Notes from Cheboksary

To contact us Click HERE

School No. 10

Well, I've been quite busy these past few weeks.  On October 21st and 22nd, there was the 17th annual Language Festival here in Cheboksary. In the festival, I had two presentations - one on Languages of Papua New Guinea (specifically Idi) and the Diversity of Conceptualization (i.e. different number systems and color systems across languages. The second was on Languages in California, and the Current Situation of Language Endangerment. I gave them mostly in Russian, but with some English (since many people were really excited about hearing English, although I think color systems are much more interesting!

School in Alikovo

At the language festival, I met many foreigners and many many Russians. Remi and Pauline, from France, gave presentations in French; Branislav in Slovak, Anouk in Dutch, Dervis in Spanish, Laura in Italian, and Tim, of course, in English with me :)
The children in the schools were as happy to meet us as we were to meet them! I signed countless notebooks and swapped information with the teachers, so I can come back and help in the English classes, and I can do my research in the Chuvash classes. Every school gave us a performance - Alikovo out did them all with their hilarious stereotypes skits, and every concert included a Chuvash song and/or dance which I especially enjoyed.

School No. 10

The first school we went to, School No. 10, was extra special, because it was the elementary school where Sasha, Tania and the Scientist went to school! I even met with some teachers that remembered them. 
Classes varied throughout the schools in regards to language proficiency. Some schools had really great English programs, some had really great Chuvash programs. School No. 62 really stood out to me though as having really great programs in both Chuvash and English. I've made some good connections there, including with the daughter of the director of the school. Her name is Olga, she's my age, very well-travelled and speaks remarkable English. We met the other day for tea and I hope that we will become good friends.

School No. 35

Besides presenting in English, I did a fair amount of speaking in Chuvash! Luckily I have already learned enough phrases to speak decently when asked in front of classes, auditoriums, or even on the Chuvash news! My classes are going well, I meet for two hours every Wednesday. Once in the morning with Sasha Blinov, who is an amazing foreign languages teacher; we speak only in Chuvash for the first half of the lesson which is as hard as it sounds! But it's obviously very effective. I then meet with Alya Petrovna, who is a native speaker, and an expert on everything Chuvash. She helps me really learn the grammar and phonology of the language, how to form suffixes, harmonize vowels, and pronounce everything correctly. It's an amazing team,

New café in Cheboksary

Besides my studies, I have obviously been spending a fair amount of time with Mama and Tania. Mama and I went shopping the other day to supply me with my newest hobby - Chuvash Embroidery! We bought a book and some materials, and then cozied up in this really cute café in the center of town. It's called Bufet, has a really eclectic style that the Scientist would love (and that Mama just doesn't understand!), really great tea and is open all day and all night.
My research is also going well and surveys are coming in! I've been making lots of pretty spreadsheets to house all this valuable information, with colorful graphs, goals, and summaries. 

Mama, new book on Chuvash Embroidery and delicious tea 

Mama was my "guinea pig" for the first speaking survey! It went really well, and I'm excited to hear from more speakers, both their opinions on the Chuvash Russian diaspora here in Chuvashia, as well as on the surveys and their intuitive thoughts on what their results might mean.
Life is exciting here in Cheboksary! Thinking of all my friends and loved ones braving Hurricane Sandy and secretly wishing I were there with them. There's nothing I love more than a dreadfully rainy day, where no one expects you to do anything but snuggle in bed, listen to the rain, drink tea, and read. Heavenly.
All my love,
Kate