Christmas is Coming!

Howdy! I am so excited for Christmas! In only two and a half weeks I will be home in America....everything seems possible all of a sudden. I had a really good weekend too. I worked on Saturday and after work I went to a sushi bar with a colleague. I am obsessed with sushi lately. I literally crave it all week, but I only eat it once every two weeks because it is too expensive.....but on that day watch out cuz I work those chop sticks and go to town! On Sunday I hung out with my Russian friends. They drove me to Mega Mall. Mega Mall consists of many shops and Ikea. We explored Ikea and I bought a few more trinkets to pimp my pad and jazz up my joint...hehehe. I really love hanging out with these girls. Everything is so easy with them because they know what they are doing and how to do things the easiest way. After Ikea we went shopping in the mall and had a blast. They are so funny and ask me really strange questions like, "Where do you buy your cosmetics?". I don't really know what to say to them. They, like most Russians, have a skewed perception of America as well. They asked me why American history books give credit to America for WWII, when clearly Russia won the war. I just explained that a lot of credit is given to America because we ended the war with the Atomic bombs. They come back with the counter argument that Russia lost 23 million people and America only lost 400,000. This is true and I feel awkward arguing about this sort of thing nor do I necessarily agree with the fact that America is given the most credit, but I don't know what to say when Russians assume that every American should be held accountable for the whole country. So I just explained that history books are biased and that in every country the history books try to make their own country look good. Conversations like this really made me realize how America is bashed in the Russian school system. I have been asked personally, "Why do you hate Mexicans?" and "Why do your school cafeterias serve soda and chips for lunch?" These questions kill me because, first of all, Russians assume that I am personally responsible for all these issues and, secondly, because it is so hypocritical of them. Russians are the most racist people that I have met yet. Their school cafeterias are exactly the same as ours and their history books write a skewed perception of history as well. They even still try to take credit for the moon landing, claiming that the first creature on the moon was a Russian dog. Everything is a contest between America and Russia and I can't win. So I pretty much just let it all go and try to give them a different perspective, where neither Russia nor America wins, rather the countries are just different. Life in Russia is just funny sometimes and I just get to see the effects of the cold war first hand!



After hanging out with my Ruskayas (Russian ladies), I went ice skating. It was a really fun and a good experience. I can't wait to go again. I am going to buy some skates here and when they freeze the basketball courts I will be able to skate for free outside. On Monday we got so much snow and I am getting excited for outside winter activities. I asked my students what they like to do in the winter and they all said they loved to make snow angels, skiing, skating, and throwing snow balls at their teachers! All this talk was getting me so happy for the Winter season. My students asked to hang out with me this weekend so that we could have a snow ball fight......and that is why I love them.



I have had a crazy week at work with my students. Last Tuesday, one of my old students came into the teacher's room and handed me a letter. The letter was so cute and said how the class was upset that I had left them. I had to give away my class of 12 year old More!3 kids because of Yura, my individual VIP student. So basically the class wanted to know why I had abandoned them and why I wouldn't come back. I was so touched but there was nothing that I could do about the schedule changes. My roommate is now teaching this class and I think that she is doing a pretty good job with them. I think that they were just attached to me and connected with my personality more. My boss made me feel bad about this letter though and she said that I cared too much if my students liked me. I was sort of mad about this because I want everyone to have fun because we spend so much time together but I don't try to make them like me.....they just happen to and I don't see why I should feel guilty about this. The situation got worse on Thursday. My roommate came into the teacher's room quite upset and I asked her what was wrong. She told my boss and myself that the More!3 class was out of control and kept asking for my return throughout the class period. She felt really undermined and I don't blame her, but I was also flattered that they wanted me back.....I am only human. So I felt terrible and didn't know what to do because my roommate was upset and my boss was mad at me and my kids felt abandoned. And then I found out that the other class that I had to give away were complaining about their new teacher too and wanted me back. This class is adults though, so their complaints are taken seriously. So I will probably be getting them back and teach them again because I finished teaching Yura this week. This is exciting news for me because this adult class was my favorite class because they are so eager to learn and their enthusiasm is contagious.



All in all, everything is grand and I am counting down the days until I can see my family and friends for the Christmas season!

Long Time, No Write!

Sorry that it has taken me so long to update everybody. My Internet was gone for about about a week because they thought I didn't pay my bill but I did so I sure showed them, ha! About three weeks ago I went to one of the palaces of Catherine the Great. It is called Tsaritsyno and is in Moscow. That is what I love about Moscow, everywhere you go there is another palace or cathedral to explore. I have decided that I want to try to see something new every weekend. Tsaritsyno was beautiful and the snow had just fallen so it was a special experience. I enjoyed watching the ducks swim across the half frozen pond, they would swim up to the ice and then hop and walk on the ice until they hit water again.....needless to say I have a plethora of duck pictures. I always enjoy going into the city and exploring on the weekends with my friend Abby. We always end the day with a typical cup of coffee and usually go back to her place and hang out. This particularly weekend we watched The Princess Bride...my favorite.

Abby and I are getting excited to go home on Dec. 26th. Our flight happens to be the same because it was the cheapest and we will endure the journey together. It is officially one month away, how exciting! The time will pass quickly I am sure. I am busy with school and I have a new schedule now. I teach Monday through Saturday because of a special case VIP client. My boss asked me to do them a favor and test drive this 13 year old advanced student. She wanted to see if he would like me as a teacher and vice versa. He had previously been through 4 other teachers that weren't to his liking. So I was really nervous to see if I would pass the test. Well he really did like me and told me I was the best teacher he had had so they gave him to me permanently. So now I teach him 6 hours a week. This meant that I was working too many hours so they had to take away two of my classes, which was really sad. I said goodbye to my students in these classes and they were pretend crying and I love them for that. The good news is that since I work an extra day I get paid more. Also this 13 year old boy, his name is Yura, wants extra lessons with me and he wants to pay me to tutor him privately for about the equivalent of $33.oo an hour. This is the going rate for English lessons and is more than I get paid for at Language Link so I said heck yes! He is a very strange boy though and there is a reason that he has been through so many teachers. He makes shocking and inappropriate comments to see how I will react and I just don't give him the satisfaction.....a problem my predecessors had. So now that I know how to handle him I actually enjoy teaching him, he is very smart and studying for the CAE exam, which is very difficult and many native speakers wouldn't pass it. He is also a typical spoiled rich kid and I thoroughly enjoy giving him some tough love. I have created this environment so that he really likes me and we joke around and when he is bad I simply tell him that I won't be his teacher anymore and he pretends to cry and he gets all whiny and we laugh.....so I can tell he likes me and I feel good that I succeeded where others failed. It was a big deal to keep him as a client because he is so rich and has so many individual hours......he pays about $100 an hour to study with me through Language Link.

My other classes are still hilarious. I just think they are so funny and I really want to take them home with me. One of my students in my English in Mind 2 class is a total smart-Alec and I asked him what his favorite film was and he said the Telepusiki film.....which is Teletubbies in Russian. So this has become a class joke and I make fun of him all the time about it. He is one of my regular trouble-makers as well. His name is Artyom and when his friend, Nikita, is there too the class is pretty hard to manage. So a week ago I explained to them how I couldn't hit them in school because I would get in trouble, but that if I ever saw them on the streets of Zelenograd that they'd better watch out! They proceeded to throw some gang signs at me (because they think they are gangstas) and they said that all their friends would be with them to beat me up. So I pounded my chest and challenged them to a fight in the parking lot at 4:00 pm on Saturday. They accepted and the whole class thought it was hilarious. These boys brought it up for the next few days in class about how I better watch out on Saturday.....I just told them that I could take them. When I would yell at them in class they would just say, "four o'clock!" and I would laugh......they are so funny. So needless to say I didn't show up....but I think they did because on Monday they were really upset that I didn't show up....hahahaha. I think this little stunt has endeared them to me forever. Today I threatened to give them to another teacher and they begged me not to so I think I have won them over.....even though it is unconventional to challenge your students to parking lot fights, it is effective! I really think that my little trouble-makers are my favorite students because they provide me with banter to entertain the whole class and the key to management is to get the leaders on your side. I also love Andre and Roma in my English in Mind 4 class. They are like 15 years old and I still have to send them to the corner and I am of course and laughing the whole time and so is the class because it is so ridiculous.....I love it when they beg for mercy....mwahahahaha.

So now my life has settled down again and I am getting into a regular routine. My Thanksgiving was sadly lack-luster though. It was another typical day, but I did talk to my family which was nice. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday I think....the meaning behind it is so pure and untainted. I also love how it is just about love and family. I have great memories of my Thanksgiving last year in Greece when all the study abroad students banded together and made a potluck Thanksgiving! There was no topping that so I just made potatoes and fiesta eggs and ate by myself in my room....hahaha....it sounds so pathetic.

This weekend I think I should relax and not do any sight seeing. I followed this advice a couple of weekends ago and I layed in bed watching Xena Warrior Princess all weekend long....it was the best. But last weekend I went to a beautiful park and convent called Novodevichy in Moscow. I just enjoy walking around and catching up with Abby on our weeks and our wonderful children. It was so funny, when we went to Starbucks, the cashier guy was making fun of me because I didn't speak Russian, but luckily Starbucks is an international language.....hahaha, so anyways, I was going to buy a drink and this really cool travel mug in the shape of a Matryoshka doll, but the guy told me that I could have it for free! It was like a $10 mug and I didn't understand why I got it for free......I think it is because he was making fun of me and he felt bad. I have had him before as my cashier and he always makes fun of me in Russian and I can understand enough Russian to know when I am being made fun of.....hahaha....I will go back this weekend and see what I can get for free! Maybe I won't have to buy Christmas presents after all....hehehehe.

Having Fun and Gettin' R Done!

I am loving teaching more and more. My babies have been great to work with lately.....it's like they finally get me, the REAL Shayla....hehehe. We have a lot of fun together and we can joke around and have a good time. One tiny problem with all this mutual love is RESPECT. They respect my authority and do what I say but they don't view me as their authoritative teacher, more as their mentor and friend. They are constantly bombarding me with questions about my personal life and they always want to know what adult things I did on the weekend. One of my thirteen year old students, whom I call Punk Rock Polina, asked if she could go to a Halloween party with me! And when I am sick, my babies send me get-well e-mails. I can't decide if I like this or not. I like it that they get my humor and that they think I am funny, but I feel like maybe my classroom should be more professional and less casual. Then again, it is more fun for them to learn in an environment like this.....I can't decide, I just know that right now I am not conforming to the "norms" of teaching. Regardless, I find solace in the fact that any one of my classes would break out in tears if they found out that I wasn't going to be their teacher anymore.....hahaha...I'm serious, I really think they would chain themselves to the door and have a sit-in protest. Makes a girl feel good:) Next week I will be observed by my boss and I warned my class that they have to be good so that they can make me look good. I told them to cringe and quiver with fear when I speak and to act like they fear me. They just laughed and said that I wasn't scary......that I was a good and funny teacher.....so I am still working on the instilling fear part.....I have a week to whip them into shape. I really hate being observed because I can't be myself or funny, I have to be serious.....blah. Normally in my classes I am candid and I tease my students and they love it, when I am observed I feel like I am doing something wrong so I have to go "by the book" and can't "off-road it", if you will, as I usually do.

Last week we did Halloween themed activities. I taught my little babies about a good traditional American Halloween and they had lots of fun. We had a Halloween party and they came to class dressed up as witches, pirates, and jack-o-lanterns! One girl brought in her keyboard and played some Halloween songs and we all sang with her. They wanted to go trick-or-treating around to the different classrooms but the other teachers were not on board so I just gave them candy....hehehe. They don't really celebrate Halloween in Russia. Some people dress up because it is fun, but they don't go trick-or-treating or carve pumpkins. So this was a fun treat for the kids.

On the weekend I went to a Halloween party in Mytischi, hosted by an Irishman. He never lets us poor, lowly Americans forget that the origins of Halloween came from the great nation of Ireland. I have personally developed a distaste for this country due to his imperialism for it and because he is constantly raving about the Americanization of Ireland and how the Americans are ruining the world....the usual. Anyways he had jack-o-lanterns so I was there! Abby and I met lots of Russians and some very strange people, some of whom came in costume. We stayed up really late and waited for the bus to take us home, but we didn't know what time it came. So a Russian man, who was at the party dressed as a pirate, suggested we get the train instead. Abby, the pirate, a gopnik (Russian mafia), a guy-who-is-a-little-out-there, and I journeyed to the station. Pirate drew a map on a napkin and had a compass so we trusted him.....and he was Russian. Alas, he got us lost and we were all turned around but we enjoyed a delightful 6am walk through Mytischi anyways. When we finally did arrive at the train station, we had to wait for the train. A woman walked by and refused to sit by us because of the kid who was dressed as a gopnik. This made the gopnik feel like his costume was a success. He did look pretty great, he was wearing a full on tracksuit, a beanie, an over-sized coat, and a silver bullet around his neck....pretty legit. Anywho, we get on the train and Pirate realizes that it is going the wrong direction.......oh boy. So this has now become an official adventure. We get off at the next stop and we couldn't go the other direction without having to pay again, so the station guards suggest we jump the platform. The platform is about 5ft high and no stairs and no footholes.....so it was a team effort. Everyone got up and I helped push Abby's butt up and then I was left alone. So the gopnik had to push my butt up onto the platform.....it was quite an ordeal. So finally we make it on the correct train to Moscow. Once in Moscow I had to get on another train to Zelenograd.....all in all Mytischi is about a 2 and half hour journey for me if nothing goes wrong. Needless to say it was an interesting weekend.

This week was so exciting because we got Wednesday off for a Russian holiday and I journeyed into Moscow to enjoy the day with Abbeford. I was feeling so inspired that I translated some Latin Harrius Potter on the train. When I arrived in Moscow, I met Abby and we went for our usual cup of coffee at Starbucks. This is what we do....we walk around and take pictures and go to different coffee shops......I really never get sick of it. After coffee we walked around the Kremlin walls and into Red Square, which was closed off for the holiday. It was great and I was in a great mood because I was having a really good hair day. My mood is directly affected by the weather and my hair. We explored some more and went for another coffee...hehehe. I didn't stay in Moscow long because it takes so long to go back to Z-grad and I had to teach the next day, but it was a fun break in the middle of the week. This weekend, I hope to do more sight-seeing....weather permitting of course. So update completed for now!

My Future Plans and My Russian Babies!

My FCE Babies!

My English in Mind 4 Babies!

My English in Mind 2 Babies!

My More! 3 Babies!

The Formidable Teacher Shayla a.k.a. "The Boss"

Lately I have been questioning what to do with my future and have been as wishy-washy as the Atlantic Ocean during a hurricane concerning the matter (I feel it is made up expressions such as this that makes people miss me...hehehehe)! I now feel confident that I want to be a high school teacher. So eventually I will have to go back to school and get certified but in the meantime I have been pondering how long I should prolong this inevitability. I still don't really know. My options are stay in Russia another year, go to another country to teach English, or go back to school next year. I just don't know how I feel about going back to scary America where I will have to pay for housing, bills, school, and work a crappy part time job. Whereas, teaching abroad pays for my housing, I put at least half of my pay check in savings, and it is a rewarding and interesting experience. It seems obvious that I should continue teaching abroad for a few years, but there are draw backs. I feel isolated because I don't speak the language and the population doesn't speak English, thus my ocean of possible friends gets narrowed down to a puddle.....and let's just say that the TEFL industry tends to attract some odd ducks, who then all flock together and seem to lack a certain amount of depth, maturity, and intellect. I know it is as harsh condemnation but it is true. Fortunately, I have found a few exceptions, who are doing this as a short term experience like myself.......see it is the lifers that you have to watch out for! So those are the challenges posed against me. Last week I officially decided that I would have a great year in Russia, but that I am going to stay in America next year. As stated previously, I am wishy-washy. I had a really great week last week and I felt like I was really accomplishing things with my Russian babies (my term of endearment for my students.....they love it:). This along with getting paid this week and realizing how much money I save here, made me realize that I should do this for another year to save up some money and learn a new language and all that jazz. I am still undecided whether to stay in Russia or relocate, regardless I will definitely change what city I teach in and if I do stay in Russia I would like to try living in St. Petersburg since it is the culture capital of Russia and has so many museums that I would love to see. If I continue to have more great weeks with my little Russian delights like I did this week then I will definitely stay in Russia.

This week my babies were so great! During three different classes my students asked if they could have their picture taken with me. There are so cute and I was surprised because they are not at a cute age......they are 13 year old punks that are in bands and give each other piercings on the weekend (I am not even kidding ......this is a true story). So I brought my camera in and took their picture too. The best part of my week was Wednesday, the day that I teach my newly acquired adult beginner level students. I only teach them once a week and this was my second time doing so. On Monday and Fridays, a Russian teacher teaches them English in Russian......so I am their weekly exposure to a native speaker. They surprisingly liked me and it was refreshing to teach well-behaved adults for a change. And I draw a lot of my enthusiasm from them so we have a good time trying to communicate with each other because I speak zero Russian and they speak about 10 English words. It is a lot of fun. So after I taught them for the second time, at the end of class they all gather round and start interrogating me in "Renglish". One of the students is 21 years old and she speaks the most English and she had me write down my Skype name and e-mail so that she could talk to me. She asked if I had any Russian friends and I said no because the only Russians that I know that speak English are my teenagers.....and I do not want to be their friends outside of class. So she comes up to me and gives me a big hug and says "Now you have one Russian friend". They are so funny and so excited to learn English and I love them. Well on Friday this girl, Julia, Skype chatted me and tried to communicate with me. I understood about half but she has invited me to meet her friends and hang out with her next weekend. It sounds like fun, but it seems kind of weird to hang out with your student. The other teachers who teach adults do it all the time. The thing to consider is that they pay for English school on top of their other school so we don't really give them grades unless they care......they are supposed to want to be there. So hanging out with your student isn't as bad because it isn't a conflict of interest because you aren't giving them anything to gain......just more time to practice English. But it still seems strange to me so I don't know, but it was refreshing to meet someone my age who is Russian and wants to hang out. Each day here, the sense of humor and characters of my students makes my day. I hope to perpetuate my luck into this week!

Only the Strong Survive.....

I have been a bad blogger and haven't posted in a while....so I have some catching up to do. Two weeks ago, I had a really bad week with my kids. They were naughty beyond all reason and I really wanted to give up because I was at my wits end with them. I was going to call their parents but I thought I would give them one more chance, because I didn't want to feel like a failure. My kids are very smart and have really great personalities so I can't help but love them. They have to go to school all day and then they have an hour and a half English lesson with me....I don't blame them for acting out. Anyways I was really depressed going into the weekend. But previously, I had planned for my friend Abby to come to my apartment in Z-grad for a sleepover on Friday. So this cheered me up when I went to pick her up at the train station. Friday is the best day anyways because you have the whole weekend to look forward to and you really need a break by that time.

Abby and I had a great time doing nothing. I was excited to show her my apartment and to give her some old fashioned hospitality. I had an extra air mattress and I made her a bed right next to mine so that we could talk all night long...hehehehe. I cooked dinner for us and we watched feel good movies, like Mulan, and lounged around. We woke up late on Saturday and the plan was to walk around Zelenograd, as I don't know where anything is here because I spend all my extra time in Moscow. This was my first weekend staying the night in Zelenograd for over a month! It took quite a bit of effort on my part to get little Miss Lazy Bones out of her bed. We goofed around and listened to music and re-wrote the lyrics to my favorite song, "Walking in Memphis". We changed it all to "Walking in Moscow"......I am pretty proud of the outcome and the collaboration that went into the production of the song:) But eventually we got out of bed and explored the forests near my apartment. It was great, we took pictures of everything and anything and were just a pair of silly billies the whole time. I am pretty sure we spent 20 min taking pictures of each other jumping off of a stump to get some sweet aerial shots! It was really pretty because it was around the time of sunset and the leaves were extra fiery.

Although lounging about with Abby was great, I never feel like my weekend is complete unless I journey into Moscow. So I went back to Moscow with Abby and we met Iain at our friend Nick's apartment. We all love his apartment, so we call him up with any excuse to come over...hahaha. I was pretty obsessed with wearing these nerdy glasses that were lying around his apartment. I hate sharing and wouldn't let anyone else try them on....hehehehe. It was a good time but since I was only in Moscow for part of a day and not overnight like usual I felt short changed and was in a funk on Sunday night and Monday morning. I never feel like talking to anybody and ignore everyone as part of my "mourning the weekend" ritual. But then I go to teach my kids and they always cheer me up and that is why I love them. I finally realized for the first time today how much I will miss them.....they are my little buddies and I really can't imagine not seeing them next year.

Last week I introduced a new game to my class......Mafia! They loved it, but now I have a slight problem.....they demand to play it everyday and I have had to compromise to playing it once a week....which is still too much. They are master negotiators! I am trying to look for more fun and interactive games like Mafia to play with them periodically in order to break up the monotony of class.....although my classes aren't very monotonous because I also get bored easily so I play lots of games and just talk with them. It was really nice to have a good week after such a bad week.

This past weekend was pretty typical. I went into Moscow on Saturday and had lunch at TGIFridays with Abby, which we hadn't done in a really long time. Then we went to a cafe to meet Iain before going to our friend Nick's apartment. It was really funny actually because we were supposed to call Iain and tell him which cafe to meet us at, but we weren't supposed to meet him until later and when we walked into the cafe.....there he was! He was doing some private English lessons and so we sat about 15 feet away from him and stalked him for an hour and a half without his knowing and then we called him as promised to tell him to meet us about 15 feet to his left......it was funny and it thoroughly entertained Abby and I. Abby was teaching me Russian during this time. I have to learn some new Russian phrases every weekend, because my babies always quiz me on what Russian I learn during my weekends. Oh boy, they will do anything to procrastinate learning English....how can you not love them?

Abby, Iain and I went to Nick's apartment and we also met our good friend Kate Miller there. I can only refer to Kate Miller by both first and last name.....I don't know why....it just sounds right. I hadn't seen Kate since the internship and it was so good to see her again. We were shooting the breeze for a while and then we decided to go out. We went to a couple of different bars and clubs and I went home with Kate Miller and crashed on her floor......my bedding was a pile of her clothes actually. Kate and I had a very interesting night, one which I won't go into too much detail about......let's just say that she abandoned me on a playground and I thought I would be sleeping outside, but she did come back for me...phew! On Sunday, Kate and I saw a Subway by her house and we ate lunch there. I was so excited when I saw it because I love Subway beyond a normal amount and I was told that there were hardly any located in Russia. Apparently, they had just opened this Subway two weeks prior. So I will definitely be visiting Kate Miller again! After this eventful weekend, I went back home to Zelenograd and I realized how much I had missed my bed and the comfort of my room.

I am so used to my normal routine now and I really find solace in it. The regularity of the Russians themselves makes me feel at home. I have several impressions of Russia, all of which revolve around the people. Every time I get on the bus to go to school, I am reminded of the old ladies with big purses that will beat you senseless and shout Russian at you unless you get out of their way. You can't help but love their Soviet attitudes. When I am waiting on the metro escalators, I like to look around and I see the delightful Moscovian style that is so unique. Moscow is bright and bold and so is the fashion! Every woman, and I mean EVERY woman, wears a pair of high heels or knee high boots....if you don't have a pair you might as well leave the country. Their jackets and outfits are straight off of the runways of Paris. You can't help but feel happy when you look at the spirit that their clothes have. The clothes are almost bordering on a 1980's theme.....it is a fine line between tacky and stylish.....not all succeed. The other essential item needed in order to survive besides knee high boots, is the leather jacket. They are all about the leather and fur here. I really like the style because it is hardcore and bold, which is exactly how I try to portray myself to others. However, one thing that really burns my biscuits is all the PDA (public displays of affection)! My God, people are upping the ante in Russia from PDA to PDS (public displays of sex!). I sort of feel like the Russians always think they are on the brink of dying so they live life in this manner.....by rushing around everywhere, kissing and groping in public, and being really really intense about everything. There is nothing care free about Russia, it is a very deliberate country. Every decision from clothes to conduct reflects that it was made as a very clear choice and it sends the message, that the people have become hardened through suffering, but will overcome and persevere by being bolder than everybody else. You can't help but respect a people like that. As I came to appreciate the passion of the Greeks, now I have come to appreciate the bold tenacity of the Russians, a people of perseverance.

Caffeine, Autumn, and Ikea....Oh My!

This weekend I enjoyed some adventures and some much missed comforts. As usual on Saturday, I went to Moscow to see my friends. I met Abby, Iain, and Nathan at a Kafe Haus (sort of like Russian Starbucks). We sat for hours drinking half-priced cappuccinos and catching up on each other's weeks. We discuss important matters as well and have good healthy debates about controversial issues.....and as always my own view is right and I have the final word! (just kidding:)

After we were sure that our caffeine to blood ratio was at an unhealthy level, we left Kafe Haus and walked through a park to enjoy Moscovian Autumn. Autumn is my favorite season and I haven't seen it done right in a while. (Greece just skips the season...hahaha) I love the smell of the wet leaves on the ground and the delightful rustling sound they make when the wind blows. Mostly, I love the colors. I find the juxtaposition of the warm Fall colors against the brisk air very comforting. You feel so safe when you are snuggled up in your gloves, scarf, and jacket yet you know that outside your cocoon of warmth is the cold world trying to wheedle its way in. Because the Fall weather in Moscow is so similar to Wisconsin, I really feel at home.

Later that night, we met some more friends and Russians for drinks and schwarma. I love schwarma and I love getting them at the train station. There are about 10 schwarma stands at the train station and everyone told me not to get one because it isn't sanitary and it's made from cats and dogs and yada yada yada....... Here is the thing: schwarma is super cheap and filling and convenient....so basically I don't care and a little bacteria never hurt anyone. I will admit that the cat and dog rumor did perturb me, but upon further investigation it was proven to be false and merely a little Russian racism that started the rumor. All the schwarma stands are run by Asians (from the Caucus regions like Tajikistan and Uzbekistan). My favorite part of getting schwarma is that I have a particular schwarma stand where I am a regular at. It is so great because I don't speak Russian and the kid who works there doesn't speak English.....since I am a regular I don't have to say a word and he knows my order by heart and it makes us both smile:)

On Sunday, I had quite an adventure to Ikea! My friend Abby very kindly took me to Ikea, since she knew the way, but it was hell and a half to get there. I will omit the details because I don't care to relive that experience....but the gist is that we ate at Ikea and I bought some really awesome stuff for my room to give it a little Shayla pizazz!!! I really transformed my shabby little cave into a sanctuary. It was nice to get a taste of home and to remember other fond Ikea moments in Minneapolis. Ikea is just one of those places that you go to for every big chapter of your life whether it is before going to college, moving into your first home, or decorating your apt abroad! Everyone that knows me, knows that my love of Ikea rivals my love for Xena (dare I say such a thing!). This exciting weekend allowed me to do what I do best and procrastinate. I paid for it this morning when I had to spend 3 hours marking tests for my classes today....oh well....some things never change!

A Day in the Life of a TEFL teacher in Russia!

My day starts late because I don't usually get up until about 11 a.m. I work at night from 3 p.m. to about 9 p.m. so I can afford to sleep in. When I finally do decide to greet the day, I start to think about my classes and what fun activities I will do that day with them. I teach 12-16 year old teens, so they love activities and games. I have 3-4 different classes each day so i need 3-4 different lesson plans. I really enjoy it though and I am getting more comfortable with winging it and not having everything so planned out. I have found that the lessons are much more enjoyable if they happen organically.

I have become fond of my students even though I really wanted to kill most of them upon our first meeting. During the first week of teaching, I was determined to be the cool teacher that all the kids liked and we would be best friends forever:)....hahahahaha....I was so naive back then (only 4 weeks ago!). Well as soon as I experienced a little dose of teenage attitude and sass, I knew that dream was doomed. The whole first week I was overwhelmed by all my new classes and the kids broke me. I had the weekend to recuperate, however, and I decided to come back with a vengeance and to show them that Shayla Gibbens has a bit of attitude and sass to throw back at them!

I disciplined the crap out of them and all my little trouble-makers learned real quick not to mess with me. I was kicking them out of class right and left and employed a few unconventional tactics such as throwing balled up sheets of paper at them (I would have a basket of paper balls ready to fire if need be) and clapping loudly in their faces. I was used to teaching adults in the training program so when I was situated with teenagers I had to find my footing. The amazing thing is that the kids love me! They think when I throw stuff at them that it is hilarious and we all laugh together about it.....but they also know when I mean business. My boss told me that kids love a fascist and I took it to heart.

Now I can't imagine teaching adults again because I am so used to teenagers. Even the trouble-makers, I love to pieces and we all have a great time. I have found that music is the bridge I needed to link the generational gap. They love doing fill-in-the-blank activities with song lyrics. So I play a song and they fill in the lyrics and then we all sing along. I do this once a week in all my classes. We have been told to keep it down quite a few times and I take it as a good sign that we are all so rowdy:)

My favorite classes that I teach are my Cambridge Exam classes. The students are advanced level and are trying to pass one of the Cambridge Exams so that they can get into university or get a better paying job. I love playing word games and doing word morphology because I really get to use my classical background (they told me that is why they gave me these classes). And unlike the majority of my other classes (whose parents make them go to English school), these students want to be there and they are intrinsically motivated to learn English. We all have such a great time and I treat them by teaching them phrases such as, "It's all good in the hood" and "Don't get all up in my grill!". They reciprocate and teach me some funny Russian phrases like, "Shashleek Mashleek". Shashleek is the American equivalent of a barbecue in the woods, and they just make up a rhyming word such as "mashleek" to make it sound funny. It is like in English when we are indifferent about something such as a camera and we would say, "camera schmamera, who cares?".

I am elated that I have found a passion in teaching and that I enjoy it so much. I love the cultural interaction and working with these kids. No day is boring or lackluster. I have always wanted to work with people and now I really feel like I am in the people business:)

The Beginning of my Adult Life as I Know it:)

So I am staying true to form and continuing my exploration of the world. I left Greece after a year of studying art and classical culture and returned home to Wisconsin at the end of May. I graduated from college with a Classics degree and spent my summer working construction in order to save up money to come to Russia. In August, I journeyed to Moscow and became an English teacher for the company Language Link. Now I live in Zelenograd which is only 30km away from Moscow proper.

Zelenograd is known as the "green city", but when I first arrived I had my doubts about the derivation of this name. I live near the train station so it appears more gray than green in my area. Before I came to Russia, I imagined spending my weekends walking through a forest and stopping by an alluring tree to read my latest book or having a picnic with friends. This is precisely why I packed so many books with me, including books on Russian history, the Russian language, and Latin and Greek. Upon arrival, I realized that I was scared to death and didn't want to leave my room. I felt isolated because I didn't speak the language and I couldn't really function here, as nobody speaks English. I slowly came out of my shell and each day I would achieve small accomplishments that would give me the confidence to survive in this foreign land. I thought I would be prepared for Russia, after having lived in the most inconvenient country of Greece, but I still suffered a bit of culture shock.

So I survived the first few days on my own, holed up in my room. On the next Monday, I started the teacher training program in Moscow. I met people from all over the world including Russia, Australia, England, Scotland, and Ireland. The 22 of us soon became excellent comrades in arms. Together we fought the mundane war on English for up to 10 hours a day. The war culminated in an enormous grammar test, which we all passed. We then went our separate ways to towns across Russia. However, we have not ceased contact and on the weekends we all get together to enjoy some vodka and gherkins (pickles). I thoroughly enjoy working in Zelenograd all week and then escaping to stay with friends in Moscow on the weekends. It is like a vacation to look forward to every week:)

Last weekend two of my friends (Abby from America and Nathan from Canada) and I went to a park to have that picnic of my dreams. We took loads of pictures and skipped down the lane arm in arm, just as picturesque as you could imagine. Afterwards we did a bit of sightseeing in Red Square and then we journeyed for a cup of Joe at the all famous "Kafe Haus". A day isn't complete in Moscow without a cup of coffee at a cafe (a Mediterranean habit that I have picked up). Weekends like this with good friends, good sights, and good memories give me much to look forward to for the remainder of my time in Russia.