Greetings everyone! This past weekend I experienced a very important aspect of Russian life- the Dacha. Because most people live in big, overcrowded cities, they keep small plots of land, called dachas, on the outskirts of the cities. There they keep lovely gardens where they grow fruit and vegetables as well as flowers. They usually have some kind of shelter on the land as well. This can be anything from a little shed to a huge, comfortable house. The one I went to was somewhere in between, a small cottage suitable for one or two people to spend a night.
The dacha is a relaxing and very important place, and it really helped me understand the Russian people. Now I can see where they find peace and beauty. In the picture you can see my host family. The mother is Galya (short for Galina) and the daughter is Anya. I feel very lucky to have been placed in their home. As you can see from the spread on the table, they take very good care of me!
Today I went to an orphanage in Vladimir. The children are adorable, as you can see in the picture. We also went to a kindergarten (this is the name they have for what we call "day care" or "nursery school") and had a good discussion about education in Russia. Tonight I am going to do a few errands and then go home. Tomorrow we learn about the Russian Orthodox faith. Paka!
The dacha is a relaxing and very important place, and it really helped me understand the Russian people. Now I can see where they find peace and beauty. In the picture you can see my host family. The mother is Galya (short for Galina) and the daughter is Anya. I feel very lucky to have been placed in their home. As you can see from the spread on the table, they take very good care of me!Today I went to an orphanage in Vladimir. The children are adorable, as you can see in the picture. We also went to a kindergarten (this is the name they have for what we call "day care" or "nursery school") and had a good discussion about education in Russia. Tonight I am going to do a few errands and then go home. Tomorrow we learn about the Russian Orthodox faith. Paka!
2 comments:
Dear Audrey,
That fresh food makes me hungry. The photo is the Russian version of you and your mom working in the kitchen.
The little orphans look well-behaved and well-treated. Does the photo deceive? Today I went to work and came back. I'll probably do the same thing tomorrow. Wednesday is the Fourth of July. Trick question, do they have a fourth of July in Russia?
Thanks for keeping us informed with your blog.
Love Itchy
Actually, we were all impressed by the work the orphanage does with the children. They are well-fed and seem happy. This is a huge accomplishment, given that 95% of the kids actually have parents but are taken out of the home due to abuse or neglect. The space is clean and child-friendly. The orphanage is funded entirely by the state, and the teachers work for very little money but out of love. It was a real tear-jerker to be there.
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