Just had my last lesson, and really after two weeks, I still feel that I can hardly utter a word, let alone hit the right cases and inflections. Pus to eavery rule there is like an exception rate of probably 1000%! However, none of this is Mascha's fault, who really is a great and very patient teacher. Thanks Mascha so much for all your efforts! She knows how to cut down the lessons into manageable and enjoyable entities, using (word) games, children's games (though by no means childish), and whenever she saw that my focus was slipping, she changed to something a bit easier for the time being.
This having been my last lesson here in St. Petersburg, I decided to move into a hotel in the center tomorrow, so that I might even actually go to the Hermitage and the Russian Museum after all, and not having to worry about catching the le dernier Metro.
Somehow, I have really always been much more interested in alternative views, and did not feel like joining in to mass tourism (those buses spitting out masses of Chinese tourists just won't stop). Obviously, Hermitage & Cie are representative of posh society, who ultimately always seem to write history, and that is not really where I would search for the "Russian Soul". I would expect to get a glimpse in the Metro, a hospital maybe, families, any people in fact who are not directly involved with tourists and/or foreigners, the prison, the parks, the bars, the underground movements and arts. (And I was so happy finding in Vivi and Timo friends who seem to share some of my views). I find it actually a good thing that people are generally a bit restrained and/or shy towards foreigners and strangers. If you enjoy being approached - let's say - like in Egypt, by everybody and their uncle wanting to sell you something - don't come here. If, however, you like to take your time, and you respect the reservations of others, then you will probably do all right after a while. And this is certainly one of the reasons I have started learning Russian. I am getting quite bored of European over-regulation and repetitive art, talent shows and Big Brother spin-offs. Truth be told, the few soaps I happened to see (not watch, obviously, my Russian is quite far from actually understanding more than a few words), were not exactly sophisticated, but then again they probably aren't any worse than our Swiss TV junk food. Still, as I have noticed working with artists from Poland before, I have great hopes for a new generation in the East, who has not yet been "regulated", domesticated, commercialized and subsidized ad nauseam. It was therefore a stroke of luck, having met Timo and his underground photography. I have just about had it with all those streamlined, brainwashed, boring, dying old though Neopuritans and Health-Fascists.
This said and duly vociferated, I shall still consider going to an established museum. If it rains, possibly. And then maybe rather the Russian Museum, and not the Hermitage. Well, I'll play it by ear.
Oh and even though the statistic hits to this blog are not really what I had expected or hoped for (decreasing hits - so sad), I do appreciate the comments I've had so far. Especially Miguel, who asked if I was a journalist. That really was a much appreciated chicken soup for my starved soul ;-)
This having been my last lesson here in St. Petersburg, I decided to move into a hotel in the center tomorrow, so that I might even actually go to the Hermitage and the Russian Museum after all, and not having to worry about catching the le dernier Metro.
Somehow, I have really always been much more interested in alternative views, and did not feel like joining in to mass tourism (those buses spitting out masses of Chinese tourists just won't stop). Obviously, Hermitage & Cie are representative of posh society, who ultimately always seem to write history, and that is not really where I would search for the "Russian Soul". I would expect to get a glimpse in the Metro, a hospital maybe, families, any people in fact who are not directly involved with tourists and/or foreigners, the prison, the parks, the bars, the underground movements and arts. (And I was so happy finding in Vivi and Timo friends who seem to share some of my views). I find it actually a good thing that people are generally a bit restrained and/or shy towards foreigners and strangers. If you enjoy being approached - let's say - like in Egypt, by everybody and their uncle wanting to sell you something - don't come here. If, however, you like to take your time, and you respect the reservations of others, then you will probably do all right after a while. And this is certainly one of the reasons I have started learning Russian. I am getting quite bored of European over-regulation and repetitive art, talent shows and Big Brother spin-offs. Truth be told, the few soaps I happened to see (not watch, obviously, my Russian is quite far from actually understanding more than a few words), were not exactly sophisticated, but then again they probably aren't any worse than our Swiss TV junk food. Still, as I have noticed working with artists from Poland before, I have great hopes for a new generation in the East, who has not yet been "regulated", domesticated, commercialized and subsidized ad nauseam. It was therefore a stroke of luck, having met Timo and his underground photography. I have just about had it with all those streamlined, brainwashed, boring, dying old though Neopuritans and Health-Fascists.
This said and duly vociferated, I shall still consider going to an established museum. If it rains, possibly. And then maybe rather the Russian Museum, and not the Hermitage. Well, I'll play it by ear.
Oh and even though the statistic hits to this blog are not really what I had expected or hoped for (decreasing hits - so sad), I do appreciate the comments I've had so far. Especially Miguel, who asked if I was a journalist. That really was a much appreciated chicken soup for my starved soul ;-)
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