Tomsk is a day behind Moscow

….at least in the media. I have been asking around at various kiosks lately for my weekly (at least I attempt to read it once a week; in Moscow I only succeeded in reading the headlines and maybe one article, so I can at least say that I’m making some improvement) read (Russian reporter). I was told that after Monday (Jan 11th) it would be available. That there is a media slowdown over the holidays is understandable; everything slows down over the holidays. Fewer buses run (most buses are privately operated), businesses and the like have reduced hours and Tomsk has been feeling much more quiet than usual,  sleeping under the heavy blanket of overeating, catching up on lost sleep and visiting friends. Nevertheless, the fact that the news is not news is hard to come to terms with- hopefully the kiosk I happened to be buying at that day had just sold out of today’s. Tomsk is three hours behind Moscow (originally four) and three nights and two days by train…but all the same, shouldn’t today’s news be today’s and not yesterday’s? Hm. It is printed in Novosibirsk, just 4 hours away.

On another note, today is the eve of Stariy Noviy God (Old New Year) which commemorates the date noted by the Julian calendar (which was abandoned after 1918). Supposedly tonight is an opportune time for divination. I see all my students coming to class in 2009……

I am currently teaching a two-week intensive English course for employees of my faculty, which is why I am still in  Tomsk. I’m heading to Novosibirsk for a few days as soon as this commitment ends, and then soon it’s back to work again, as my students come trailing back after a month of forgetting pesky phrasal verbs and all those enriching lessons I gave. Vitamin G(rammar), anyone? Yum.