We started school last week, but this Monday was the Day of Knowledge, a day celebrated across Russia to mark the start of the school year and to celebrate learning. We started the day on the football (soccer) pitch which had been transformed into an outdoor theater. There was a sparkling photo backdrop, balloons, stage, sound system, dance and song performances, even a fog machine … Continue reading Day of Knowledge

On our last weekend before school started, Kazan was hosting World Skills 2019. If you have not heard of this event, as I had not, I will try my best to help you imagine the event. We tried to research it in advance and were perplexed as to what exactly it was. We knew that it was a global event (participants from 63 countries), that … Continue reading Our last summer hurrah

We have now been here just over a week though it has felt like much longer. We have been busy shopping, exploring, and participating in our school’s orientation for new teachers. There have been way too many experiences to condense into a single blog post, but here are some highlights. The parks!!! They do not mess around when it comes to parks and play areas … Continue reading Into the Cauldron

Many of you know that our family is moving to Russia but very few lucky friends have met our comrade Mr. Smart. We first met Mr. Smart in 2017 when Simon’s aunt Asya gave him to the kids. He was born in Belarus (just like Simon) and immigrated first to Chicago and then to Portland (also just like Simon). When we told the kids that … Continue reading Mr. Smart Returns

Though we are celebrating Christmas and New Year’s in Spain (see separate future post), we had some glimpses of the holiday traditions and festivities in Kazan before we left. Here are some photos from a Christmas festival held outside the Khul Sharif mosque in the Kazan Kremlin. It featured Santa, Snegurichka and other winter celebrities in a parade and show with song, dance, and a … Continue reading Ded Moroz is Comin to Town