News of the Kotlas Connection

• Kotlas Connection Hosts Four Visitors
• Scenes from Russian Sampler 2006
• Essay by Tanya Golikova
• Essay by Tanya Varmashkina

By Carl Daiker, with Gregor Smith

From left to right, Tanya Varmashkina, Tanya Shelygina, and Tanya Golikova. Tanya is a common name in Russia.

Russian Sampler Day 2006 was a great success on many fronts, not the least of which was the presence of four guests from Kotlas. The four visitors were Tanya Varmashkina, 15, a student from Kotlas; Tanya Golikova, 16, a student from Provodino (about 20 minutes outside of Kotlas); Tanya Shelygina, a teacher of English at the Pedagogical Institute in Kotlas; and Ivan ("Vanya") Shelygin, Tatyana's husband. They arrived in Boston on Monday, March 20.

The two girls were the winners of an essay contest sponsored by the Kotlas Connection last fall. Entrants were asked to submit an essay in English by email. In their essays, they were asked to describe themselves, their families, their hobbies, their career aspirations, and their reasons for wanting to come to America. You can read their essays below.

Each of our guests was hosted by a local family: Tanya G. by the family of Joe Couture of Sidney, Tanya V. by Waterville Mayor Paul LePage and his wife Ann, and Tanya Shelygina and Vanya Shelygin by Herb and Nancy Foster of Waterville.

The ten-day visit was whirlwind of activity. Our guests were interviewed and photographed several times by the Morning Sentinel. On the first Wednesday, they had a full day of sightseeing in the Portland area, and on Thursday, the two students attended classes at two local high schools.

Vanya Shelygin

That Friday, they visited Acadia National Park, returning to Waterville that evening for a public reception in the REM Forum, which 44 people attended. The next day, our guests took in the sights and sounds of Boston, including Quincy Market, Harvard Square, and the Aquarium.

The highlight of the visit was Russian Sampler on Monday, March 27. Held at Colby College, Russian Sampler is a day of workshops, classes, and presentations about Russia and Russian culture for area middle school students.

The three Tanyas presented classes on Russian schools and teenage life, while Vanya played guitar and sang traditional Russian tunes. Our guests concluded their Sampler experience with a tour of the Colby campus and a lobster feast at the home of Kotlas Connection secretary Ellen Corey.

The next day found our Russian visitors in Augusta, seeing the state legislature in action, visiting the governor's office, and touring the State Museum. That evening the two students attended an American birthday party.

On March 29, all four guests journeyed to Sugarloaf for a day of snowboarding. This was one of the major thrills of their visit to Maine. Later that evening members of the Connection's Executive Committee joined our four guests and their host families in a traditional American Thanksgiving feast at the home of Sheila McCarthy and Clifford Reid. The Kotlas Connection always tries to hold a Thanksgiving feast for visitors from Kotlas, no matter what time of year they come.

We regretfully bade good-bye to the three Tanyas and Vanya on March 31, as they headed out of Boston bound for Russia. It was a visit we're sure none of the participants, Russian and American, will soon forget.

Our Russian guests arrived home safe and sound and began preparing for the second annual American Sampler on Sunday, April 16. Based on our Russian Sampler, some 120 students and teachers of English attended this event, where they learned about American history, quilting, country music, American schools, America on the Internet, and American English. Our guests took back with them a significant supply of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff to make American sandwiches for American Sampler participants.

Read Essays by Tanya G. and Tanya V.!

Held annually on the last Monday in March, our Russian Sampler is a day of workshops, classes, and presentations about Russia and Russian culture for area middle school students. The program is held at Colby College and is cosponsored by Colby's Department of German and Russian. This year, 171 students attended. They came from middle and junior high schools in Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, Damariscotta, Augusta, Bristol, Rockland, and Newport. For the first time, we also had several home-schooled students. Each student attended four sessions. Topics included Russian language, music, Easter egg decorating, birch bark carving, history, icons, fairy tales, schools, and last (but not least) cooking. Among the instructors were members of the Kotlas Connection, teachers, and other Russophiles. A new instructor this year was Fr. Chad Williams of the Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church in Richmond, who introduced Russian Orthodox Christianity to his pupils. Even in years when we do not visitors from Kotlas here in March, we invariably have exchange students from elsewhere in the former Soviet Union as Russian Sampler presenters. In the bottom photo are Irina Zyuzina from Irkutsk, Russia and Olesya Nkrasa from St. Petersburg. The two girls were in Maine for the 2005-2006 academic year as part of the Future Leaders Exchange program of the U.S. State Department. Irina was attending Oak Hill High School in Sabattus, while Olesya went to Maine Central Institute (MCI) in Pittsfield.

Below are the contest-winning essays by Tatyana ("Tanya") Golikova and Tatyana ("Tanya") Varmashkina. We have shortened Tanya V's essay somewhat, but have not changed any words in either essay.

Tanya G's Essay

Hello! My name is Tatyana Golikova. I'd like to tell you something about myself. From the very start I should say that it is not an easy thing to speak about myself as it is hard to have a look at yourself from aside, but at the same time who knows you better than you yourself do?

I am sixteen-year-old Russian girl. I live in Kotlas suburb in the settlement of Privodino. Our settlement is 25 km far from Kotlas and it takes me 20 minutes to get there.

I go to a high school, where I am in the eleventh grade. My school is one of the ordinary provincial Russian schools where we study different subjects such as Math, Russian, English, Literature, Physics, Chemistry and others. My favorite subjects are Math and English. I like Math for its precision, logicality and distinctness. The Great Russian scientist Michael Lomonosov (who was born in our Archangelsk region and founded the first Russian University — Moscow State University) ones said that "Math should be studied even only for that purpose, that it puts brains in order". At our English lessons we learn new words, do grammar exercises, translate from English into Russian, etc. Last month I took part in English Language Olympiad in Kotlas and I was the best among students from our district schools. I like to study English because it is the main international language in the world. Russia is integrating into the world community and the problem of learning English for the purpose of communication is especially urgent today. I like to communicate with people. To tell the truth I have never spoken with people from other countries but in future I hope to travel a lot.

Two years ago I graduated art school in piano class. My favorite composers are Mozart and Tchaikovsky. I like Mozart's music for its romanticism. I have a piano at home and I play my favorite melodies when I have free time. It helps me to relax.

My family is not big. I am a single child of my parents and darling of course. I suppose that family is the most important thing for each of us. My family is very friendly. My parents love me and I mutually love them. I try to help them in everything. My mum is an accountant by profession but now she doesn't work. She is housewife. My mum is a very good cook. She knows what is necessary for us. Dad and I try to help her whenever we can. My dad works at gas-compressor station. He is engineer. My grandparents do not live with us. They come to see us and we invite them very often. We usually get together on our family holidays. We have traditions to celebrate New Year's Day, our birthdays, Christmas, Easter and other holidays together. On Christmas we usually buy gifts for members of our family and for our friends. We also prepare special foods and cookies. Christmas is a religious holiday and one of the happiest holidays of the year, because it is the day that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We celebrate it on January 7 in Russia. I like Russian holiday Maslenitsa. This holiday lasts for a week. Russian people celebrate it at the end of February or at the beginning of March. They say "goodbye" to winter on this holiday. During "Maslenitsa week" we always cook pancakes.

The things I like to do in my free time are reading, listening to music and walking with my friends. My favorite books are detective stories. They are always very interesting and exciting. The books teach us to be kind and clever, to be generous and reasonable. They disclose a wonderful world of human emotions.

My favorite food is steak with a baked potato. For a drink I like fresh juices because it is very tasty and useful for health. Sometimes I like to cook myself.

Some words about a sport in my life. I like swimming in summer because it is good for the back and the heart. I like outdoor sports. Sometimes the whole family goes skiing at the winter weekends. Several times I played paintball with my friends. Paintball is fun and very exciting. There are very interesting and beautiful extreme sports. Especially I like skydiving and base jumping. I never jumped with parachute, but I plan to do it in future. Some of my friends did it and they said that it is appallingly. I am optimist, in almost every thing I see its good side, I am full of energy and enthusiasm. I have a sense of humor and I am fond of a joke.

I like to travel. I have visited several Russian cities such as Yaroslavl, Vologda, Rostov-on-Don and others. I have never been to other countries. If I go to Waterville I would like to visit school there. I would also like to compare Russian school and American school. I will make friends and speak English. I'd like to know about the history of Waterville and the state Maine.

Some words about the place where I live. Kotlas is the third largest town of the Archangelsk region. Founded in 1899 as a railway station, Kotlas got status of a town in 1917. Today it is a major transport, industrial and cultural center. The name of our settlement is Privodino. It means that it is located near the water. According to the legend when Russian Tsar Peter the Great was sailing down the Northern Dvina from Velikiy Ustyug to Archangelsk and saw our settlement, he said "What a lovely place! It is just near the water". Privodino is not very big. The population is about 3,000 people. Gas- and oil-transfer industries are very important industries in our settlement. There are two schools, an art school, and a museum in our settlement. It is famous for its pine forest. It is planted by merchant Shchelkunov 100 years ago. The pines are so tall there and the air is so fresh! Our school art has a unique pottery workshop. Boys and girls like to spend hours there making earthenware crockery. I know that some Americans from Waterville visited this workshop [in the summer of 2002.] The citizens of our settlement prepared a concert and excursion for guests.

What I would like to become? Every job has its elements of difficulties and interest. I think that nearly all the professions are very important in life. But to choose the right occupation is very difficult, because we must take in to consideration many factors. The end of school is the beginning of an independent life, the beginning of a more serious examination. I have a specially liking for to become an economist. Because I like operate with numbers and it is a prestigious profession today.

Having a burning desire to get a taste of America, especially Waterville, I am determined to participate in the competition of electronic messages. So, let me take a shine on you!!!

Born in Kotlas, where I am still living, my dear parents decided to give me the name of Tatyana, or Tanya, as I am effectively called. This name came to Russia from Vizantiya [Byzantium] with the appearance of Christianity. Girls with such a name stand out special purpose and obstination.

So, at this time I am a 15-year-old girl. Usually at the start of writing about yourself, people describe their appearance and temper. So do I. I am a bit tall for my years my height has achieved 175 cm, my eyes are blue as the sky, my hair is fair, my nose is straight.

I think every person always dreams about the place where he can speak about his problems, chat with close friends, where he can feel happy and quiet. For me it is my family and my home. It is the best place in the world and my dearest people live here.

I live with my father, mother, brother and dog. With so many people in our flat I do not have a chance to be alone, unseen or unheard.

My father is 44. He is a tall and well-built strong man with short black hair and blue eyes. He is interesting and hardworking. Really, he is a bread-maker [breadwinner] of the family. My father works as an engineer at the company of Rosneft [Russia's state oil company]. Dad is handy with many things. His hobby is fixing everything at home.

My mother is very lively. She is life and the soul of the family. She is a pleasant woman of 42 with beautiful smile and deep blue eyes. Mum is my best friend.

My brother is a pupil; he is graduating school this academic year. He is a handsome youngster with blue eyes and short dark hair. He is going to enter the State Polytechnical University of St. Petersburg after school. In common, he is a sociable and funny person who enjoys playing basketball and volleyball very much.

The favourite of the family is my dog Gera. My dog Gera makes me irritated sitting and lying on my or my parents sofas. Seven years ago, my parents brought it home it was a small black puppy, but now Gera is a big beautiful dog with brown eyebrows and neck. I enjoy walking with Gera very much.

My parents have been married for 18 years, so they have much in common. In everyday life, Dad is impractical and needs mother to look after him. Parents have different views on music, books and films. For example, my father enjoys watching comedies, while my mother is fond of thrillers and horror films. My father is a boxing and tennis fan and Mum does not like sports. Nevertheless, they try to have the same opinion about the education and upbringing of my brother and me. I do not think that we are always under the pressure of my parents.

Eventually, on the evenings we always talk about whats happening, whos doing what, its lovely to have the family round you and to know they are interested in you. To my mind, a family is a place where love and faith dwell a peace where all members can enjoy the dignity of their personalities.

I have many friends. Friendship is on of the greatest things in the world. I think that friendship is the highest spiritual achievement of men. I believe that a person can be happy if he has some true friends. My true friends are Marina, Polina, Mary, Julia and Ann. We always understand each other and sometimes we have some disagreements. We enjoy talking with each other. I am happy to have such friends as they.

As I think, I am a versatile person. I am able to combine two opposite features of temper: I am merry, fond of having lots of fun with friends, but at the same time, I am getting excellent marks at school and winning lots town competitions on different subjects such as Russian language and Literature. My friends had thought it was impossible to study at school brilliantly and at the same time be the soul of the company, but I am an example of such a person, so they are always raising their eyebrows on this point.

On more than one occasion, my friends from other schools were asking me: Do you enjoy your studying at Lyceum? Is it difficult for you to study six days a week? Are you fascinated with having the Dress-Code at the Lyceum? But on all these questions I reply in such a way: Yeah, I have to go to school six days a week, wear school uniform (it is dark blue skirt and jacket for girls and dark blue or black jacket and trousers for boys), do a lot of homework, but you see, it provides incredibly big opportunities for me I am always polished up at the relation of knowledge, patience, communication and other aspects of school-life. The best point of it is having the greatest opportunities to succeed in your future!!!

My studying at the social-economic trend promotes improving my English, cause we have 5 English classes a week, also I have 2 extra English classes in English school. For my part, English is my favourite subject at school. As I think, it is hard not to appreciate the significance of English in the modern world. For me learning English means ability to exchange the latest information concerning fashion, music, movies; possibility to read English and American newspapers and books. In addition, for me English is a way of exploring a completely new world. English language gives me the greatest opportunities to chat with foreign teenagers in the Internet. We are discussing here current affairs, teenagers problems, music and movies. Due to the chatting on the net, I have found many friends from different countries, especially Italy, the USA and the UK.

Therefore, my biggest passion is English and I try to participate in all affairs, connected with English. Last year I visited the American Sampler Day that had been taken on the Pedagogical College on the 18th of April. Here I got three master-classes which are American English, America on the Internet and cooking. I was really impressed with the master-class of American English! Here I learned the difference between the British pronunciation that I learn in school, and the American versions of the same words. Then I took turns at reading a British text with American pronunciation it made me interested in learning American English too.

I shall graduate from school next academic year. Moreover, I shall go out of my way to enter the Higher International School of Management (ex- the Higher Russian-American School of Management) in the State Polytechnical University of St. Petersburg. It is entering to the number of the top 10 best Russian business schools. This school contains famous international prestigious program MBA, which prepares managers of high qualities. I shall have a chance to get beyond than Russia. This business school has wide international connections. For example, while studying students are able to get experience from some American Technical Universities, such as the Texas Tech (Dallas) and the Texas A&M International University (College-Station). Therefore, I shall be able to get some experience living in the USA for 5 years after graduating from University.

It is not easy to enter the Higher International School of Management cause the competition is too big (2.61 persons from 10). Firstly, I should strive to pass three entering exams at the end of the March the next academic year. The exams are Maths and English and Russian languages. In addition, it is known that there exists a limit on our town: only one person will be able to enter this business school from Kotlas. I think I shall make it! I shall prepare for these exams greatly, prevail, capture the moment and become the best from the best!

I would talk about my pastime. I have a wide circle of interests.

My favourite activities are chatting in the Internet with foreign teenagers, reading Russian and American Literature, learning English, walking with friends, listening to music, and watching films.

Especially I am fond of watching films about teenagers, their life, school-life and problems. Eliza Dushku, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Lindsay Lohan, Keira Knightly, Jessica Alba, Desmond Harrington, Ian Somerhalder, Kristina Anapau, Kerr Smith and Jessie Bradford are my favourite actors and actresses. My favourite movies and serials are The O. C., LOST, Cruel Intentions 1, 2, 3, The Sixth Sense, Mean Girls, Bring It On, Wrong Turn, Scary Movie 1, 2, 3 and White Chicks.

I also enjoy listening to hip-hop, pop, rap and house music. Eminem, Madonna, the Biz, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, J-Five, the Black Eyed Peas, Daddy Yankee and Evanescence are my favourite singers. My favourite DJ is Benny Benassi. I think that music plays great role in my life. Everything either happy or tragic is set to music. Music inspires and conquers our hearts.

I believe that sports play a big role in my lifestyle. I enjoy swimming and playing basketball and volleyball. I have been playing in the school basketball team for two years. I have been nuts about this game: I have devoted my time to have basketball practice sessions three times a week in a school gym. Swimming is my addiction. I have learnt swimming since the age of five. I have taken part in the town swimming competitions for two times. If I had a chance, I would play lawn tennis, but in our town there is no such a lawn-tennis school or special lawn tennis sports section. In addition, I enjoy watching different sports on TV; they are biathlon, skiing, freestyle and ice hockey. My favourite sportsmen are Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport and Yelena Isinbayeva.

On my opinion, my possible trip to the United States of America could bring to Kotlas more close area sister city connection. I shall be able to share my experience with Waterville Committee in Kotlas, my friends and classmates. I think, it could give me an essential experience, cause I have to be convinced in my right decision to enter the university where I have to get experience living and working in the USA. I have to know if I can adapt to new lifestyle, atmosphere, its people and culture or I cannot. I shall be able to make conclusion to achieve the set aim. In addition, I am desperate for visiting the States. I daydream to break the stereotypes of the USA and build a bridge between the countries. The trip will provide me a good opportunity to compare what I already know about the USA with what the nation really like. I would see the image of Russia in the eyes of the Americans. I would practice my English skills; know if I am able to communicate with native speakers and tell American pupils about Russian teenagers, schools, culture, lifestyle and many others interesting things.

To sum all up, when I am back I shall have my own impressions and image of the USA, my personal experience, which when shared with my friends here in Russia, will promote a better understanding of the cultures involved and will make the world a little suffer [safer(?)].

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