were able to go to an english club/bible study on Tuesday night and meet some of the people, which was really nice.  We also visited some orthodox churches and saw how that religion affects the city.  People are preparing for Easter on sunday and so for english club and other outreaches they are using the Easter story to teach English and share the Gospel at the same time.  Monday we start our language learning three days a week with our tutor who we were able to meet yesterday.

Goodbye!
до свидания!
(Dasvidania) phonetic spelling