Happy Easter

I live up on the fourth floor of a six story building, so here are shots going up the stairs to my very hip flat.  The stairs are good solid concrete and the travel up and down those stairs a couple of times a day is reminding my knees about arthritis.  The good news is that Ibuprophen at the pharmacy only costs 50 cents for a 20 pack if you buy the Russian brand.  It works just fine.  Up in #11, I have some storage furniture that is somewhat similar to what I see in classrooms and offices at the university and offices at schools and performing arts centers all over the city.  There are some subtle varying grades of fanciness if one inspects the details and sizes of the cabinets, which are sort of like what we used call "wardrobes" meaning freestanding closets with drawers and shelves.  

I don't really receive any mail, but I do send a little, and learned how to get some attention, should I feel the need.  All I have to do is walk into the post office. I will have all the attention a person could ever want or need.  On Wednesday, Mikhail and I walked in to buy some stamps and the people in line not only stopped their business as though we were in a Jim Carey movie, but they ushered me ahead of their line, and there were even a couple of smiles at me.Today is Easter eve, and that is important

since some of my Russian colleagues have told me that this holiday is special similarly to Christmas for us Americans.  This means that I received gifts yesterday and today, but there are no school or work holidays associated with Easter.  Nonetheless, I noticed many people smiling starting about 3:00 p.m. yesterday as they anticipated the holiday weekend, which includes going to church to have your Easter eggs and little Easter cake blessed (two of my gifts) and invitations to festivals.  

There are no houses in the city of
Novgorod that serve as homes for residents, all the homes are apartments.  The city centre is easy to navigate because all roads lead to the Kremlin, which is the fortress that includes monuments, a school dedicated to Sergei Rachmaninoff,(and two other Russian composers) and the most familiar sight, which is the St. Sophia Cathedral.  The bells at the Cathedral will begin ringing in Easter just in a few hours and the honor of ringing those bells goes to specific individuals here in Novgorod.  One of them is the son of my colleague and guide, Tatiana Berford, who will be visiting us at Appalachian State University for two weeks this coming academic year. Tatiana's father is the director of the Rachmaninoff museum in the Kremlin and this entire family of musicians has been a part of the Novgorod musical community for generations. 


Generations of Novgorod's children and youth have had opportunities beyond my wildest dreams to become accomplished musicians across a wide range of genres and via music schools for all ages and varied instruments and ability levels.  The concert hall at the Children Music School named for Rachmaninoff is located in a former Soviet building, said to have been "built to last for centuries." The school's director, Olga Uvarova moves quickly from task to task, because there are 500 students ages 2-14 studying music at the school.  For a treat, here's a little excerpt from jazz sax practice that took place in the hall earlier this week.  I am happy to post children in this case, because they want exposure!