More project Based Learning and Russian Hospitality

My best days start with a yoga practice. Why would this be any different in Siberia?

We began our day at the Apothecary Museum where we experienced how the locals used to make medicines and mixed herbs. There is something here that feels like my travels in India: herbs and teas for every ailment line the store walls. Here was where it all began. 

Meet my new friend: the 19th century pharmacist. 

Only men were permitted to practice pharmacy. 

Later we learned to make soap from this retro nurse who helped us through the process. 

She taught us how to use this ancient Siberian contraption to melt the glycerine.

I thought this could make a great science project based learning idea. 

It was surprisingly fun and easy to make soap and we were able to scent ours in any number of fragrances.  I chose chocolate. 

E, J, N, R, G and S: I see this in your Sunday afternoon futures. 

Later we travelled in Nina's car to Nastia's home. Both are teachers at the Baker Street School that is hosting us for the week. 

In addition to an enjoying an outstanding Russian home cooked meal in a real live Russian home, we were treated to a banya visit. 

The banya below is a steam house and many dachas and country homes have private versions of these.

We braved extraordinary heat levels and emerged renewed. 

The home is at least 80 years old and still houses a working coal stove. 

Coal is pumped in the bottom door. 

The flue releases the smoke. 

We visited the root cellar that is used to store veggies for the winter. Nastia has an enormous home garden. She had jars of compote, pickles, fruit jams and vegetables tucked away for use. Her family eats from this supply  all winter long. 

Jared moved the kitchen furniture and pulled up the trap door. 

Despite trepidation, I ventured forth into the dark cellar. I can only dream of growing more produce in my own summer garden for winter use. 

The cherry compote below, a kind of a homemade /homegrown cherry punch,  silenced the table. It was delicious. 

I had to see the garden which was dormant at this time of year. 

Nastia wrapped the below apple tree with nylons to keep away hungry Siberian mice. Many other fruit trees were similarly wrapped. 

Our hostess clearly has no issue with the Siberian cold. She wore thin cotton. 

I'm bundled as if in the dead of winter. 

After our visit to the blistering banya (I didn't know that I would be able to handle the heat) , we were treated to a very special Russian meal complete with salads, borscht (actually a generic name for soup) and fish. 

I must mention the Altai cheese here. It is in many of our salads and is the best that I've ever had--fresh and mild. It's much more subtle than feta but definitely in the same family. I wish that I could bring some home. 

We all had multiple glasses of the cherry compote. 

Nastia prepared homemade pancakes. These were what we'd call crepes. There were a variety of fillings including caviar, cheese and homemade wild strawberry jam. 

We watched her little boy hang from a drying rack in the kitchen. 

Her daughter loved Richard Kraft's stickers. I gave her a bunch.  Richard, you're right: kid stickers break the language barrier. 

We sat around the kitchen table and spoke openly about Russia and America and our politics. More will follow after my US return. These kitchen table talks are the best. There is no better way to learn the true spirit of a Russian. 

  I learned the meaning of Peace in War and Peace. Who knew that there had been a mistranslation of the title? Or was there a different understanding because our hostesses had grown up during the Soviet Era? I look forward to discussing with our own foreign language teachers. 

Tracey  and I discussed Tolstoy with readers of the original Russian; these two lit teachers couldn't be happier. 

Later we gathered in the cozy living room and were treated to Russian folk songs. 

I even remembered a few chords. 

We played card games including this one called "durak". The object is to get rid of all of ones's cards. The person left with cards at the end is the durak (fool).  

We needed a Sunday of rest; tomorrow is a full day teaching students and instructors. We hear that we have over 60 teachers from all over the Altai region coming to hear us conduct a three hour power session about the American school system.

I will make sure to also learn plenty about  this region's schools.