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May 2008
Glimpses of Russian Life
by SHARON TEMPLEMAN
The past few days have been focused on an international conference here at the university. I presented my paper on multicultural education yesterday. I was lucky to get it in; when academicians talk about their research and interests, it is hard to stop us. I was the last to present on that day; four either were delayed until today or did not present their work. The conference is focused on saving indigenous language and culture here in the Udmurt Republic. There were some very interesting presentations. Two researchers who are involved in the collaborative project (which is now ending after 2 years) presented the findings and recommendations from the overall project. My paper compared the collaboration that Dr. Emmerentie Oliphant and I have with the Native American tribe in East Texas to the work here and gave suggestions for promoting cultural competence in the classroom as a means of social justice. It was well received and has been accepted for publication.
Wednesday before the conference I also repeated my lecture on Interdisciplinary Communication to a second group - this time to English-speaking students and faculty…about 75 people. Again it was well received; I got lots of positive feedback. I have met some very interesting and nice new colleagues in the Institute of Foreign Languages and the American Studies Center who were the sponsors of this lecture and a meeting held earlier in the week, one of whom was previously a Fulbright Scholar in Kansas. We have plans for lunch next week.
Yesterday I visited a preschool for children with speech and hearing disabilities. Again the staff were eager for me to see every aspect of the program and allowed me to observe their direct work with children. What a joy this was. The environment was bright and cheerful, with many windows and art on the walls. The children were precious and eager to engage with a foreigner. This program, like others I have visited, was developed in response to pleas by parents. It is refreshing to see that parents are being empowered to receive services for their children rather than placing them in orphanages. This theme of empowerment is also visible through initiatives the government has initiated to empower families to take children into foster care rather than placing them in orphanages…including providing training and financial incentives to do so. This is extremely exciting!
My small studio flat is right on campus, so I can walk to almost everything I need. This also gives me an opportunity to explore the city on my own. Around the city of Izhevsk I have noticed the following. The architecture here is much the same as other Russian cities: a combination of Soviet and modern genres. Most housing is in high-rise Soviet style with much need for repair. There are also some small, single-family homes which resemble the outbuildings we have on farms. More elaborate housing for dignitaries and, I am told for Mafia, are situated outside the city. I have seen some of these homes; they resemble small castles. Izhevsk seems to be a safer and friendlier city than others I have visited in Russia. It seems more family-oriented than other cities I have visited; I see families with children enjoying the parks, shops, and museums. Multigenerational living is still prominent here.
The dreaded day has arrived! Every spring as the weather begins to warm, the heat and hot water are turned off across the city as there is a central system for both. So, we now have no heat and no hot water in our flats; this typically lasts several days “while maintenance is performed on the pipes.” Yikes! Unfortunately, also, the weather is not consistently warm. Two days ago was very cold, windy, and rainy…with a sudden hail storm. A few minutes later the sun was shining again, but it was still blustery…it changes like Texas weather.
Back to no hot water…I learned from a colleague that my many mothers at the hostel have a secret shower that always has hot water, so this morning they rescued me again…I had a warm shower.
I am learning much more about the endangered Udmurt culture through the conference, my colleagues and the international researchers from Finland and the UK. Two colleagues shared with me the work they are doing with the Urdmurt villagers through music and dance where they (the villagers) demonstrate “Veme,” traditions of mutual support through difficult times, past and present. I still hope to visit the village to see this first hand. Tomorrow I will accompany the conference organizers to one of these villages. I’m looking forward to this adventure.
More later, Sharon
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Summer heat and busy days in Izevsk
by SHARON TEMPLEMAN
Hello again,
Isn’t technology great…except when it malfunctions? My time in Izevsk is almost ½ over and I am just able to send the second blog entry. I do not have internet in my flat, so correspond from my office which is not always available or reliable.
I am living in a small studio flat in the hostel where international guests and students stay. It is clean and functional. It is right on campus, so I can walk to almost everything I need. Otherwise I have been driven by new friends…for example when I had dinner last Sunday with a family and when I went to the Opera House for a concert Tuesday evening. Yesterday I did my laundry; it took 2 hrs just to wash. I have since learned that this is typical. Russian and US machines look alike, but don’t quite act alike. I had to leave before it was finished so one of the ladies (guards/I will now begin to call them my many mothers because they take such good care of me) hung it to dry for me; they are very nice and helpful and seem to enjoy my broken Russian. I brought her chocolates which went a long way toward international relations.
The dreaded day has arrived! Every spring as the weather begins to warm, the heat and hot water are turned off across the city as there is a central system for both. So, we now have no heat and no hot water in our flats; this typically lasts several days “while maintenance is performed on the pipes.” Yikes! Unfortunately, also, the weather is not consistently warm. Two days ago was very cold, windy, and rainy…with a sudden hail storm. A few minutes later the sun was shining again, but it was still blustery…it changes like Texas weather
Back to no hot water…I learned from a colleague that my many mothers at the hostel have a secret shower that always has hot water, so this morning they rescued me again…I had a warm shower.
Life has been very busy her for the past week. I find myself taking on the frenetic pace of my Russian colleagues…they don’t walk from one meeting to the next; they run. I have visited several municipal social agencies to compare Russian service delivery with US social work. First I visited a rehab center for children with disabilities due to cerebral palsy. Their approach is holistic, with many different kinds of equipment and treatment. The children come for a month-long program and then are served as outpatients. The staff is extremely dedicated to their work and proud of their successful program. The facility is very Russian…very old, large 2-story building with small rooms and minimal furnishings…but brightly decorated and cheerful.
Yesterday I visited “Warm Home,” a shelter for victims of domestic violence. The building was much like the rehab center. The services at this center include a “crisis helpline,” short-term shelter (typically 2 weeks), counseling, prevention and publicity. When asked about their greatest challenge in this center, the staff replied, “salaries” and compared it to volunteer work because they have to work other jobs to survive. This seems to be unchanged since my research in 2000. But services are definitely more sophisticated. In 2000 the struggle was in getting the government to support social services. Now, though resources are very limited, workers believe they are better able to meet the need. At this center I was reminded about what a small world we live in as I discovered the Director and I have a common friend in Saratov, Russia where I lived in 2005.
Another phenomenon that seems to be changing here in Russia is the issue of volunteerism. When last in Russia I heard no one speak of volunteerism; everyone was simply working too much at many jobs to consider volunteering time. Here in Izevsk I have heard on several occasions of people volunteering. In one instance, as I was meeting with the faculty of foreign languages and The American Center, I was asked in what ways I believe that faculty (all English speakers) can assist people with disabilities through volunteerism. We had a lively brainstorming session.
Finally, I’ll share with you my visit to Tchaikovsky’s birthplace in Watkins last Saturday. I was accompanied by my dear colleague Oksana (who is my angel) and we were driven by our personal driver who is provided by the university…(sometimes I feel almost important!!). After hearing Tchaikovsky’s 6th symphony at the concert last week, I was ready to see his home and hear about his life, which is quite interesting. I am always fascinated by remnants of Soviet times and certainly found them here. For example as we first entered the home, we were instructed to put on some unusual spat-like covers over our shoes; they were one-size-fits-all and tied around our ankles so we shuffled from room to room. While Tchaikovsky’s family was not wealthy, their home is lovely, with many stately rooms and outbuildings for summer, winter, and other purposes. Some of the furnishings were original to the family. (By the way, this area of Russia was far from the scenes of battle in WWII). Watkins is a small city with a pretty lake as the central focus. I hope to learn how to download pictures from my new camera so that I can include them in my next entry.
For now, Paka (goodbye)
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Welcome to Russian Adventure
by DR. SHARON TEMPLEMAN
I am a social work educator from SFA in Izhevsk, Russia (arrived 5/6/08) in a short-term Fulbright Senior Specialist’s position to collaborate on multicultural issues in higher education. I will be lecturing, speaking in the community, developing the project, and presenting a paper at an international conference. My final week I will travel to a different city to visit friends and colleagues from my first Fulbright experience.
