July 2013
Cosmopolitan Camp has been a very interesting and rewarding experience for me, and I’ve loved getting to know you all. For an American coming to Russia this is an unusual entry point, as people usually visit Moscow and St. Petersburg. But I feel that coming here brought me closer to the “real Russia”.
The students are smart and most were keenly interested in learning English. I encourage everyone to speak freely and not to worry about mistakes. We all make mistakes! The main thing is to do your best – in English.
There are many talented singers and dancers among you – congratulations! I also encourage you to explore classical culture more deeply, as the influence of American pop culture is, IMHO, not always for the best. Learn, treasure, and develop your own country’s classical heritage, as well as that of other nations.
Although after only 2 weeks, my spoken Russian still leaves much to be desired, I have benefitted enormously from Natasha Borisovna’s patient teaching. She helped “loosen my tongue”, and such personal, one-on-one teaching is “worth a million bucks”.