And then I moved to Russia?

After a week in Germany, I can comfortably say that my Russian language skills are a lot better than they were when I arrived. Maybe not good enough to order in a restaurant, talk to the people in the bank or find out which train to take, but that is probably because the people in all of those very important locations here don't speak Russian, this being Germany and all.

On day one of class I tested in between two language levels, and opted for the higher one in order to have a challenge. This class consists of me, the teacher, and five of my colleagues from Russia. The class, which goes from 9:30 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon (with a little Pause at 11 and a 45 minute lunch break at 12:45) is hard. Very hard. Probably about 2 levels too hard for me. It made me want to cry on the first two days. Now it only makes me weepy. I think that shows improvement, so I am going to stick it out!

But, I really do like being in class with the Russians. We will be friends. They were very excited to have an American in the class to break up the monotony a little bit. As seems to be a pattern with Europeans, the teacher and other students wanted to know the origin of my family. When I told them that my ancestors came from Belarus and Latvia, they exclaimed, "Another Russian!!" Sweet! I am in the club, sort of.

We have had many good times together, me and my Russian colleagues.

We watched three soccer/football games together. They remarked three times that American football is more confusing. I remarked three times that it is not more confusing. They asked three times if I understood soccer well. I responded three times that I understood when someone makes a goal, and that is well enough for me.

We went to Cologne/Koln and climbed the Cathedral tower.

We went to see a Tschaikowsky concert at the Beethoven Halle.

We walked throughout Bonn.

We compared which countries we could visit without Visas. I can go to Amsterdam. They can go to Cuba.

We ate homemade Akroshka soup. Explanation: Akroshka is a cold summer soup that my Russians enjoy, and apparently miss, now that they are away from home. I jokingly referred to it as Acora-shka (since we live at the Acora hotel) and no one was amused... Akroshka soup is boiled potato, ham, cucumber, egg and spring onion. Then it is mixed with Kvas, which is basically non-alcoholic beer, and sour cream, and sprinkled with salt and pepper. I have yet to acquire a taste for it.

We relaxed in beer gardens. Someone asked where we were from, and my Russians said, "we are from Russia. Except her, she is an American." The person in the beer garden found that hysterical. Americans and Russians, friends at last.

In class I am sometimes called Die Ausnahme (the exception). For every five Russian opinions, there is one American opinion.

In class we have discussed such topics as:

1)How comfortable and enjoyable communism was.

2)Whether reading The Three Musketeers, as all good Russian children must, results in more polite society.

3) Which is better, the Rhine River or the Volga River.

4) Which city in Russia is the most culturally exquisite.


Generally I look forward to more adventures with my Russians in Germany. I enjoy when they babble away in their language as I stare off into space. And I appreciate when they toss in the few Russian words I do know so I feel included - there are after all, only so many ways to work the words duck and pillow into everyday conversation.