My alarm rings at 8 o'clock (I really hate alarms). Now that might not sound early to you, but it is not getting light until 9am these days, so my body clock hates getting up this early. I roll out of bed and into the shower by about 8:15. By 8:30 Abigail is getting out of bed and saying "cereal, cereal, Abigail, cereal." One of us will get her a bowl of corn flakes, cheerio stars or porridge. I then sit down to eat some toast or cereal with her. Melody doesn't like breakfast very much, but has it sometimes.
I leave for class about ten to 9. Melody will often go the shops in the morning with Abigail, or set up some crafts for her. It is getting a little cold to spend much time outside playing now. While Abigail is doing some crafts, reading books, playing with lego or watching Veggie tales, Melody is working on the latest edition of the prayer network newsletter for the Russian church, or another team task on the computer or possibly our own newsletter design. Mean while I am taking classes in conversation, reading, writing or grammar.
I return from classes at 12:30pm We have lunch until 1 or 1:30 depending on when we start. Abigail has afternoon nap for a couple of hours. Then we work on such activities as team tasks, newsletters, correspondence, homework, personal bible study, personal research on Siberian peoples. Paul may go out and try to meet more Siberian students at dormitories or a cafe with a team mate. One of us may go shopping while Abigail sleeps. We need to go shopping everyday as we can only manage what we can carry by hand; the milk and bread don't stay fresh very long either.
We have our evening meal (supper) at 6pm. Then Abigail plays some more with us until her bed time at 8pm. We try not to work in the evenings as a rule. We either read, watch a dvd or spend time writing blogs after Abigail goes to bed.
We have two team meetings a week, one on Monday morning and one one Thursday afternoon. Melody goes to a women's bible study on Wednesday evenings. We have a student cultural club at our house on Friday evenings. Melody teaches English on Tuesday afternoons. Saturday is our day off, we may go shopping or for a walk or visit friends. We host a house ch on Sunday at 11, with people staying for lunch. We often have people visit us on a free evening or Saturday.
A typical day is hard to plan, because Russians do not plan their lives very much and things can often change at the last minute. Things also look vastly different in the Summer time.
5 comments:
I've really enjoyed the last few blogs and photos of your daily lives. The photos are great - you can see how cold it is by how wrapped up the people are. Nice to be able to spend so much of your time locally, without having to travel on buses, but I can see how it might sometimes come to feel a bit closed in...in which case a trip to downtown K would be interesting. Are there museums or libraries or concerts or art galleries to explore? I once went to the Lenin Museum on Nevsky Prospekt in Petersburg and they wouldn't let me in because my coat didn't have a loop on the inside of the collar so they couldn't/wouldn't hang it up in the garderobe!!
Bizarre about the coat Sue-ann!
Thanks Paul, nice reading. Only one thing - intrigued by your comment about Russians not planning their lives much. You must have had some experience that leads you to say this...?
Yes, lots of times. People don't like to plan their lives much in advance. This has happened with multiple peopl, even Russians in Moscow.
I find it very interesting for you to give us such an insight into your lives. You are very busy but it sounds like a good busy-ness. I like your idea of experimenting on the best way to approach people. Blessings there for you all. The one you serve is in the business of reaching people and they aren't always in the city but in the quiet suburbs and by-ways. You won't be alone on the 25th will you? Our house will be full as usual.
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