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Spring is here (or so I am told...)
The Russians regard 1 March as the first day of spring. I'm not sure why, especially when the snow won't be totally gone for another month at the earliest. They must have known something I didn't though, because today was so bright and sunny! It was even above freezing in the sun, and stuff was melting! I love the sun, no so much more than ever. I doubt I will ever take it for granted.
Today and tomorrow are the last classes of the term for my students. Tonight we had a party with cake, cookies, and such. I showed them my collection of photos, maps, and calendar pictures of Colorado, Washington, and Alaska. Everyone was taken back by the incredible beauty of Colorado, myself included. I also showed them some pages cut from an old calendar showing Mt. Rainier (WA State), and Eastern Washington Wheat Fields. Finally, I topped it all off with my Alaska book. Russians have a keen fascination with Alaska, a land which they owned until 1867. They love to hear about it, and see pictures of it. I can tell that they feel a spiritual connection with this land. I posted an image of Alaska's Flag here for no particular reason, just because I love it so much.
posted by Excalibur at
00:37
9 comments
9 Comments:
So school session is out over there? When do you come back to the States?
I love spring. I love the sun. But you already knew that too. Take care.
By
Sweet Onion, at 23:57
Our term in over. A new one starts a week after Monday. I am planning to come home around the 29th of May! Enjoy all that sun, because here it has snowed a foot in the last 24 hours.
By
Excalibur, at 17:25
So. Are you looking forward to coming back home, or are you trying to put a brake on life to stay over there longer?
And burrrrrr. The sun is out in full force here and thank goodness we didn't get a foot of snow last night! tHAT would have made me an unhappy camper last night. Snow is fine, but in the mountains not where I have to drive :) Last time I drove through a snow-storm I crashed and I got rear-ended. It was like a fun sledge ride, nothing majorly damaged except my poor ghetto truck was uglier than it was before. A year later I hit a deer which made the front hood crinkle up. So I got the good ol' hammer out, got a tractor and bashed that sucker back in!! Then I had a friend paint it for me. You know, we didn't do a half bad job either!!! I miss my ghetto truck. It was pretty ugly. Once my brother, Rick, had to drive it to school and he parked it several blocks away because he didn't want to be seen in it :o)!!!!! Still makes me laugh. I don't blame him either. So my sweetie parents decided it was ENOUGH b.s. I was giving them about being independent in every way from them so they bought me... a damn VAN. Oh well. I really can't complain TOO much because it still beats the ghetto truck by far!!
My good friend from my other Uni bought my truck from me... for $500. He came from Texas all the way to WA to get it from me! I almost wonder if I ripped him off. But he and I both had a personal affinity with that truck--he says he'll never give it up! THe engine never fails, it never breaks down, even if its an ugly beast. He insisited on the amount. And its still running.
I find myself more and more going off on weird tangents/stories that in my brain make sense, and then after I'm done telling it, I think, "Where the heck did THAT come from?" or "They don't really give a rip, so why bother talking?" and then I feel the town idiot in role-play. Dude. I think I need to find a friend out here to talk with me for an hour or two to get some of my yabbering out of my system. Because in the end, I feel as if I'm just talking to myself.
Siiiiggghhh. Work calls. My tea is getting cold. Paka Comrade.
By
Sweet Onion, at 19:10
What do your students find so stunning and wonderful about Colorado, Washington, and Alaska? I can understand Alaska, being as it was part of great Russia, but why the other states? Isn't part of Russia the same as Colorado and Washington. Russia is a big country and it seems that it would be able to hold all of the climates, and geographic areas as the States. Just wondering.
By
Anonymous, at 19:23
hey arthur.
to give you a scientific response why march 1st is beginning of spring:
its easier to calculate.
01.03 spring
01.06 summer
01.09 autumn
01.12 winter
greetings.
olivier
By
Anonymous, at 00:42
Olivier,
That is an easy formula to remember, I guess easier to calculate than the equinox, which is on 20 March. Of course, here in Moscow, snow will be on the menu for the duration of the month. It isn't "cold" anymore, and the river is flowing again, but the half meter of snow isn't disappearing just yet.
Here is an intersting article about the changing of the Spring Equinox.
By
Excalibur, at 15:42
Dear Anonymous,
Nowhere in the world has the geographic and natural diversity that the United States has. This is something my Russian students said, and I believe them. Russia is a huge country, but for several thousand kilometers around Moscow are only flat plains. The mountainous regions are very distant and so remote, most Russians have never seen them.
In the US, even in states such as California, Colorado, and Washington, there is such diversity as green forests, mountains, lakes, deserts, prairies of grass and wheat, etc. Sometimes within less than 100 miles. Did you know that the lowest spot and highest points in the continental United States are in the same county - Inyo County in California.
By
Excalibur, at 15:55
Dude, yeah, my parents lived in Inyo county for a while.
Dearie Anonymous, don't BLASPHEME Washington state! ;O). Its beautiful here. I'm a fan. I've lived all over the place, and I'd have to say, I've arrived.
But if you've traveled anywhere in the world, especially to poorer countries (Russia is a "Developed" country, riiight? but still... they have so much issues left over from the Cold War, they cannot compete with our beauty and economy etcetcetc) they all have this romantic ideal of the good ol' US of A. Hollywood baby. A cute Southern drawl. Nantucket Island. the Second Paris of the world, NYC. Care free attitude, almost everyone has a car starting around age 16, and a handy piece of plastic that can get you wherever you want to go, and the ability to get jobs whenever wherever (all relative of course, but compared to most countries....).
So yeah. Europe is pretty awesome. But really good developed countries are in the minority where the people actually have the same capabilities as us.
Hey. When Global Warming finally melts the ice caps, and California is under water, Washington state is going to be one fine piece of real-estate... the next California! Yabba dabba do.
By
Sweet Onion, at 06:15
I'm planning on Emigrating to Colorado as soon as I get my degree... sometimes I think maybe sooner, but I doubt it. So global warming and the rising sea level don't bother me at all :)
Nothing against Washington, it is a wonderful state, only problem is that it rains all winter long. A month of rain everyday is too much to bear. Next California! Yikes, that is scary...
By
Excalibur, at 14:19
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