Englishtcha

The first day 10 years ago - Me, Moscow and My Russian.

I spent the first week and a half alone, acclimatising to the odd looks of the irremovable elderly neighbours on the benches outside the house. I started to wear my Union Jack socks and, nimbly, with my hands in my pockets, lift the bottoms up as I went by - to show that I was but a stupid foreigner. Nothing to be afraid of.

This ‘hint’ I’d use for almost half a year before I got the courage to wear normal socks.

In reality, I was scared of everything. I had travelled before, but it was always within the safety blanket of the European Union.

I knew I had to leave the house on the first day and make my way to the centre. I organised it with military precision to the point where I felt almost confident that I wouldn’t cry during the day. I got up at 5 before anyone was awake to stab, murder or r**e me and left the house. I lived at the bottom of the orange line which I couldn’t pronounce ‘properly’ for about 3 years.

‘Konkova,’ I said,
‘No silly, it’s Konkova,’ they replied.
Bemused, I gave up.

I tried walking to the centre. I got 40 mins in and not even to the next station when I turned back, threw plan A in the bin and wrote up plan B. The plan in which I actually had to talk to someone.

I whipped out my trusty, very old, james-bond-sony phone and googled ‘I want a ticket please’. Looking back, it probably wasn’t the brightest sentence to come up with. The translator came back with ‘YA HACHU BILET, POJALUESTA’. And… so…I got rid of the last word straight away. It wasn’t worth me even attempting it.

Ya ya ya ya I said, walking around in circles. Hachu hachu hachu hachu, I practiced, like I was having an abnormally long allergic reaction. Bilet bilet bilet bilet was close enough to the French ‘Billet’ for me to continue to the next stage. Putting it all together.

After 2 hours, I was ready, sentence on the tip of my tongue, as if I was going to forget it on the 10-minute stroll. I left, for the second time that morning, in the direction of the metro. Heart beating out of my chest.

… to be continued

Dear Students,

Thank you. Last day with you. Last lesson finished. Last ‘Funday Friday’. I’ve taught you amazing people for the last two and a bit years. I don’t have a bad word about any of you.

I have been really touched by your kind words, your singing, your sweet gestures, your smiles, and yes, your tears ❤️.

It’s been a privilege being your teacher.
-
I could go on about how amazing they are, all day, but what I love about them the most is their ability to try. They are fearless. I could point my finger at any one of them, and tell you they’ve got what it takes 💪.

I think as adults we sometimes forget to try new things and it’s the cornerstone of change and improvement.

So here’s to trying new things 🍻
And here’s to my forever students, and now, friends. ☺️