Play group.

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Viktor for conversation this morning, then Olga this afternoon. In her first lesson we did translations using the infinitive, and in the second we translated a passage from a novel by Tolstoi. I feel less tired in classes now - as my Russian is improving it's becoming less of a strain to make sense of what is being said. I'm beginning to think in Russian so I don't have to concentrate so hard on interpreting every word.

There was a half an hour break before art class, so we sat reading the same gossip magazines. Then I started painting my wooden box. It took me the whole two hours to design just half of the church, but Nina seemed quite impressed. I've only used two colours so far, but I'll add detail next time. Like horse-riding it feels good to focus my mind on something creative, and I could speak English and listen to music on Bhav's i-pod so it's more like kindergarten than a lesson!

Over dinner Tamara Aleksandrovna gave me a lecture about Russia's 'golden ring', the circle of historic towns surounding Moscow of which Yaroslavl is one. Vladimir, Uglich and Rostov Velikii are only an hour away by train so I might take a trip away for a weekend; she certainly made them sound inspiring places. As she was talking I looked over her shoulder, and saw my underwear drying over the balcony. I could have sworn they were in my cupboard when I left this morning.

I have to translate a newspaper article before friday - looking up all the unknown words is an evening's work in itself.

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