Orientation

Today I participated in a day long orientation before flying out to Tomsk.  Besides sessions on logistics (are there bank machines?  do we really have to speak only Russian?  what are classes going to be like?), we also had a panel of guest speakers who use Russian in some form or another in their careers.  They included the Director of Programs for the Eurasia Foundation, the Curator of Russian and Eastern European Art at the Hillwood Estate Museum in Washington, DC, and a civil servant who works in the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. State Department.  They all had fascinating stories and made me seriously think about how I can use Russian language in the future.  The keynote speaker was Alina L. Romanowski, who was recently appointed as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs in the Depart of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (quite a mouthful, isn't it?...).  She spoke about how important it is for Americans to study foreign languages.  I was heartened by her vision of increasing the number of people in our country who are proficient in languages such as Russian.      

The most bizarre experience came at the end of the day.  After the orientation program, all the participants had dinner at the restaurant Bucco di Beppo.  I had a nice conversation with the man who basically oversees the logistical side of the Critical Language Scholarship Program.  However, it was slightly disconcerting to eat in a room filled with pictures of Pope John Paul II peering down at me.  A bust of his head was used as a decorative piece in the center of the table.  Very Odd indeed.  Nevertheless the meal was delicious.   It is a real treat to interact with people with similar interests and who share my incomprehensible love of Russia.