The learning is easy ....

.... but the remembering and recalling is bl**dy difficult .....

Tonight was week 2 of my nightclasses.  I decided that the work seemed to be erratic until the end of the year and that meant I should invest some time into doing/learning something new .... 

It all sounds rather posh - Modern Language Centre at King's College, London ....  There are only a very few places that teach students outside a school environment and this was the one that ticked the most boxes (nearest to home, standard of tutor, class size, cost, etc).

The other thing that was attractive about the course was that - even though it lasts for one year - you can book it in terms - which is great for me since I'm not sure what I'm doing next week let alone next year!!

Maximum class size of 10 (we have 1 male and 9 women).  Tick.  And everyone gets to repeat everything out loud in class.  It's quite relaxed but we seemed to do a lot of work for our 90 minutes.  But - because there is always a but - HOMEWORK!!! 

There's a part of me that's rather proud that I'm hanging in there - especially since I left school 30 years ago and so the academic learning ground to a halt around then. 

But we shall see if the recalling improves as I punish my brain cells ...

Mx

Kiev - NOT the home of "chicken Kiev" .....

Hello

Nearly at the end of my week in Kiev (or Kyiv as it is written here).  The weather has been stable and mild and so lots of opportunities to walk around.  Yes, finally back into the swing of walking again after two jobs that were rather sedentary.   

So far "Mary's Masterclasses" have been attended by all 27 students on every day ....  Last night's (Wednesday) ended with a round of applause - which is encouraging and sad in equal measures since the lecture for the evening was "FORM FILLING"!! 

My Ukrainian is progressing at a dead snail's pace - so far I can do "thank you", "no", "yes" and "goodbye" and, of course, "marvellous" ....  Recognising more words but they don't seem to be attaching themselves to receptive brain cells.  This is a problem if you are taking jobs that travel around the world.....

The television in the apartment has over 130 channels - yet I still haven't managed to find one in a language that I can understand.  I was amused by one of the channels that appeared to be all about business and the economy - yet its name is "pervy delovey" ....

Food, so far, has been very good - last night was a grilled chicken and pork with roasted vegetables and tiny potatoes.  Not sure what this evening will bring.

Today was also the day for sightseeing - and Alina (from the office) had arranged for me to go on a tour around the city.  Despite a city that goes back for many centuries, many of the buildings have been rebuilt to the original designs.

This statue is supposed to bring luck - you touch different (specificed) parts of the statue and it give you health, wealth and/or happiness wishes.  We shall see!

Alina and I walked around the arts part of the city - a glimpse of the house where Mikhail Bulgakov lived ("Master and Margarita").  This area is being renovated and the main road is in pieces.  The cobbles are "interesting" and probably form filling-worthy in the winter months.  There is an incline which leads to the witches' steps - and Alina was reluctant to take me there (even if it would be home from home).  Hence no photos!

The Opera House is the same design as the Paris Opera House but this one was first (a fact that I haven't checked but the tour guide was adamant that it was first!). 

                                                   

As you walk along the main street, the next influential building is Vladimiskiy Cathedral - a rather canary yellow cathedral with seven domes.  A wedding party were just arriving as I arrived, so no chance to go inside. 

The Golden Gate, the site of the first entrance to the city, is the next major landmark.  Originally built in the 11th century, it had been destroyed by 1240.  The photos are from the 1980s reconstruction which is supposed to be faithful to the original. 

           

Then it's on to St Sophia's Cathedral; this one built in 1031. 

Then you cross the courtyard - past the man on horseback (Bogdan Khmelnitsky - who lead the defeat of the Poles) and towards the statue of Princess Olha flanked by Saints Cyril, Methodius and Andrew and through the entrance to St Andrew's Cathedral/Monastery.

And then, on a more random note, the University - it is allegedly painted this colour because "it is painted with the blood sweated out by the students at the university ....."

Back in the UK on Monday - for a while it seems - so no more excuses, the decorating must be completed!!

M

Silence is golden ....

Hello everyone

Haven't been ignoring the blog - but trying to get some semblance of order into my life ....  This is taking some time.  Perhaps the diversions of Whipsnade with Alison and Sophie and a day at the beach with Hazel and afternoon tea that spanned 7 hours and other similar activities might be the reason it's taking so long??

Still, I've nearly finished the decorating - which is a bit of an exaggeration - I've nearly finished the living room, done half the hall (there is a reason for this, despite it sounding mad) and loads of the boxes have been unpacked and discarded.  Adam has moved on to a place in Brixton with a garden and cats and was lovingly heard to say "I've hated living there" when talking about his six years in the flat.  Luckily I'm not too sensitive!  Darin has moved in and introduced minimalism to his room.  I've noticed that he steps into the hallway and has that rather pained - "she's clearing stuff out but how can I persuade her to make it even more clean lines and minimal?"!! 

The past couple of weeks has seen Vivi's mum visit from Brazil and the build up to Vivi's visa renewal/rejection.  At the last minute (Friday afternoon, visa expired Saturday) she has been given an extension and is planning how to reorder her bedroom!  Her mum was very pleased that it's extended, but not so sure about her being away from home for another 3 years.  In true South American style, she took over the kitchen and has been cooking a storm during her stay here - so I've been treated to loads of Brazilian food.

As for me - the last two filming days for "Ice Bear" have been and gone.  A long day with Mark at his studio where we filmed him creating and did a raft of interviewing.  He's just completing a commission for two tiger statues and I'm very envious.  They are life-sized, as usual, and absolutely beautiful.  Too heavy and large to have smuggled out with us!

We also interviewed an impressive man at Cambridge University on Thursday - who was rather sweet as he pointed out of the window and explained that he wasn't interviewed that much and people usually came to interview Stephen Hawking who was in the building opposite! 

And so to my next jaunt.  I fly off to Kiev tomorrow for a week and some work with a new series.  A 24 part drama spanning over a century and dealing with the major events in Ukrainian history - from the Crimea via WWI and through Chernobyl to the present day.  The good news is that I already know the Russian for "marvellous" as it's the same as Bulgarian!  (Chew-des-no ... no prizes for my spelling).

So off to do some packing and some planning - get off the plane tomorrow and go straight to my first "lecture" so will be interesting.  Will try to add some photos to the next one.

Mx