Again, the breakfast... starting the day with this breakfast is amazing. There was an accumulation of overnight snow. We spent the greater part of the day at Slavic-Anglo-American School - MARINA in the central part of Moscow. The students in this school were amazing. The principal and headmistress are so important in establishing a school culture. The two ladies at this school are wonderful. Hospitality and respect of education is evidenced in our treatment - including students standing at our entrance to rooms as we visited and meals/snacktimes.
TRUE STORY: My concierge Vadim at our hotel helped me beautifully yesterday by calling his grandfather, an avid stamp collector, on my behalf. I hope to go to a shop or store when we return to Moscow in a week. I offered him a tip and a few stamps to give to his grandfather including an Apollo - Soyuz stamp from America. Today, at our first break during the morning session with a Moscow Duma elected education council official, I started a conversation with an invited guest to the event, an English teacher from northwest Moscow. She had learned the day before she would be attending. Valentina Z. asked where our group was staying. At the mention of Hotel Baltschug Kempinski, her eyes lit up and she said "that is where her my son works." I looked at her face, and said "Vadim," she said "yes," and we just stood in awe of the moment. REAL SHOCK OF AN AMERICAN IN MOSCOW HAD MET HER SON, OFFERED A GIFT TO HER FATHER, THEN MET HER! We then took pictures, talked of giving my gift of the stamps to her father from her son, she texted Vadim, and I took a picture with Vadim as soon I returned to our hotel. HE AND I JUST STOOD AND LOOKED AT EACH OTHER - IT WAS A LOVELY MOMENT.
TRUE STORY: My concierge Vadim at our hotel helped me beautifully yesterday by calling his grandfather, an avid stamp collector, on my behalf. I hope to go to a shop or store when we return to Moscow in a week. I offered him a tip and a few stamps to give to his grandfather including an Apollo - Soyuz stamp from America. Today, at our first break during the morning session with a Moscow Duma elected education council official, I started a conversation with an invited guest to the event, an English teacher from northwest Moscow. She had learned the day before she would be attending. Valentina Z. asked where our group was staying. At the mention of Hotel Baltschug Kempinski, her eyes lit up and she said "that is where her my son works." I looked at her face, and said "Vadim," she said "yes," and we just stood in awe of the moment. REAL SHOCK OF AN AMERICAN IN MOSCOW HAD MET HER SON, OFFERED A GIFT TO HER FATHER, THEN MET HER! We then took pictures, talked of giving my gift of the stamps to her father from her son, she texted Vadim, and I took a picture with Vadim as soon I returned to our hotel. HE AND I JUST STOOD AND LOOKED AT EACH OTHER - IT WAS A LOVELY MOMENT.
School food and snacks are prepared for all students each day. The bell to dismiss classes is more of beautiful chime. I found the keys intriguing. It is past midnight and I am working at saving and savoring the moments. At the end of our time at the school, wonderful teacher of English, Svetlana G. offered me greater insight into teaching her classes and spoke of living in the country and white water rafting. If you get this far, spasiba for reading. I am going to publish it and refine the details later!