Russian has confusing noun and adjective endings (which are called ‘cases’) so I usually distribute to my second-year students a reference sheet simply entitled “The six-case sheet.” I usually do that in the summers, too, once I find a place to… more »

The worst part of being a group leader is medical issues. Here you are with a group of twenty-somethings, and when something goes wrong, the sensible ones ask the advice of the group leader. But of course people in my position are not supposed to give… more »

Learning new names is always interesting. I'm currently in the Sierra Coffee shop; the barista's name is Lurlán. Among our teachers, all female, are the following names: Kenzhé, Altynái, Saikál, Saníra, Zakhída and Asél. Those are all… more »

While I was in the Sierra coffee shop this late afternoon working on e-mail, in walked a little Kyrgyz girl who was simply a ball of fire and personality. I'm guessing she was about 12, and she claimed the name Elmira, though I think that she first… more »

So I ran off to drop Lewis's printed homework to him, and I ended up with a Pakistani driver. I always have great conversations with taxi driver's. This one came to Kyrgyzstan to go to school to be a pharmacist. He did pharmacy school for five years,… more »