Kitty's Back in Ekaterinburg

So, after recovering from my vacation, I’m getting back in the proverbial swing of things here in Ekaterinburg.  For a while I was rather depressed about being back here, but it turns out, like going to the dentist, the dread  was the worst part.  Once I got here, I realized how much I’d really missed my local friends and how Ekat does feel like home, if only for this year.  The semester started on Monday and I was there, ready to make good on my New Years resolution.  For the record, I made two resolutions: 1) to be more prepared for my classes and more assertive with the administration.  2) to read some Russian every day (I guess that’s not really relevant here).  So I marched into the classroom to greet the third-year students, many of whom I’d met but none of whom I’d taught.  The class is nominally “Practical Grammar,” but I hijacked that shit and turned it into “Introduction to Creative Writing.”  I mean, grammar doesn’t get much more practical than that, right?  Now, for the first time, I’m actually excited to teach.  And it seems like the students are excited to learn, to read famous American/English writers, and to write!  My hopes are high right now, but I won’t be totally surprised if the first assignment produces some internet print-out plagiarism...  

I’ve also eased into this transition by having plenty of fun.  Actually, at first, I was burnt-out on fun and preferred to stay home catching up on “The Sopranos.”  Luckily, my solitary confinement didn’t last too long.  I was pleasantly surprised to find how anxious I was to see all my friends.  On one of my first days back, I went with a friend/student to a modern dance show.  I liked it a lot more than I usually like modern dance, plus it was cool to check out the vestigial soviet Theater of the Young Spectator.  I’ve already hit my favorite artsy bar and bought tickets to next week’s performance of the ballet Don Quixote.  This weekend I’m going with a colleague and her family to my first Ekaterinburg basketball game.  Let’s hope Lebron-less basketball can hold my attention.

Yesterday my friend and fellow Fulbrightnik David rolled through town with his buddy.  They’re doing the Trans-Siberian (hardly) Express, and had only a 3-hour window in Ekaterinburg.  In those three hours, I showed them the city center, we played in the soon-to-be-deconstructed ice city, walked on the frozen river, saw where the Romanovs were assassinated and ate in a Russian cafeteria.  We had so much fun, they were lamenting not having more time here.  For my part, I felt strangely proud showing off the city.  After being in foreign cities, it’s nice to know my way around again.

This evening I have another class at the synagogue, which is always fun.  What’s more, it looks like my beginners’ class will be an actual class, not just a private lesson, as it ended up being before.  That means I’ll have to do more planning, but I resolve not to be so lazy.  Tomorrow I’m free all day, so maybe I’ll stop by the university and try to firm up my schedule.  Other than that, I’ll just enjoy my free time while it lasts.  And I’ve still got plenty of “Sopranos” yet to watch...