What a hectic and wonderful day or two!
My teaching responsibilities for the second group of medical students ended after Tuesday's lecture. I left as usual to pick up my coat and bag in a nearby office when I was summoned back to the lecture hall. As I walked in , the students stood in their usual dress of white lab coats and I was presented with a beautiful bouquet of red roses from the director of the hospital/university chair for my teaching. What a special gesture.
I rushed home on the bus with my big bunch of flowers to work on the the article I promised for publication- which was due at midnight. I had a pick up at 3:20pm to do the welcome speech at the University for those (1,400) incoming freshman and was really feeling the pressure once there. The auditorium at the university was not large enough to hold this number of students so it was held at a municipal building in Ufa. I gave a brief welcome along with several other local and international speakers. The students then presented something like a "variety show". The different faculties of students presented different skits which were fun with some incredible talent demonstrated.
While on stage, I was presented with the largest bouquet of flowers I have ever received. WOW, these Russians really love to give flowers and I love being on the receiving end!
Afterwards, we were invited for a lovely reception and then joined friends out for dinner.
John fell to the pressure to join in on the Russian vodka routine. From what I have observed (observations only!) vodka is drunk here in shots with little glasses. Frequently they serve orange/tomato/cranberry juice in a little jug along side but it is just poured and guzzled in one drink. Then they order another, and another, and another...
Thankfully, I got him out of there before too much damage could be had with my publication deadline approaching. He was thanking me over and over as we hit the door saying "get me outta here"!
I made the 12:00am deadline and he made the 4:00 am wake up this morning for our flight to Kazan. He needed aspirin, I didn't.
My teaching responsibilities for the second group of medical students ended after Tuesday's lecture. I left as usual to pick up my coat and bag in a nearby office when I was summoned back to the lecture hall. As I walked in , the students stood in their usual dress of white lab coats and I was presented with a beautiful bouquet of red roses from the director of the hospital/university chair for my teaching. What a special gesture.
I rushed home on the bus with my big bunch of flowers to work on the the article I promised for publication- which was due at midnight. I had a pick up at 3:20pm to do the welcome speech at the University for those (1,400) incoming freshman and was really feeling the pressure once there. The auditorium at the university was not large enough to hold this number of students so it was held at a municipal building in Ufa. I gave a brief welcome along with several other local and international speakers. The students then presented something like a "variety show". The different faculties of students presented different skits which were fun with some incredible talent demonstrated.
While on stage, I was presented with the largest bouquet of flowers I have ever received. WOW, these Russians really love to give flowers and I love being on the receiving end!
Afterwards, we were invited for a lovely reception and then joined friends out for dinner.
John fell to the pressure to join in on the Russian vodka routine. From what I have observed (observations only!) vodka is drunk here in shots with little glasses. Frequently they serve orange/tomato/cranberry juice in a little jug along side but it is just poured and guzzled in one drink. Then they order another, and another, and another...
Thankfully, I got him out of there before too much damage could be had with my publication deadline approaching. He was thanking me over and over as we hit the door saying "get me outta here"!
I made the 12:00am deadline and he made the 4:00 am wake up this morning for our flight to Kazan. He needed aspirin, I didn't.
You deserved every flower!
ReplyDeleteFlowers abound in Russia... Vodka too. I will make sure to have some for your homecoming - flowers, not the V.
ReplyDelete