Mama Lama

The Banquet Hall at Ak Altyn hotel exploded with rejoicing and applouse. People hugged each other, shook hands and smiled. The long, for approximately two years, the US president election run has finished and the result has just been announced. For the first time in the US history the black candidate has become a president! Unexample case! Many generations of black American faught for equal rights. History keeps evidences about cruel and harsh treatment of those Afro-Americans who didn't want to put up with misery and persecutions. Martin Luther King was one of the greatest fighters for equality. His famous «I have a dream" phrase was on everybody's lips that morning. The day has come when citizens of US elected their president, the representative of the people who had been terribly oppressed in the past .

The reception opened at 7:00 a.m. There were no sleepy faces in the hall: everybody was excited , made forecasts and looked at a huge screen where the latest news was being delivered.

Reports from different states of the USA were translated - crowds of people were waving flags, slogans, portraits in the streets and squares. It seemed, the whole US went out to the streets and was watching huge monitors placed everywhere.
Those US citizens who were abroad took part in the elections, too. There were about one hundred American in Ak Altyn hotel hall. They were on busines or missions in Turkmenistan that moment. There were also a lot of local people invited. It was a special day for Americans. The US Embassy emploees did their best to create the same atmosphere of election as in their own motherland. There were decorations everywhere - flags, maps, balloons, and music played. There was a row of notebooks along the wall for those who was interested in information from the Internet. I found Wisconsin, where I was in summer 2007, at once. The results were rather conservative - 47 against 51 (Obama was little ahead). I failed to find Janesvile, Whitewater, the towns which I visited. Either they were not too big for displaying on the internet map or I was an impatient searcher.

The reception at Ak Altyn impressed me greately. It was really nice to share my friends' joy and congratulate them on the new-elected president.
I felt like taking part in the elections. There was a ballot-box in the hall for those who wanted to participate in imitated elections. I gave my voice for Obama. The final calculations showed that the voices of the guests at the reception devided the following way : Obama - 48; Mac Kein -8.

Well, the elections have finished. My only wish is to send my greetings to American peopple, especially to my friends Katherine and Jane. Many happy years of flourishing to America and PEACE!

Банкетный зал отеля Ак Алтын города Ашхабада взорвался криками и рукоплесканиями. Все обнимались и ликовали. Закончилась длинная, почти в два года, компания по выборам президента Соединённых Штатов и результат был оглашён. Впервые в истории США темнокожий кандидат стал президентом. Событие беспрецедентное. Многие поколения американцев боролись за равноправие. История хранит свидетельства о жестоких расправах над теми афроамериканцами, которые не хотели мириться с унижениями и гонениями. Одним из величайших борцов за равноправие был Мартин Лютер Кинг. Его знаменитая фраза «I have a dream (У меня есть мечта…)» сегодня была у всех на устах. Наступил, наконец, тот день, когда американцы избрали президентом представителя самых угнетаемых в прошлом слоёв населения.

Приём в отеле начался в 7:00 утра. В зале не было сонных лиц: все были возбуждены, делали прогнозы и смотрели на огромный экран, где транслировались последние новости.



Передавали репортажи из разных штатов США – толпы людей на улицах и площадях, размахивающих флагами, портретами, лозунгами и транспарантами. Казалось, вся Америка вышла на улицы и смотрит на огромные мониторы, которые сегодня повсюду.



Голосовали и те, кто был за пределами своей страны. В зале отеля было около ста американцев, которые по долгу службы оказались в Тукменистане и ещё больше гостей. Для граждан США это – особый день. Работники посольства постарались создать атмосферу, такую же, как и у них на родине. Зал был украшен флагами, картами, шарами, гирляндами, играла музыка. Вдоль стены в ряд стояли столики с ноутбуками, которыми можно было воспользоваться для поиска информации в Интернете. Я сразу нашла штат, где я побывала летом 2007 года, Висконсин. Довольно консервативный результат голосования – 47 против 51 (Обама лидировал с небольшим разрывом). Городок Джейнсвил в штате Висконсин я так и не нашла, наверное, он не очень большой или я плохо его искала.



Приём в Ак Алтыне призвёл на меня сильное впечатление. Было приятно разделить с друзями радость и поздравить их с новым президентом.


Очень хотелось самой поучаствовать в выборах. В зале стояла урна, и все желающие могли поучаствовать в имитации выборов. Я тоже проголосовала. Голоса в зале поделились следующим образом: Обама - 48; Мак Кейн - 8.


Что ж, выборы закончены. Остаётся от всей души пожелать всем жителям Америки процветания и , конечно, МИРА!

Good news!

A new center with a SMART Board has recently been opened by IREX. It was an event widly commented by media. Together with Supreme Council on Science and Technology under the President of Turkmenistan and IATP program created a center equipped with modern technologies. SMART Board is an important interactive device for teachers. Sooner or later the Board will become a usual thing at school and it's very important to be able to use it skillfully. Teachers in Ashgabat have an opportunity to attend trainings at the center twice a week.

Acquiring new skills will allow the teachers to create the lesson plans including interactive board activities. The event is a great sep forward in the path of progress and professional growth of Turkmen teachers.

I'm really proud that the time as come when teachers have all the opportunities to go ahead in their occupation. Thanks to my program education in Turkmenistan has improved greatly and has bright perspectives.

Yolyn Ak Bolsun !, as Turkmen people say. may that new center become a craddle for new ideas and excellent results in teachers' work.

The picture below was shot by famous photograper Aman Mehinli who was among the guests at the opening ceremony.

Проникновенно звучат слова Ромео. Ему в ответ звучит взволнованный голос Джульетты. Ученики девятых классов, затаив дыхание, смотрят на своих одноклассников, которые выглядят необычно и завораживающе в старинных костюмах. Юные артисты читают диалог на фоне стен театра «Глобус», которые проектор показывает на экране. Возникает ощущение, что для времени нет границ. Слайды на стене переносят присутствующих в шестнадцатый век. В классе звучит старинная английская речь. Учащиеся выступают в роли Отелло, Гамлета, Офелии...
Последний месяц весны в разгаре. Ученики школы №7 города Ашгабата проводят урок-шоу, посвящённый творчеству всемирно известного драматурга Уильяма Шекспира.

Учитель английского языка с тридцатисемилетним стажем Абрамова Светлана Борисовна сумела не только заинтересовать своих учеников, но и помогла им самим организовать такое шоу, к которому готовились все вместе. Одни ребята учили наизусть сонеты, другие – репетировали роли, третьи- записывали диск с сонетом У. Шекспира, четвёртые договаривались в театре о костюмах. Даже родители не остались в стороне – именно они помогали ребятам подгонять костюмы по размеру.

Ребята сильно волновались – в гости пришёл параллельный класс, учителя школы и родители. Урок получился интересный и увлекательный. Светлана Борисовна в очередной раз не оставила равнодушными своих коллег, показав, как многого можно достичь с помощью современных технологий: сначала она сумела найти интересный материал и изображения в Интернет, затем создала слайды, которые позволили создать ощущение исторической достоверности в классе, а также вместе с ребятами сделала запись сонета У. Шекспира в исполнении популярной певицы Аллы Пугачёвой.

Так , объединив английский язык, театр и современныетехнологии, учитель Абрамова С.Б. сумела заинтересовать ребят и провести урок, который они никогда не забудут, потому что это больше, чем урок. Это интересная и увлекательная школьная жизнь, которую создают такие учителя, как Светлана Борисовна Абрамова.

During my visit to Chicago I went to Millenium park where I met a policeman. He looked so unusual in helmet driving a sagway, kind of cycle which has big wheels. When I asked a permission to take his picture the young man took off his helmet and smiled. It was so pleasant to meet such a kind person far away from home. That's Chicago!

Первая.
Четверокласcники ашхабадской школы №64 увлечённо искали в Интернете на заданных сайтах ответы на вопросы: «Как выглядит флаг США? Кто создал государственный гимн США? Какая птица включена в государственный герб США?». Шёл урок английского языка. Тема: «Символы США». Ребята работали в командах: готовили три разных сообщения о символах страны изучаемого языка. С помощью компьютерной программы Power Point, они создали три слайд-шоу и показали его на большом экране с помощью проектора.

Необыкновенный урок провела учитель Светлана Хачатурова. Она первая в Туркменистане провела урок - Вебквест в школе. Традиционная тема была подана учителем в форме увлекательного творческого процесса поиска информации в Интернете и создания презентаций Power Point. Вебквест – это не дань моде, а требование времени. Техника Вебквеста основана на вебдизайне и позволяет моделировать уроки на любую тему и по любому предмету.

Светлана Хачатурова, учитель с многолетним стажем, постоянно работает над собой и много времени проводит над изучением мирового опыта в преподавании английского языка. Большую роль в её профессиональном росте сыграла международная организация АЙРЕКС (Совет по международным исследованиям и обменам), в которой она научилась пользоваться компьютером, узнала о современных технологиях и овладела техникой Вебквеста с помощью специалистов по образованию.

Её опыт будут перенимать другие учителя, потому что, современные технологии способствуют эффективности уроков, несут интерактивный характер и ставят современного учителя на международный уровень. Именно они - учителя, владеющие современными технологиями поднимут образование страны на качественно новый уровень, и от этого будет польза всем.



The First.

The fourth grade students from school #64, Ashgabat, were totally occupied with the searching the answers to the questions on the sites recommended by their teacher Svetlana Hachaturova. Their English teacher conducted a WebQuest class on "The USA Symbols". The students were trying to answer the questions like: "How does the flag of the USA look like? Who created the state anthem of the USA? What bird is included in the state emblem of the US?..." The students were working in the teams preparing three different projects on the symbols of the country of studied languages. With the aid of computers they prepared slide-shows in Power Point program and then demonstrated them on the big screen in class.

The unusual lesson was conducted by Svetlana Hachaturova. She was the first teacher in Turkmenistan who conducted the WebQuest at school. The traditional topic was introduced in the form of the exciting process of searching for information in the Internet and creating Power Point ptesentations. WebQuest is not a tribute to fashion - it's a requirement of time. WebQuest methodology, based on web design, allows modifying lessons on various topics and any subjects.

Svetlana Hachaturova, a teacher with rich experience, always working on her professional level, spends much time on international experience studying. IREX , the International Research and Exchange Board, where she gained her computer skills and learned about modern technologies, and acquired the WebQuest technique with the educational specialists played an important role in Svetlana's professional growth.

Her experience will be used by other teachers, because modern technologies add effectiveness, have interactive charachter and raise modern teacher to the international level. The teacher who knows modern technologies and will raise the education on the high level of quality which will be beneficial to everyone.

When I was at Fairheaven I met Sandra Heyer, a writer. She was introduced to me just after my presentation about Turkmenistan. Sandra said that she liked the presentation and was interested in education, teaching English. We talked for a while. I didn't think that I would see that fragile, thin and intelligent woman again very soon.

Imagine my surprise when Katherine, the host teacher with whom I lived told me that Sandra invited me to her house! I agreed immediately.

The place where Sandra lives is a quiet place among the trees near the lake a little far from Whitewater. First you see when come up to the house is a garden - a sea of flowers of all the colors. Sandra plants them herself and takes care about them. She willingly tells about her garden and knows all the names.

We sat at the table on the green loan in the back of the house and Sandra showed me her text books. It was the second edition of her series consisted of six levels. I even saw the pages with her notes.
Later I could appreciate the books in full. Sandra gave me all six books! I used them in teaching of some students and saw how effective they were. I could hardly get them back from the guys. One student is still keeping a book and teaching his sister to read. I understand him - the texts in the books were taken from the popular magazines, newspapers and correspondence. The other boy, Hamid Ismatullayev, studied two levels (5,6) and , maybe the books helped him to win the FLEX program (exchange program for students). In August he will go to the USA, Texas.

I believe that I'm very lucky. I have met so many interesting people in my life. Sandra Heyer was one of them. My memories are warm. I feel gratitude towards Sandra and cordially wish her further success.

My trip to the USA was very busy. I met a lot of people and took a lot of pictures.

I remember one day when we went to the Vietnam Memorial and Corean Memorial places which are situated just next to the A. Lincoln's Memorial. There were two kiosk stores. They sold different military labels, badges and other symbols of the wars. I saw how people came up to the stores and chose something for their relatives who faught at those wars or simply for themselves. The events took place long ago but memory is alive. People come here and see the names on the walls and in the Big Book. They try to find familiar names.

The vendors in the store sold souvenirs wich meant much for American people. First they seemed to me looking like actors from the famous movies so picturesque they were! Then I understood that all these strange things were part of their lives - they know well about all the events during the wars and can easily explain to whom this or that label belonged. They were real experts in Vietnam and Corean wars. I would say they were keepers of the memory about those who gave their lives in the wars. I took their pictures - they are among the things which were part of those who faught during the wars. They keep the memory and it's part of their lives, too.

Hello everybody who visits my blog! Today I'd like to tell you about my first experience of eating in the USA. On the first day in Washington DC our hosts, Mehri, Janell and Kathy took us, three teacher on the tour around the city. Visit to the Art museum was a part of our program. The museum appeared to be really huge with two wings and undeground escalator connecting two wings. In the end of our excursion tired, excited and full of impressions we went to the basement where the cafeteria was situated. Can you imagine a wide area full of tables, crouded with people of all sorts and a lot of windows with delicious and attractive food. Most of the dishes were not familiar to me. I have taken a lot of things with hope to share with my group mates. I didn't know that time that it wasn't polite to share at the table and looked ridiculous for our American guides. That was my first meeting with American food.
Then later my host teacher Katherine took me to Chicago and explained that GRILL is very popular food in Chicago. Americans grill everything - vegetables, meat, mushrooms, sausages.
In both families where I lived the hosts used grill for cooking and never gas stove. Well, I tried the real Chicago grill at the cafeteria of Chicago Art Institute. There were a lot of tasty dishes there but I strongly believed that being in Chicago without testing their grill could not be considered a visit at all. There were some dressings in the pans and grilled vegetables and mushrooms. Chicago mushrooms are big, dark and look like a piece of stake. Everything is done just before your eyes and you can smell delicious odors from the cooked dish. The cook was a big, black man in white. He kindly agreed to be shot. I got a nice picture with a smiling cook who appeared to be not only a charming person, but also a high qualified master of his noble business.

CONDUCTOR
My trip to Chicago gave me a chance to travel by train. Trains in the USA are big, silver and have two floors. Conductors are those who make your journey by train pleasant and unforgettable. I met two ones. Both of them appeared to be careful hosts of the rail road.
My friend Catherine bought two tickets and in 5 minutes we settled on the first floor of the train. Chicago sounded ordinary for me that time. The image of gray and smoggy city was in my mind. My thoughts were interrupted by a person in white and black uniform with a cap on. He checked the tickets and wished us a good trip. His face was so reliable and intelligent that I smiled back happily. Then I asked the conductor if I could take his picture. Yes. I took a great picture of a person who was really proud of his profession. The conductor moved along the carriage and smiled to the passengers. I heard his kind conversation to people. That hospitable man had good words for everybody: to a middle-aged couple sitting opposite us, to a little naughty girl who didn’t obey her Mom, to a boy who was very curious and asked to show all the tickets and a ticket-punch.
I felt like sitting in a cozy seat, watching people in a carriage and realizing that there is a kind and wise conductor who cares. Two hours of trip didn’t seem long any more.
An hour later, when I saw a modern city of Chicago with blue sky reflecting on the mirror walls of highscrapers, I remembered that conductor in uniform.

The city appeared to be light, clean, and calm. It had everything to meet all the needs of tourists and citizens. I learned much about American people that day. The conductor became a real visit card of Chicago in my eyes.
We returned late to Madison. There was another conductor, who also was kind, polite and careful in the carriage. I thought about people who do their work with pride and dignity. If all the people did their work like those conductors everything would be all right in the world.
Then, on returning to Turkmenistan, I told my students and colleagues about the roads in the USA, high quality of service there; and demonstrated them the conductor’s picture, a person in a white shirt and a nice cap.





Conductor checks tickets
Кондуктор проверяет билеты

В Чикаго я поехала на поезде. Американские поезда большие, серебристые и двухэтажные.Кондукторы – это те , кто делает ваше путешествие на поезде приятным и памятным.Я встретила двоих. Оба они оказались заботливыми хозяевами железной дороги.
Моя приятельница Катерина купила два билета и уже через 5 минут мы расположились на первом этаже поезда. В тот момент Чикаго для меня звучал обыденно. В моём сознании стоял образ серого задымленного города. Мои мысли прервал человек в чёрно-белой форме и в фуражке.Он проверил билеты и пожелал нам счастливого пути. Его лицо было таким надёжным и интеллигентным, что я счастливо улыбнулась. Потом я спросила у кондуктора, можно ли его сфотогрфироать.
Да. Я сделала отличную фотографию человека, который был по-настоящему горд своей профессией. Кондуктор двигался вдоль вагона и улыбался пассажирам. Я слышала его приятные разговоры с ними. Этот гостеприимный человек имел в запасе доброе слово для каждого: для пожилой пары сидящей напротив, маленькой девочки, которая не слушалась свою маму, любопытного мальчика, который просил показать ему все билеты и компостер.

Мне хотелось сидеть на уютном сиденье, наблюдая за людьми в вагоне и сознавать, что есть мудрый кондуктор, который проявляет заботу. Два часа пути больше не казались долгими.
Часом позже, когда я увидела современный Чикаго, город, где небо отражается в зеркальных стенах небоскрёбов, я вспомнила того кондуктора в форме.

Город оказался светлым, чистым и тихим. Там было всё для комфорта туристов и жителей. Я многое узнала об американцах в тот день. Конуктор стал для меня настоящей визитной карточкой города Чикаго.

В Медисон мы вернулись поздно. В поезде был уже другой кондуктор, который был также добр, вежлив и заботлив. Я подумала о людях, которые выполняют свою работу с гордостью и достоинством. Если бы все люди работали как эти кондукторы, всё было бы в порядке в мире.

Потом, когда я вернулась в Туркменистан, я рассказала своим ученикам и коллегам о дорогах в США, высоком качестве сервиса и показала им фотографию кондуктора, человека в белой рубашке и красивой фуражке.