Well Summer is rolling along now. We have had plenty of warm weather here this June which once again convinces me that there are actually three months of Summer here, despite some ironic claims by some Siberians that there are only two months of Summer and that June is never warm. The weather in the last few days was so hot that I have heard a story of at least a couple people dying at their dacha from working too hard in the vegetable patch on a very hot day and suffering heat stroke.
My classes have moved into the third week and my teachers are beginning to understand what I want to learn and what my current level of Russian is. I have had some compliments from some people I know that my Russian is good and progressing well, yet other people do not have patience with me when I make mistakes. That kind of delineates between who I am more keen to relate to than not.
I continue to enjoy my hike up the hill through the forest on the way to classes. That means that currently I am getting a total of 2 hours walking in the forest each week plus another 3 in the pool. I'm feeling quite healthy. It will be a little disappointing when the pool closes for July and August. I have now moved up to 2 kms in 55 minutes. My long term goal is 2.5 kms in the pool in 60 minutes. I'll get there eventually.
This hasn't been an easy week as not all relationships have been going well, but we hope to have reconciliation in the situation concerned tomorrow. I think there is so much going on that is amazingly good that there are bound to be some bad things happening as a result. I am speaking in the context of spiritual conflict. The bad relations are not in any way connected with the people with whom the good things are happening. Yeah, I know I'm being cryptic. If this annoys you, then let me know if you want our newsletter.
On the way home from classes today I was thinking how much I enjoy our peaceful life in Akademgorodok and how much of a local community feel it has. I walked past a group of kids on their Summer holiday activities. Then I stopped and hat a chat with a university student here, doing some spray paint art.
It's not finished. He has called it "Cossack". I'll have to go back and get a photo of the finished product. We talked about the threat to the local forest. There have been signs going up saying that development threatens the forest. Of course as a foreigner there is nothing I can do. Apparently there are some local meetings to try to oppose this. I am skeptical that the entire forest could be cut down, because it is quite large. But I usually shed a tear when even one tree is cut down, so I hope that things stay as they are.
I love our local Akadem. People here take pride in the appearance of the place. Just recently the dvorniks (people who clean the court yards) have discovered whipper snippers. They are cutting the grass. What's next? New roads without potholes; with gutters and drains? How Russia is changing. :) These young students are earning some Summer cash. Good for them.
Looks like I was wrong about my sky scraper claims. There may be only half a sky scraper in the old down town, but that is because there is a new business centre being built in the north of Krasnoyarsk. There is also a very impressive shopping centre. Russia continues to develop at a steady pace.
A little bit of a what the? moment for you. This gave me a little chuckle. Our friends Garry and Christy have a new letter box. One of these 3 things is not like the other..... :)
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