With graduation still a recent memory, I am about to set out on a new adventure. In the fall I will be attending the Monterey Institute of International Studies for a MA in in Nonproliferation and Terrorism, but I will be going there by way of Vermont.
I was honored to receive a full room, board and tuition scholarship to attend the Davis School of Russian at Middlebury College in Vermont. (or as one of my friends has whimsically dubbed it: "Russian Camp") They have a very special curriculum and plan to learn Russian, and I hope that it will help me regain all the language skills I have lost in the last 1.5 years. It is an 8 week residential program at the small and out of the way campus of Middlebury college, which happens to be the parent university of MIIS as well.
The program officially starts on Saturday, and on Sunday we sign what is called the "language pledge" which is a commitment to use Russian in all communication and as the only means of acquiring new information. There are exceptions to this rule, to interact with local non-Russian businesses, get needed assistance and to communicate "as much as I feel is needed" with family and friends. This will mean that I might not be able to talk to everyone I want, as often as I want and might fall a bit behind on all the latest in news (all of which are hard for me). I like to keep in contact with all of you, and if you need to talk to me, I will of course be there for the essential messages.
I am not sure how I will adapt this blog to fit in with the rules of Russian School. Most likely I will continue to post, but do so in simple Russian, with lots of pictures and embed a Google translate bar. That way I will still be communicating in Russian, but in a way that will allow me to continue to stay in touch and share my travels.
I leave on a red eye tonight, and should have time to post first impressions before classes get into full swing
Matt {the recently gradated and soon to be} of the North(east)
I was honored to receive a full room, board and tuition scholarship to attend the Davis School of Russian at Middlebury College in Vermont. (or as one of my friends has whimsically dubbed it: "Russian Camp") They have a very special curriculum and plan to learn Russian, and I hope that it will help me regain all the language skills I have lost in the last 1.5 years. It is an 8 week residential program at the small and out of the way campus of Middlebury college, which happens to be the parent university of MIIS as well.
The program officially starts on Saturday, and on Sunday we sign what is called the "language pledge" which is a commitment to use Russian in all communication and as the only means of acquiring new information. There are exceptions to this rule, to interact with local non-Russian businesses, get needed assistance and to communicate "as much as I feel is needed" with family and friends. This will mean that I might not be able to talk to everyone I want, as often as I want and might fall a bit behind on all the latest in news (all of which are hard for me). I like to keep in contact with all of you, and if you need to talk to me, I will of course be there for the essential messages.
I am not sure how I will adapt this blog to fit in with the rules of Russian School. Most likely I will continue to post, but do so in simple Russian, with lots of pictures and embed a Google translate bar. That way I will still be communicating in Russian, but in a way that will allow me to continue to stay in touch and share my travels.
I leave on a red eye tonight, and should have time to post first impressions before classes get into full swing
Matt {the recently gradated and soon to be} of the North(east)
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