The roads are probably the worst in the world, thankfully I'm a pedestrian and I only enjoy the beautiful views. How beautiful is this?
Christmas was on a Tuesday this year, and so it came in the middle of a busy work week. It was strange telling my fellow teachers that I wouldn't be coming in for work on the 25th. It wasn't so difficult convincing my students. At the parish Church, we had Christmas Eve Mass complete with a pageant. Our professional organist is back from Moscow for the Christmas concerts that the Church hosts Christmas week. It's the best organ concert in the city, and it includes musical performances and a professional choir. When the Church first came here 20 years ago, there was no choir that could sing sacred music, so they founded their own professional choir; it is no longer very connected to the church but is still called "The Catholic Choir."
I was invited after the Christmas Mass to come for dinner at the sisters' house. They even had a little gift for me. We had a large dinner with a mixture of Russian, Spanish, and American food (Sr. Alizia is Spanish and teaches Spanish at the other university). Of course, there was champagne, as always.
My students showered me with gifts!! And the teachers too!
This is a typical Russian display--mandarins, champagne, and the new symbol for the New Year.
I hosted a small party with some students at my place on Christmas day.
Russian Christmas is actually on New Year's, and their folkloric figures are Father Frost and Snow-girl, his granddaughter. During Soviet times, the Orthodox Christmas celebration on Jan 6/7 was moved to New Year's Eve. Their Santa Claus was even given a patronymic (like a last name): Ivanovich! You can see these two figures welcoming students into the university.
I had pre-New Years celebrations with the university. It began with a Las Vegas-like show in the "Underground" (a theatre that is connected to the university and brings it some revenue).
My student is playing the character of Aladdin (on the far right of the stage). Since it is the year of the snake, and specifically the "black" snake, the show had an Arabic theme (contrasted with of course the traditional Russian characters, who you can see on the left). It was a full-out musical and I was quite impressed by the dancing and the traditional Russian costumes.
After the show, members of the faculty and other staff were invited to a large banquet. I pulled out the fur shawl that I had bought from a Russian woman at a pawn shop in Montreal. I thought it was exaggerated, but my fellow teachers loved it.
The worst part about the party was holding hands with other (more willing) women to circle around this upside-down Christmas tree and chant a traditional song. The dinner was prepared by the cafeteria and the feast was served on disposable plastic plates (more moey was spent on champagne I imagine). After dinner, there was a live band and lots and lots of dancing, and we all had a little bit more fun. Some too much. Don't worry, I kept things in line.
It snowed again last night and I saw some people get out their brooms again to sweep away the snow!! Tonight is New Year's Eve: the evening will start with a big dinner and then be followed by a long night of celebrating.
