Practice in Russian

Story about bat I’ll tell you a story how I met a bat. It was many years ago and of course it happened at night. I woke up because I heard noise in my room. First thought was “It is bat!” though I’ve never saw it before. I listened. It was quiet. I went in dark and woke up my brother. “I think there is a bat in my room” “Why do you think so?” “I don’t know. I heard strange noise” Brother entered the room and turned on the light. We saw the bat, which hung on the curtain. It was going to sleep. But how the bat could get through a mosquito net? Later, I saw a small hole in one. I heard a bat can cling to hair or bite. And we decided to catch it. Poor the bat! It started to fly in a circle and couldn't left the room because door was closed. We’d been waiting but the bat didn’t stop. Brother pull off his t-shirt and tried to knock down the bat. Suddenly it disappeared. We started to looking for it. We searched everything! The bat was nowhere. We continued to search until It was found. “Bat is dead! We killed it!” The bat lay on floor and didn’t move. I touched it by my finger. The bat didn’t move. It was very small and furry. I felt sad. And my brother either. We took the bat and put It on windowsill outside. “Perhaps I just stunned the bat” my brother said. “Look at the one in the morning”. Russians say “In my soul cats scratch” when they feel guilt and regret. That night in my soul bats scratched. I look at windowsill in the morning. The bat was not there. I hope everything is fine with it. How are you doing now, Bat?

Mahatma Gandhi I always liked idea in Star Wars about Luke’s win. Luke won when he refused to fight while continuing to believe in good. But now I know a person who had done it in real life: Mahatma Gandhi achieved independence for India by nonviolence’s way. He combined meekness and dignity. The person who fought with slavery in all its forms. Incredible fortitude and belief that his path is right. When he was speaking “God is love” he was proving it with his life. It seems to me he was Christian more then Christians of West. He made the impossible, he made a miracle. And set an example how must to live people around the world. This is possible, if there is aspiration and courage. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Puppet theatre

Have peaceful sky over your head! I want to write about peace. Sometimes I live in Russia, sometimes I live in Ukraine. Both countries is mine. How you know there is war in Ukraine. It made me sad. Once I had a friend, we wrote letters each other and finished it with words: “ Have peaceful sky over your head!” (Where are you now Jo?) It was before war. I could not imagine war in my country. I wrote a story about Unsinkable Sam. Do you know it? It is the famous cat which survived in three shipwreck in World War II. I was so impressed this story, that I decided to write it from point of view of cat. Initially the cat “served” on German battleship Bismarck. And I thought: “How I should write this story? Because the cat first was on a fascist ship and so should be on fascist side. But Erich Maria Remarque helped me. I remembered his novels about young men at war and about people who want peace. His lyrical hiro wanted peace. And I wrote a story how the small and brave cat become aware of value of peace and that in all people's hearts live love. Communicating with people at italki I make sure we all brothers on Earth. We all same imagine happiness. And same things made us sad. I love people and Earth. I am ordinary woman and I want ordinary happiness, love and peace. I appreciate small everyday joys. I am glad that I am alive. Have peaceful sky over your head!

Karuta I love Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. It is а classical Japanese poetry. The compilation unites one hundred poets early and late Heian. I like this anthology because I found reflection my senses in many poems. All that I feel I can describe of any poem from Hyakunin Isshu. Especially I like Akikazeni. Even some poems I memorized on Japanese. Hyakunin Isshu is required for study in Japanese schools. Though poems was written on old Japanese language and many words lost its own meaning. Also Japanese created a card game on base Hyakunin Isshu - karuta. Since Portuguese brought cards to Japan and more early when poems was had been written on shells. The essence of the game when reader begin read any poem, gamers have to find a card with second half of the poem. All one hundred cards contain second half of poems only. It is speed game. Karuta is kind of sport in Japan. I know there are karuta clubs around the world. But Russia has not the karuta club and it is difficult to find partner for game. Karuta is fun. I mastered it and I am glad when there is a partner which can play karuta match with me.

Speaking partner

About puppets Hello. Do you love puppet theatre? I really love puppet theatre and Muppet show. Usually people think it for kids. But it is not. In Yuzno-Sakhlinsk where I have lived several years there is good puppet theatre. Stage directors designed beautiful plays for adults. I worked there as a prop. My love for puppet theatre started when I saw indian street theatre on youtube. It is in Rajasthan state. And I made indian dolls by myself. My friends helped me make play with this dolls. We performed play in forest near village. It was amazing! I love make dolls, muppets especially. They so funny :)

Sakhalin Many years I lived on Sakhalin. Sakhalin is an island on the east of Russia. It is located near with Japanese island Hokkaido. It is cold climate and rainy on Sakhalin. Winter is very long – 6 months. Summer is short. In June usually up to 15 degrees. In July and August up to 23 degrees. Rarely above 23 degrees. Despite of such climate there is very beautiful nature on Sakhalin. On the island many hills covered in forest. Some herbs grow up higher then a man. For example buttebur is like a big umbrella. Like Totoro's umbrella. Thanks to nature and climate there are developed eco-tourism, winter kind of sports, winter fishing as well. There are some ski slopes. In the forests are found many bears. They come close to human's house. In rivers is found a salmon. Bears eat a salmon. Also in a forest are found poachers, who also hunt for a salmon. Also in the island are found foxes, squirrels, steller sea lions. Steller sea lions are sea animals, they live on breakwater which is front of Nevelsk city. On the north of the island the companies produced oil, on south they produced gas. Before 1945 the island has belonged to Japan, that is why Japanese artifacts shuch as bridges, gates, buildings were preserved. Two museums in Yuzno-Sakhalinsk also located in Japanese buildings. One of them is very beautiful like an old Japanese castle. Yuzno-Sakhalinsk is a capital of Sakhalin. On the island are many visitors from Moscow, and from other cities of Russia also from different countries. They work in oil and gas industry. Every year the island hosts international film festival “Krai sveta”. It is huge event for the island. It continuous for a week. There come guests from different countries. Everybody can watch festival films for free. Also during the festival competitions and master classes are being held. On the island live many Korean people, who was brought in S during Japanese occupation. So here widespread Korean cuisine.