Yes, I am sane and I just spent 15 hours in SPB on Saturday. It was an 8 hour overnight train from Petrozavodsk and round trip tickets cost 1100 rubles during non peak seasons. (Approx 50 SGD)
Why was I in SPB?
Elena
The main reason was Elena. I met her while I was working as a counselor at summer camp in Ohio, USA in 2007. My friend, Elena got a job in America and will be leaving Russia this Tuesday. We spent some time at Café Lagize (a good Georgian crusine restaurant along Bellinskogo ulitsa) catching up on our life.
Elena came down to Moscow to spend time with me during my last week in Moscow last June and we were sad when we parted ways at the airport because we thought we will not meet again for a long time .But we did, on Saturday. :)
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AIESEC
I got accepted into a development internship with AIESEC in Saint Petersburg to teach English at an orphanage in June and July. Part of my university’s (SMU) requirement is for students to complete 80 hours of community service, so I’m doing mine in Saint Petersburg. Cool! This trip down to SPB allowed me to clarify some details regarding the internship and meet the AIESECers involved in the project.
So on Saturday morning, I met Dasha, the leader of the project. I was really lucky because on that day, the Russian volunteers for the project met for the first time and organized a “meet the children “session at the orphanage. So I had the opportunity to see all 40 of the children living in the there.I was the only volunteer who was a foreigner there.
Being Asian (looking different) and speaking English, the children took an interest in me quickly .Some of them were hugging me and crowding around me to get their English names written on their ribbons.
Although English was listed as (required) and Russian (preferred) on the internship description, on Saturday, speaking Russian was absolutely required and English just gave me the extra edge.Yes,I did struggle to understand some of the things the children said. One kids said his name was Spartak, another ,said Naruto (some Japanese cartoon).
There will be about 16 children who will be able to learn English under me and other foreign AIESEC volunteers from May – July. And we will have Russian volunteers who will do the translation during classes as well. I’m excited thinking of the various ways I can teach the children !
Victor , Katya ,Me and Dasha
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Hermitage
After lunch with the AIESECers at a Japanese restaurant, Ria volunteered to come with me to visit the Hermitage. She studied English in the University for 2.5years and now, she rarely has the opportunity to use the language. She got to practise her English with me. I didn’t mind of course. There is free entry into the Hermitage for all students irrespective of nationality. But guess what, some parts of the Hermitage were under construction. But nevertheless, I had a great time :)
So that was my 15 hours in Saint Petersburg. I had an amazing time and I have something interesting to write and talk about for Russian class on Monday :)
