Well well well, after nearly 4 months in good old Mother Russia, I've gotten some adventure down and a good sense for more adventures. For this reason I've decided it's about (freaking time) for a mission statement, for the remaining 5 months )))
Get to Denmark n back without Vulcano issues for Christmas
AGAIN Iceland has some crazy vulcanoes about to go crazy - for this reason I've had to request my Icelandic fellow volunteer to please get the message to the others on Iceland to keep this under control 'till I get back to Russia after Christmas!
Get presents w. me to Denmark/get all presents before flight in 3 days!!
I think this is pretty selfexplainatory )))
Be English teacher in Russian Uni
I already got offered (and accepted) this job, but as it is with all things Russian, you can't be sure it will happen, before it's actually happend!
Get Medvedev portrait in Sankt Petersburg
"...a couple of years ago, I got really drunk in a bar in Saint Petersbourg. It was the night before the elections when Medvedev was candidate the first time. The owner of the bar gave me his Putin-Portrait as a present because he said he need to buy a Medvedev-Portrait anyway. I still have this mildly smiling Putin at home" a story I just got from a former volunteer. Now, in just 3 month, this will have happend 4 years ago, as the next election takes place in March 2012. Since we all know Putin will "win", I figure this bartender will have to switch portait again, and I'm gonna be there when he does!!!
Iceskate on Volga with Vodka bottle!
Do I even have to explain myself here??? In just a month or so it will be safe (read: minus 20) to walk on the Volga river´s ice. When that time comes you know where to find me ;)
Snowboard in Russian mountains
Unlike most vest Europeans I've never been skiing or snowboarding (Denmark might be in the North, but we have no montains). I think it's 'bout time. Besides, how often do you get the chance to snowboarding in the Russian mountains really?
See Sankt Petersburg
.. Get drunk, get Medvedev portrait, (meet friends, enjoy the city).
Write ONLY in Russian smilies whenever possible!
In Russia smilies have been cut down to just the brakets. It took me and my roomies quite a while to figure out all the text messages full of "))))"'s, but appearantly it translates into some along the lines of ":) :) :) :)". As this is about as annoying as LOL, ROFL and LMAO, I have to start learning!
Horseride in snow with Russian hat! //w.picture for facebook
Ever seen doctor Zhivago? If so you don't need to ask - if not GO SEE IT!!! ;)))
SPEAK SOME GOD DAMN RUSSIAN (((
Because I still fucking don't, Блядь!
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Saturday, 3 December 2011
3 December: An Unofficial Education
Just a short update. After 4 months here, I have experienced a lot of good as well as bad things here. Unfortunately the worst has continuesly been my job :( I was prepared already from home, that this job would certainly not be the easiest, but what I did not expect is just how untrue my job description was. Fact is I'm not assianting the primary caretakers of the downsyndrome children, I'm am the primary and - for the most part - only caretaker of these children. I do at least 3 trained peoples jobs alone, without any traning. I never got even the slightest information/instruction at work, ever. Unfortunately it is the rule, rather than the exception here in Russia that mentally handicapped people - be they children or adults - are just treated as inconvinient "things" that needs to be storraged the cheapest possible place, and held down as much as possible without any consideration to the longterm effects, or their emotions.
Any and all other bad experiences I've had in Russia I can deal with, and they do not give me the desire to go home. Even the really bad ones. This one does, and as if right now, after several empty promisses of help/change/fair treatment for the staff/assistance, I have decided that unless something significantly changes in terms of my work/my work is changed, I will not stay here for the remaning 5 months. I will not sacrifice my mental and physical health for another 5 months, nor will I be part of the Russian way of treating downsyndrome chilren - I am put in situations which I can not possiblely have the resources to handle and at this point, I sometimes act in pure fustration. The result means that I do become part of this Russian way, and I can slowly but steadily feel my integrety being knocked overboard.
I have shortly read up on downsyndrome both before and after I came to Russia for my job, but tonight I have decided to do an extensive research on downsyndrome children in hoping that, what might become my last couple of weeks here in Russia, I will have all possible knowledge that I can gain on my own, on how to handle downsyndrome children in the best way for both them and me. I doubt that it will make my work manageable, but as my mother always say to me "Lidt har også ret!", which basically means that "A little is better than nothing!". It's funny how, the older I get, the more I realise the true wisdome to many of the things my mother told me as a child - Russia is certainly speeding up this process.
Any and all other bad experiences I've had in Russia I can deal with, and they do not give me the desire to go home. Even the really bad ones. This one does, and as if right now, after several empty promisses of help/change/fair treatment for the staff/assistance, I have decided that unless something significantly changes in terms of my work/my work is changed, I will not stay here for the remaning 5 months. I will not sacrifice my mental and physical health for another 5 months, nor will I be part of the Russian way of treating downsyndrome chilren - I am put in situations which I can not possiblely have the resources to handle and at this point, I sometimes act in pure fustration. The result means that I do become part of this Russian way, and I can slowly but steadily feel my integrety being knocked overboard.
I have shortly read up on downsyndrome both before and after I came to Russia for my job, but tonight I have decided to do an extensive research on downsyndrome children in hoping that, what might become my last couple of weeks here in Russia, I will have all possible knowledge that I can gain on my own, on how to handle downsyndrome children in the best way for both them and me. I doubt that it will make my work manageable, but as my mother always say to me "Lidt har også ret!", which basically means that "A little is better than nothing!". It's funny how, the older I get, the more I realise the true wisdome to many of the things my mother told me as a child - Russia is certainly speeding up this process.
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