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Peace Corps, October 27, 1997

Heather's Self-Determining Students

Wanna see the edge of Russian schools? Take a look here!

Find the lone American in this photo!
Heather and her Mad Class
There is a PCV here in Moscow who teaches at a very strange school. Heather's school is called the School of Self-Determination. The students have a lot of freedom in their course selection, not normally the case in Russia, and the kids run with it. In two of the classes she teaches, the students can choose her class or three other classes, on a daily basis. Needless to say, the kids are a handful. For the past week or so, I've been hanging out with Heather and her students, teaching them English slang and mannerisms. So far they know 'chilling,' 'speak to the hand,' and 'whatever.'

I enjoyed going to her school, especially since the school offered tasty lunches dirt cheap. I could get a full lunch with soup, mystery meat, and a vegetable for about $1. I hope she invites me back in spite of the applesauce incident!

Peace Corps, September 22, 1997

Take a Pass on Hotel Ripcrow

Lets just say calling it a Hotel was stretching the truth Life in the gastanitza We are volunteers now! After a beautiful ceremony at the US Ambassador's residence, we officially became volunteers and then reality hit us. We were not going to be leaving for our sites anytime soon, so...

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Peace Corps, August 13, 1997

Sasha is Blonde Ambition

Sasha is the Ryazan Disco King Party time at Wayan's! In every city there is a Sasha, a guy so cool he is loved by everyone. I am lucky enough to be friends with Sasha, and as this photo proves, we even party together. Hell, I first met him on...

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Peace Corps, August 10, 1997

Jacqui is the Sweetness

And at the time, my weakness too! When I first arrived in Russia and met the 44 people who I was going to live with for three months, I was disappointed. Not one future PCV and I clicked, not that they weren't cool and all in their own right, just...

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Peace Corps, August 5, 1997

Are You Crazy? Call Matt

A man, a plan, Toglatti My first memory of him was the day we were to fly to Russia from Washington DC. Two busloads of PCV's pulled up at National Airport, and yours truly was one of the first ones off and getting his bags. I saw Matt standing there,...

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Peace Corps, August 2, 1997

Peace Corps Volunteer Party Time

Peace Corps Volunteers Party better than you! Party PCV's face south Party PCV's face east Party PCV's face north Party PCV's face west When we first arrived, we were 44 people who were all strangers. As Americans, this stage couldn't last long, so we started to party together to find...

Peace Corps, August 1, 1997

Diana Will be a Yale Freshman

Diana rocks the Ryazan Educational Advising Center Me, Diana, & Vlad, chillin' In Ryazan I was assigned to run a Educational Advising Center for the students of the local universities. Actually saying I was to run it is an overstatement. Diana runs the office, I was just to get the...

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Peace Corps, July 7, 1997

Wanna Learn English? Ask Heather

Heather knows the way to conjugate a verb Heather always kisses the air Strangely enough there are Peace Corps Volunteers here in Moscow, and Heather is one of them. She and I have argued about the role of PCV's in the capital of such a country, and until both doors...

Peace Corps, July 2, 1997

Hanna Loves Russia Enough to Volunteer

Hannah is the coolest! Hannah is an amazing woman. She first started coming to Russia when she was a young girl, drawn here by the romance we all feel with this forbidden land. She continued her studies with a Russian tint, finally graduating from the Monterrey Institute (the old CIA...

Peace Corps, July 1, 1997

Guss & Mary Go Shopping

Gus and Mary are joe-cool volunteers! Two of the best people I know in Russia just happen to be Peace Corps volunteer couple in Nizhny Novgorod. Gus & Mary have the best outlook on life, joy with a bit of wisdom, that I can only hope to emulate one day....

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Peace Corps, June 14, 1997

My Russian Host Brother

Dima rocks in German & Russian My Joe-Cool Host Fam My Love: Margo Summertime Fun Dima & Alex in 'hard class' Three friends & an APC When we first arrived in Russia with the Peace Corps, we lived for three months with a Russian host family to acclimate ourselves with...

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