Friday, January 25, 2008

Hello,dear friends!

I'm new to this virtual world. Before starting blogging with my students I want to try and learn how the thing works and how effective it might be and how much fun it may give. So, anyone with any ideas and comments, of course, are very welcome. I'm from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. It's the third largest city in our country. I'm going to post a picture of it later. Now I wonder has the world head anything about it? And what is the first assotiation that come into your head when you see the word 'Russia'? Thanks, see you.

13 comments:

Carla Raguseo said...

Hi Yulia!

Congratulations on your new blog! I remember the very first time I started a blog I called it Trial Go since it was a sandbox or playground to start experimenting.

I loved your question. Whenever I hear the word Russia I think of a vast country stretching across two continents, impressive buildings and very cold winter.I also think of great artists such as Tchaikovsky, Baryshnikov and so many others. From now on I'm sure I'll also associate it with fellow edubloggers! May I ask what the first thing you think when you see the word Argentina is?

I look forward to the photos!

Best regards,
Carla R.

Angela said...

Hello Yulia,

I started my blog with the same intention as you, as a trial before the real thing with my students. Have a look at it:
http://teachersbeliefs.blogspot.com/

When I think about Russia, two things come to mind: cold weather and the Red Square.
Priviet = is that like HELLO?

What comes to your mind when you think about Brazil?

Angela

Ana Maria Menezes said...

Hello Yulia,

I still keep my trial blog, in fact it´s my favourite, my playground, you know?

Russia makes me think of snow, vodka, intelligent people, rich culture, great writers... Haven´t met many Russian people though. Great to see you in our group.

You can learn a lot by visiting other people´s blogs and whenever you see something you´d like in your blog, just ask them how to do it. People are very willing to help.

My trial blog: http://www.lifefeast.blogspot.com

Nina Lyulkun said...

HI Yulia,

I guess, you have been warming to your blog since so many warm words have arrived in your first attempt of blogging. The best of luck and stay in touch with this friendly and super nice community.

When I meet some educators from Russia here in the B4Ed group I feel proud for you as I also came from Russia. Nevertheless, it is the cold winter there, I feel the warm in my heart.

That's right, Carla, Angela, Ana Maria, that the famous artists, writers, musicians and others come from big and vast Russia.

Happy blogging!
Uspehov tebie, Yulia!

Nina Lyulkun

Mary H said...

Dear Yulia,
Congratulations on creating your blog, and like you said, I hope you can experiment with many things here before introducing blogging to your students!

When I think of Russia, I am taken back to my 6th grade class. My teacher had traveled to Russia and shared her trip, pictures, and information with us. I have always been interested in other countries, and so her experience fascinated me, and made me hope to visit many countries during my lifetime.

I will check back to your blog for a photo from your hometown. From what Nina has told me, her hometown in Russia has a beautiful landscape!

Mary

Yulia Ch said...

Hello, Carla!
I'm glad to find something in common with a person so far far away.
Argentina is a very exotic country for me, bright and always alive (while we are sleeping under snow),I assotiate it with tango and fantastic latino music.

Yulia Ch said...

Hello,Angela!
I've added your blog to my bookmarks to visit you - that's the topic I'm also interested in.
When I think about Brazil, I imagine the enormous figure of Christe, the ocean, palms, hot weather, something like paradise. Some 10-7 years ago Brazilians TV serials were very popular in our country. Though I've never met anyone in real life, I imagine you as passionate, friendly, in love people.
Privet is really 'hello',informal. More formal,traditional but suitable in any situation word for greeting is 'zdravstvuyte'(polite or plural) or 'zdravstvuy'(informal,single only)that means 'I wish you health'.

Yulia Ch said...

Please, tell me if it is possible to answer the comment and to place it right under the comment you have answered or any other way to link your answer to the right comment?
Thanks.

Angela said...

Hello Yulia,

First of all, I really will have to stay with "privet" because it is impossible for me to pronounce the other polite word you've so kindly taught me. You know, in Portuguese, syllables are usually formed with one consonant and one vowel, so it is VERY hard for us to read a word with SO many consonants. I tried but I can't do it. Anyway, I laughed a lot trying.

You're right about Brazilian people, in general, we tend to be very warm and friendly. And the weather is indeed quite hot 80% of the time.

Best wishes,

Angela

Annie said...

We adopted four children from Ivanovo, and I remember seeing on the map that Nizhny Novgorod was not all that far.... Also, an acquaintance adopted a little girl from that region.

I love Russia! I would love to be an English teacher in Russia, myself. I majored in Russian Language in college, but have forgotten so much....

Yulia Ch said...

Great respect to You,Annie!
I have two children and would like to have more if I could afford it. Do you teach your children Russian culture?

Annie said...

Yes! We have a "Russian School" here and the children attend every Friday. Here is a presentation on it:

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/multimedia/26792

Also, we celebrate the holidays - we just had a nice Yolka party a few weeks ago.

Mariel Amez said...

Privet, Yulia, from Argentina!

I have the same problem as Angela with the consonants :-(

I must confess I had never heard about your city. Shame on me! The pictures are lovely!

When I think of Russia, the first words that come to mind are snow, the domes of the Red Square, Faberge eggs, Czar Peter the Great (I read a biographical novel as a child), and of course the 1917 Revolution. But my image is of czarist Russia definitely.

You say you associate Argentina with tango. Did you know there's a tango set in Russia? Here

http://www.todotango.com/spanish/las_obras/letra.aspx?idletra=2345

you can listen to it and read the lyrics in Spanish. It's called "Nieve", which means "snow".

Congrats on your blog! I've referred to it on mine for collaborative writing.

Best,