Arzhaan 2

The next morning saw a repeat of the week's morning routine: wake-up, eat breakfast, brush teeth, and walk to school. Classes were to be had all day, and since the groups with me were new, I was able to show off my pictures and souvenirs as I had the past couple of days. Yet the real excitement began in the evening. I had learned during the trip up the mountain that the 10th graders enjoy volleyball. They invited me to play and we picked Thursday evening at 4:00 PM as game time. I arrived without sporting clothes (having conveniently left them in America) and settled in to test my volleyball skills, which had not been used for a very long time. Turns out that such skills never die and I play the game just as I did in high school, in other words, terribly. We started off simply playing a game of hitting the ball back and forth between two opposing sides. Now, while most may find entertainment in the skill demonstrated in keeping the ball from hitting the floor and in how individuals can delicately bounce the ball back and forth, I on the other hand find enjoyment in seeing how high I can hit the ball. I can proudly say that I reached the ceiling probably around five times. The others were much better athletes and I am sure that I annoyed them to a small degree with my strategy, but we all had a good laugh. Then we formed up into teams to play an actual match. Once again I demonstrated my complete lack of skill and after ten minutes of gametime, I decided to take the bench and observe. My decision was rewarded as the school children are just brilliant athletes. Eventually, even two of their teachers joined in, their gym instructor and volleyball coach. It was all good fun, but as the evening wore on, I decided to return home to rest and prepare for the next day.

In the evening, more food was to be had, especially dessert. Robert, in addition to being a dancer, is also a wonderful cook. Very quickly, he whipped up a wonderful treat with cottage cheese and a crumbling crust. It was delicious and large portions were consumed under the influence of conversation and tea. As the clock struck midnight, it was once again time to head to bed. I stepped outside to visit the restroom and admired the night sky. As I had noticed during my visit to another village in December, the stars out here are amazing and seem as if they can be picked right out of the sky! I stopped and just stared up. Joining the stars in the solitude was the village's television tower. I had noticed it when I first arrived and during my first night, I was startled by its large, red lights that seemed to keep watch over Arzhaan like all-seeing eyes. I shuffled back inside and settled into bed.

Friday was spent in expectation of the evening's activities. We had announced a talent show for the students of the school which was to be held on Friday evening. Classes flew by as usual and were full of laughter as well as silence at some points. The time for the talent show was scheduled for 6:00 PM, but according to the theory of Tuvan time, it started much later than that. The evening was a moment of Tuvan time in practice. By Friday, I was already well adjusted to the concept and well prepared. I simply took my place at the judges table and waited patiently while everyone took their places and the necessary equipment was made ready.

Once we began, the performances were quite spectacular. Overall, there were six acts: three with dancing and three reciting poetry. One of the kids got up on stage and started breakdancing amazingly. To be honest, I am very bad at judging and picking someone who is "the best". But, it had to be done, so first, second, and third places were assigned, with three additional prizes for best poetry, strong effort, and good teamwork also handed out. When the show wrapped up, a dance party was thrown together and we all gathered in a circle to groove it. I did my best to light up the dance floor, but I am not sure how well it worked. We also played the limbo game to music and the breakdancer from the talent show pulled off his moves once more. I was told that dinner was waiting for me, so I headed to the cafeteria to eat, this time alone. Awaiting me was soup and (take a guess!) meat. I ate heartily and decided to return to see what unfolded at the school after I had left. It seemed the action had moved outside to the soccer field. Once again I was invited to take part (they apparently had not caught on to the fact that I am a horrible athlete). I ran back and forth and charged at the opposing team, feigning I had any idea what I was doing. As during volleyball, I eventually decided to stand on the side lines and observe the action. It was during this time that I began to put various pieces of the puzzle of life in Arzhaan together.

Life in a small village or town is difficult and such communities struggle around the world with problems such as unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, and how to keep their youth from falling into these deadly cycles. The community of Arzhaan is taking positive steps to tackle these issues, and their strategy boils down to love and attention. The principal of the school for example will physically call upon parents of students who are not performing well in class. If a student is perhaps sleeping during class often, the teachers will inform the principal and she will go knocking on the parents' door asking them why their child is sleeping in class. Furthermore, they have turned the school into something more than just a place for study. It has become the local community center. The kids gather there almost every evening to play and hang out. Not only are the grounds open but also the building. itself. The kids themselves are just wonderful in so many ways. It happens often in such situations that different age groups will divide up and 10th graders will not associate with 4th graders for example. On the soccer field though, everyone was involved and the older grades made sure that the younger graders got their chance to play. It was adorable and inspiring to watch. I stayed at the school until everyone started to head their separate ways: it was time for dinner, or second dinner in my case.

I was greeted at home by more food and a cake! (Time for a side note: cakes in the Russian Federation are just excellent) It was my last night in Arzhaan and therefore the evening was guided by a somber tone. We all chatted as before around the dining room table and the clock struck midnight.

I woke up Saturday morning and packed a bit before heading off to my last day at the school. I taught my final classes in Arzhaan and said my goodbyes. I expected my farewell to be a quiet one, but was greeted by a surprise after lunch.
There were supposed to be a couple more classes to teach after eating, but I was directed to the activity hall where I was greeted by all the classes I had taught the past week (basically the whole school) and seated in front before the stage. Robert's dancers came out and performed a couple of acts and a couple of individual students sang and one even demonstrated her karate skills. Then representatives from each of the classes got up and thanked me for my time with them and presented me with gifts. The 4th grade in particular presented me with gifts that they had made in school. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and was left speechless. I bid farewell to all and returned to the principal's house for tea and a final chat and to pack up my remaining belongings.

I can say that it was difficult to leave Arzhaan. It was a chance to relax and teach in a less stressful environment as well as offering me the opportunity to contemplate my time in Tuva. The peace and quiet soon gave way to the sounds of the city and bustle of me as we came into Kyzyl. I came up the stairs of my building and opened the door to my apartment. Setting down my things, I knew I was back. No cows roamed the streets and I had to cook for myself.

My wonderful hosts in Arzhaan!

Arzhaan 1

This past week (April 21st - April 26th), I had the opportunity to escape the big city life of Kyzyl and head to the quiet, country village of Arzhaan for some rest and English teaching. The whole experience was fulfilling, both in a physical and spiritual way. The fresh air and physical activity (of climbing a mountain for example) recharged me and refreshed my body, while teaching at the local school in the village gave me energy and renewed spiritual strength for the rest of my time in Tuva.

The village of Arzhaan is situated in northern Tuva, near the border with the Republic of Khakassia. Heading north, you take a lonely exit west down a very bumpy road which ends abruptly right before you enter Arzhaan. The reason for the road's sudden terminus is tied directly to the events of 1991, when the prosperous days of the Soviet Union ended for this part of the world. The government collapsed as did the road construction authority. The locals joke that if the Soviet Union had just lasted another year, they would have a road. That was not the case however, and getting around the village is best served by going on foot, as the dirt takes whatever shape nature commands throughout the seasons, making any ride slow and bumpy. In all actuality though, the place is small enough to easily get anywhere by walking, though that is my opinion really an option only during late spring/early summer. During the winter however, the story may be a bit different. In early Spring, as I have seen from personal experience, transportation of any sort apart from a boat does not deal well with the terrain. This was in fact my second time in Arzhaan. The first time was at the end of March, as the snows were melting. I was invited to take part in a conference devoted to the issues of teaching foreign languages in the Republic of Tyva. The host for this year's conference was the school in Arzhaan. The mountains and fresh air amazed me then, but what also caught my eye was the ground. I believe in this case a picture will speak better than words:

The entrance to the school in late March.

Though really, this is a small price to pay for the beauty of enjoying dirt roads, because the feeling of earth beneath your feet is so much more desirable than that of concrete.

My arrival on the 21st to Arzhaan was a whirlwind from the beginning and an excellent lesson in the concept of "Tuvan time". For those not familiar with this subject, the idea is that, as one Tuvan academic put it, "Tuvans live in space." What this means is that an indicated time is never concrete. If an event is set to start at 3:00 PM for example, it will not start at 3:00 PM and probably not even at 3:30 PM. Everything will start late and everyone else will be late. This is not however, just about being late. It is much bigger than that. I'm late, people are late. In America and in Europe, people freak out when stuff does not start on time or when a person arrives late. You can be ridiculed. As I have noticed in Tuva though, the idea of "space" here really permeates all layers of society. A concrete understanding of time simply does not exist. With my American upbringing, this was very difficult to get used to. After living in St. Petersburg for a year I started to arrive late for classes and events, but that did not prepare me for Tuva. All of this leads up to the fact that originally I was supposed to leave on Sunday, the 20th, for Arzhaan, but Sunday turned to Monday with a departure time of 8:00 AM which then turned to 9:00 AM. We arrived and there was no sense of being rushed, nor ridicules for being late. Everyone just accepted the fact that we arrived.

My home for the week.

My time in Arzhaan began the same way it ended, with food. We arrived and settled down in the school principal's office to a light lunch of pirozhki and salad. I was quite famished at this point and I thought this was our lunch, so I ate quite a bit. Turns out this was only the "after the road meal". We still had yet to settle down for lunch; only 1 hour away. Before lunch though, it was time to meet with the school's teacher of English. This woman is incredible, considering the workload set before her. While the school in Arzhaan is not especially big (I do not recall the actual numbers at this moment), having all the students of the school for class (that's 1st/2nd grade to 11th grade) at some point throughout the week (Russian school week: Monday-Saturday) is a challenge, especially because there is not enough time to devote your energy to each class as the only teacher they have for English. Despite these challenges, Choduraa (the teacher) works very hard to teach English at this school. It was a pleasure teaching and laughing with her and learning from her.

The rest of the day quickly flew by and my stomach was happily satisfied with Tuvan delights (in one word: meat). I settled in at the principal's house and enjoyed the quiet their space offered. We chatted long into the night about mostly everything. Then it was time for bed, as teaching at a school starts earlier than that at the university.

My alarm sounded early, 7:00 AM. Classes on Tuesday were filled with pictures and stories of my life in America. All eagerly looked on as I showed photographs of my family and friends. Then, I pulled out my trick card: my passport. I have a joke with my girlfriend that whenever there is silence in the classroom, all I have to do is whip out my passport and the issue resolves itself. This is of course not always true, but it is a great conversation starter for when I first meet a group of students. And just as an "fyi", this trick works on me as well with ANY type of foreign document. At 2:30 PM, my teaching day was finished, a wild change from what I am accustomed to - usually in Kyzyl, I only start teaching at 3:00 PM and finish between 6:30 and 7:00 PM. I must say that I enjoy having classes during the morning and day as my energy and attention are more focused. It was then time for lunch, an event that usually passes without incident. Usually.

That day was an exception as I stepped into the small cafeteria. I settled down at the table with some other teachers as well as the principal of the school. We started chatting and the cooks brought out a big plate of meat as well as soup. I finished my soup and reached for a good-sized chunk of meat and sank my teeth in to enjoy the delight of fresh meat. This is usually how one consumes meat in Tuva, literally eating it off the bone. Well, I happened to pick up the collarbone, which apparently is the one piece of an animal's body that is not supposed to be eaten with your teeth, but rather divided with utensils, with pieces distributed to everyone at the table. I missed that memo and with a collective gasp, all eyes focused on me as I held that collar bone in my mouth.

Ooops.

The situation was explained and forgiveness asked for. Everyone had a good laugh and I put that collarbone right back on the plate from whence it came. I selected another piece of meat to eat, one that would not summon bad luck upon me. Lunch was finished and I headed home for some rest before the afternoon/evening's adventure: climbing a mountain!

At 3:00 PM, I met with the 10th graders outside of the principal's house. One-by-one they arrived on bike, bringing an extra one for me. As it has been ages since I've ridden a bike (okay, 6 months, but still), this alone made the experience delightful. It was at this point that I became acquainted with a most extraordinary individual: 8th grader Pavel. Pavel is Russian, but instead of sticking just to his knowledge of the Russian language, he has also learned Tuvan. He can understand and speak the language. This for me is just awesome and I applaud Pavel for his efforts!

Our prize: barely visible from the base.

We set off and met up with another 10th grader on the edge of town and a bit further on, of course, one more of their number met up with us on horseback. It is Tuva after all. Now, as I have mentioned in earlier posts, roads here are bad for those driving or riding in cars. Well on bike, they are worse. Needless to say, I was quite sore by the time we reached the base of the mountain, without any climbing having been commenced. We walked our bikes uphill a bit and parked them in the grass. Then we commenced our ascent. Our friend on horseback showed off his skills and set off at a fast gallop. He stopped at a tree a little way up and tied his horse off at the tree, waiting for the rest of us to arrive, gasping (or maybe that was just me).

The lighthouse and my adventurous companions.

This mountain is made up of one tall peak and some smaller peaks surrounding it (or maybe they are all mountains, I have no idea. I am from Illinois and it is all a mountain to me). We ascended to the first height. The place afforded a spectacular view of the valley and the village. My assurances to the students that I am no athlete were affirmed by this point. With much huffing and puffing, I arrived at the top. There is an old tradition in Tuva to set a stone down after conquering a particularly difficult hill or mountain. Here there was already a small pile of rocks and I added my own to its collective in triumph. But that was not the end. I stared up in lust at the next, much higher part of the mountain. I exchanged a longing look with my comrades and we set off once again. It was easy-going at first, but then it suddenly got really steep. This did not however stop a couple of the students from quite literally running to the top. They bounced on the rocks and were up in a jiffy. I on the other hand huffed and puffed my way up and finally stumbled unto the height of all heights (for me at least). From the top, everything was visible. The gods that day blessed us with beautiful weather and clear skies, although it was quite breezy up there. The the crest is what the locals call a "lighthouse". Similar structures are to be found throughout Tuva, indicating a particularly sacred place. I must add that the structure is metal, meaning somebody climbed this mountain with metal bars in order to construct it on top. Epic. I was only able to ponder this for a bit as my stomach was demanding some reward for providing me the energy to conquer the height. I was not alone in this desire. We all opened our bags and each pulled out their contribution to our picnic. We feasted with delight.

 We took pictures, and enjoyed the scenery and fresh air. Eventually, it was time to descend once again. It was at that point that my muscles realized what I had just done - climbed a mountain. In any case, the descent was more easily accomplished than the ascent. Those who had run up the moment enjoyed doing the same on the way down. We reached our bikes and horse and set off to the sunset on our return to the village. If the roads made me sore on the way to the mountain, then the road back was just torture. Little by little I bumped my way back to the principal's house. Coming into the village, I felt like a champion. Adventure was had and it was sweet! Everyone split off to their separate homes as did I, leaving my bike with its owner. My companions and guides were wonderful. In celebration of the conquest of the mountain, I was given the opportunity to go to the bath house, and it was simply wonderful! Then, aching, I gobbled up treats and had tea and then ate again. Exercise is so wonderful. I was exhausted and as the clock struck eleven, I settled into bed. My sleep however was not as sweet as I would have desired. During our adventure, some of the 10th graders had found ticks on them and I was repeatedly told to be aware of what was crawling on my body. All night I had the sensation that ticks were everywhere on me, something which is not particularly conducive to sleeping.

Back home.

By morning the feeling of ticks had subsided, probably due to the sudden drop in temperature. The day before I had climbed a mountain and enjoyed clear skies and warm weather. That morning I woke up to howling winds, gray skies, and snow. Damn. Furthermore the power was out in the house. After getting ready for the day, I learned that all classes were cancelled except for those held by the 4th and 10th grades, as these two classes were undergoing testing as part of a school-wide assessment. There was snow everywhere outside and I bundled up for class as the heating in the building was not the best. During lessons, I watched as snow accumulated outside. When lessons ended, I left to go back home, being picked up by one of the 10th graders. There was snow everywhere! It was just incredible how quickly the weather turned. I stepped out of the car and was about to make my way inside when the English teacher called the student who gave me a ride, saying I needed to go back to the school. It seems I forgot about lunch! Back in the cafeteria, lunch progressed  without incident and I was then allowed to go home and rest. I settled in at home, drinking tea and thinking warm thoughts. I was waiting until 3:00 PM, when I said I would show the kids "Shrek". When I left the house to return to the school, the temperature had risen and most of the snow had melted. Such a sudden shift!

I showed Shrek and laughed all the way through just as I had 13 years ago (let's take a moment and think about this: Shrek came out in 2001. WHAT?!!!). The students enjoyed it as well and I said goodbye as the movie ended. I was planning to show a second film for the older students later on, so I stuck around for an hour to wait. As the appointed hour passed and no one came, I was persuaded to abandon my post for homemade pelmeni (dumplings). We eagerly enjoyed the dinner feast and I decided to head back home for the day. I arrived back to find the principal and her husband preparing dinner. Time to eat again! This time, bratwurst, mashed potatoes and beer were served. I was quite stuffed by the end of that meal. Now, the principal's husband, Robert, is a dancer who performed with a famous and talented dancing group called "Sayani", based in Kyzyl. He toured Russia and the world with them, and after dinner we settled down to watch a recording of a concert they performed in Taiwan. It was quite spectacular. In the village, Robert teaches dancing to the students at the school. Not that I am any expert, but I would say he has tapped into fresh talent! Returning to the dinner table, we poured tea and chatted until midnight, when it was time for bed.

Stay tuned for part two!