Wednesday, October 21, 1998

Edward wakes me at 7: 00 am. He takes my temperature, and it has dropped back close to normal. I don’t feel as achy, but I am very lethargic. My nose, head, and ears are still full; but in general, I think the worst has passed, for now at least.

Edward has arranged for Andrew, an eighth grade student, to be my interpreter for my return trip to the clinic later in the morning, and we walk together to school. Andrew’s parents are both doctors, he tells me on our walk. The cold front has passed, and it is a very cold day, maybe 35F with a stiff wind blowing. I try to protect my ears as best I can.

The Star Spangled Banner

Edward greets me as I walk in on his seventh grade US/English Studies class. The students are busy designing posters in teams of two about special USA facts, such as currency, geography, the White House, etc. When finished, they present their posters with speeches to the class. Edward conducts a quiz competition about US current events, and Team B wins. The funniest moment is when one answers that Monica Lewinsky is President Clinton’s wife! The class stands and sings the “Star Spangled Banner” for me in English, and I cannot stop the tears in my fragile emotional and physical state.

Clinic Visit Number Two

It’s time for Andrew to take me to the clinic for more treatments. They repeat the cheek-pad procedure, and the heat lamp. Turns out, they have been leaving large square-shaped openings in the towels, and I have “sun burns” on my back and chest! The burns are angry red and hurt today! The nostril-mouth breathing machine has a new wrinkle today. This time I breathe some kind of medicinal smoke through my mouth, with instructions to blow out through my nose! I can barely do it, and I cough spasmodically. At the conclusion of today’s session, I try and pay Oxana, but she refuses to accept. She tells me to come back Thursday, and on the way back to school to stop at an anteka (drug store) and buy some capsules.

Persistent Reporter

Andrew guides me to the drugstore near the kindergarten. The storm is finally over, the air is even colder, and some low clouds scud the sky. The university reporter is at school, but she gets no cooperation, and Edward shoos her away. But she does not give up so easily, and follows me to an eleventh grade German History class. She talks her way in and sits next to me, and tries to ask me questions. I let her look at my photo album, but will not talk with her in class.

It’s time for lunch with Lyudmila, and she shoos the reporter away too. We have mashed potatoes, meat balls, borscht, coleslaw, and a sweet tasting biscuit. I take my pill with some hot tea, and Lyudmila says I look much better today. Nina shows up and Lyudmila finally relents and lets Nina translate for five minutes with the student reporter.

Various Visits

We finish, and Lyudmila takes me to Natasha’s office. She is another Asst. Principal. She has her famous dancer son, Sasha, with her. I have seen him perform three times so far – the first concert, School #11, and the Gymnasium. He is one of the stars in the fantastic generation/love dance. I had given them silver coins before, and now they want to return the favor. They present me with a Lesya Ukrainka picture book and a ceramic rooster for holding liquor.

I am led back to Lyudmila’s office where I am asked to write in their school’s memory album. Galina comes by and we chat. She has heard I was ill, and is worried about me. Then Edward comes and says that the PE boys want me to come by and watch them play basketball in the after school circle. I oblige. Some of our eighth grade teams would have easily defeated them I think, but they play well, and one boy in particular reminds me of one of our star players. He is a very good ball handler. I tell them all some things about their skills and playmaking that I know their coach will approve, and depart.

Lyudmila finds me and tells me it’s time to leave. I return to Edward, and we walk under a cold clearing sky. I keep my ears as warm as possible, and welcome that the wind has started to dry the wet pavement and some of the puddles. This is the kind of weather I remember in Wisconsin that freezes mud, water, and sweat.

End of the Day

We arrive home around 4: 30 pm. For once we beat his mom home. She arrives shortly afterward, bearing Wednesday’s town paper. My family photos and long article are on the front page! It is quite a thing to behold! Edward says he will try and translate some of it for me later.

Edward and his mom sit down to their late afternoon lunch meal, as is their custom, but I defer, and journal. Valentina has made a special meal for us tonight – meat dumplings called pelmeni. There are over a 100 on the tray, and she will boil them later. Edward calls Oxana about my visit today. He tells me that she called last night asking about me.

This is so unlike Phoenix. Parents call at night about their children, and clinics call about their patients! Oxana recommends hard milk for my burns, and a vodka compress for my ear when I sleep tonight.

Now I need to work on a USA lesson plan for tomorrow. Galina and Edward have surprised me by telling me that they will combine their two classes and let me teach a 45 minute lesson. I work on it while Edward meets with his other tutor student and his mother runs an errand. I decide I will make a timeline by putting individual famous US events on each paper square. The students will be asked to put them into correct chronological order.

Then I change my mind, and decide I will use the mobiles my students made and do the Five Themes of Geography instead. I’ll also show them US currency bills, and discuss the presidents and historical times represented on each bill $1.00 to $100. I also have all US coins with me for fuller discussion.

Edward is here with my ear compress, so I am off to bed. His mom is watching “ER” tonight, and I try and explain to her how unrealistic it really is. Ed’s student stops by on her way out and asks me what “rock on” and “rock your booty” mean in American music. I try to explain as best I can, and say goodnight to all. My LAST busy day will be tomorrow!