Laura-Rose Saunders

Lent 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 12:35:00 +0000

Each year there are two occasions when we reflect on our lives and muse on the things we wish to change in ourselves. The first is New Year - 365 days stretched out ahead of us ready to be filled with trips to the gym, diets, foreign travel, the learning of new skills or the breaking of a bad habit, which means that come the next year we are the version of ourselves we hope to be.

The second is Lent. Despite beginning on a different date each year, it offer the chance to jump back on the wagon, should we have failed to stick to our New Year's Resolutions, or to give up something we know is sort of bad for us (drinking, smoking, chocolate, gossiping, swearing etc.) but which we can go back to after Lent is over.

Usually I view Lent as a period to be endured and try to get through as quickly as possible so that I can go back to eating chocolate or having a glass of Merlot after work. My motivation usually being 'it'll be over in 40 days, hang tight' or 'Jesus went through crucifixion, you can last 40 days without some Cadbury's'.

However, there is another way to view Lent. A very wise man once told me that you should not focus on the hardship of what you are giving up but focus on the time you have gained back and reallocate this time to something positive. Do you spend 20 minutes a day on Tinder? That's 20 minutes you could spend learning Swedish. Do you spend an hour a day playing video games? That's an hour you could use to learn to cook a new dish.

This lent I have decided to give up watching TV (well Netflix, iPlayer, ITV Player and 4OD as I do not own a TV) and reallocate my time to other things such as reading, playing the piano, crafting, and working through my '30 things to do before I am 30' list.

Admittedly it has only been 3 days since Lent began, and I have not caved and watch Made In Chelsea, Gossip Girl or Tattoo Fixers, but so far I am enjoying this Lent far more than my previous one. It is interesting how much a change of perspective can impact on our outlook and thinking. Now back to trying to master Moonlight Sonata, reading War and Peace and knitting a laptop sock!

Russian Walks - Chelsea and Fulham

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 10 Jul 2016 15:05:00 +0000

Today I decided to embark on one of the Russian Cultural Walks around London. As I was in the area after Church I decided to follow the Chelsea and Fulham Walk. The walk begins at the Saatchi Gallery and ends at Brompton Cemetery, a distance of around 3.5 miles. As I have never lived in this area of London I was excited to explore a part of the city I do not usually frequent.

I have previously been to the Saatchi Gallery so decided not to go around it and view the recommended works of art but walk straight on to stop B on the route. This was a former dance academy turned Pizza Express. As a listed building the outside and statues have remained the same, and make it one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever seen. Note to self - one in dine in later.

The next few stops were buildings either built or frequented by famous Russians. They were worth seeing and created a slightly magically feeling as you could stand outside a building that once Tolstoy or Turgenev had stayed in over century ago. One for any Russian lit fan.

The last stop on the walk was Brompton Cemetery where Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh is buried, along with several other Russians I discovered. I had never been to Brompton Cemetery but it was without a doubt the highlight of the walk. The overgrown cemetery is filled with stone crosses, angels and mausoleums, and despite being a place of the dead has a sunny and calm atmosphere. From the information leaflet I learnt that it is London's most central and accessible cemetery, was designed to be a garden cemetery in the layout of a cathedral, and it was the first and only cemetery ever to be nationalised!

The thing that struck me most about the route was that it did not just take you along main roads but down side streets. On the way I saw beautiful houses I never would otherwise of seen and got to discover several window boxes full of lavender. Something I bonded with an older gentleman over!
I would suggest to anyone wishing to pursue one of the walks is to take a smartphone. On more than one occasion I found it a little tough to follow the printed out map and had to use the maps app on my phone to find my way. However, this was a great way to spend a few hours in London and train for Shine Walk 2016.
NB It's not too late to sponsor me for my walk!

Cross Stitch Crazy!

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 17:31:00 +0000

As many may know when I am not at work, training for Shine Walk or doing all things Russian, I like to sewing and make things. So it was great to be in this month's issue of The World of Cross Stitching on the readers panel! Pick up issue 243 and see my lovely face smiling back at you;

Shine Walk 2016 - Sponsor Me, Please!

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 15 May 2016 11:30:00 +0000

Dearest Reader, things have been a bit quiet of late on the blogging front. Now this does not stem from a lack of desire to write or a lack of material, or because I have been too busy cooking and taking pictures of my food on Instagram, but simply in that I have been training for this year's Cancer Research UK Shine Walk for which I hope to raise £300.
The walk will be taking place on 24th September 2016 in London and begins in the evening. You walk the walk by night with glow sticks to light you up, hence Shine Walk! There is the option to do a full or half marathon length walk. I have opted for the half marathon and will be walking around 13 miles.
Aside from frequenting the gym I have decided to combine my love of Russian culture with walking and undertake some of the Russia Beyond the Headlines London Walks. These are a series of walks around London which take you past Russian related places you may not know were there. For example plaques of famous Russian people who lived in London, and sculptures by Russian artists.
Now comes the part where you can help, please click here to sponsor me! All donations of any size are very welcome, and you can also donate anonymously if you would prefer. We all know someone who has or has been affected by cancer, and Shine Walk is a way to raise money to help fund research into new cures.
Updates on progress and possibly funny stories to follow soon!

Valentines Day

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 16:22:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day one and all. I thought I would share this video with you. It made me laugh and sum up the day for some nicely;

Film: The Patent Leather Shoes of the Unkown Soldier

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:15:00 +0000

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a film showing of the Bulgarian Film 'The Patent Leather Shoes of the Unknown Soldier' as part of the SSEES 100 Years Film Festival.

Admittedly I am not very au fair with Bulgarian Cinema but having studied Russian Cinema for many years decided to give it a whirl. To me there were many similarities between the two cinematic styles, perhaps not unsurprising given the Soviet link, but there were a couple of things that struck me about the film.

The first was the use of memory and its link to the narrator's childhood in rural Bulgaria. This trope is not unusual and could easily be compared to other cinematic work's such as Tarkovskii's Mirror. However, the thing which interested me is how the memories are triggered; the protagonist accidentally hits play on his tape recorder and hears a recording of some peasant music from his native land. Nothing unusual in that you might say, but what is interesting is that this occurs while he is on assignment in London and is outside Buckingham Palace watching the changing of the guard while Feed the Bird from Mary Poppins plays. Was the director aiming for a link with this film? I think yes. Both films are told from the point of view of children, have fantastical elements too them, and an unhappiness which needs resolving.

Further if the director were wanting to engage a Western audience this music could have the same effect on a Western viewer as the peasant music on the narrator. The question is why specifically the West? If the director chose this music to establish that the narrator is in the West it is not needed as he has already shown footage of London and the iconic Buckingham Palace.Therefore there must be some other reason who its inclusion.

The second thing I found interesting in the film was the use of exaggeration. For example in family scenes where the narrator finds something noisy it is too noisy, when he describes the marriage between his uncle and aunt as sad the bride is overtly sad, and when it is mentioned that the family resemble animals the next scene is of them grazing happily on all fours like sheep. To me this links back to the link with Mary Poppins where the characters dance with chimney sweeps and jump into pictures drawn on the street.

The link between these two films may be subtle but is indeed there. This is one film I would recommend any fan of Eastern European Cinema sees, partly so I can discuss my theory with you.

Music Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 11:57:00 +0000

I found this song a few months back and thought that it was worthy of sharing for Music Monday. It's by a Russian singer called Sergey Lazarev. I hope that you like it as much as I do, translation below.

Translation:

I cannot fly, but when I'm with you I am floating
I do not like to surrender, but to you I am ready to lose
and even if instantly I have to lose my freedom
I do not like to repeat, but I will repeat again, how much I love you

On a dangerous pulse, I cannot stop
I am about to explode from this love
the ice is melting and the trigger is ready
and it hits the heart with a kiss

Go crazy, then die for a few hours
but die of happiness, not from a bullet to the temple
fly high and crash again
come back to reality
and lose your heartbeat

Go crazy, then die for a few hours
let time slip away, like sand between your fingers
fall asleep and wake up again
touch my hands
and lose your heartbeat

I am not ready to promise, I do npt know how to be, I'm scared to lose
I didn't want to talk, but if suddenly you leave I won't be able to let you go
maybe we just shouldn't believe those words we always repeat
and maybe it isn't easy - we'll reach the stars , to learn how to fly

On a dangerous pulse, I won't stop
I'm about to explode because of this love
the ice is melting and the trigger is ready
the kiss flies and hits the heart

go crazy, then die for a few hours
but die of happiness, not from a bullet to the temple
fly high and crash again
return back to reality
and lose your heartbeat

go crazy, then die for a few hours
let time slip away, like sand between fingers
fall asleep and wake up again
touch my hands
and lose your heartbeat

Recognize me, from a thousand faces
give me your hand, when I call your name
don't hurry, close your eyes
listen to my heart beat
only for you
I'm here with you, and I love you

Go crazy, then die for a few hours
but die of happiness, not from a bullet to the temple
fly high and crash again
return back to reality
and lose your heartbeat

Go crazy, then die for a few hours
let time slip away, like sand between your fingers
fall asleep and wake up again
touch my hands
and lose your heartbeat

National Ladies Shooting Day

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 14:32:00 +0000

Apologies dear reader for the absence of recent posts, one has been somewhat caught up with work and the General Election Campaign 2015. Now that the Conservatives are back in power with a majority this allows me a bit more time to blog.
Today was the day I went to my first ever clay pigeon shooting event organised by the Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club. As part of National Ladies Shooting Day the club had organised taster days across the country where ladies could book to have a go at shooting under the instruction of a seasoned expert.
My nearest event was at the E.J. Churchill ground in Buckinghamshire and after a few wrong turns (mostly due to the Sat Nav and my lack of sense of direction) I arrived. Ladies of all ages were in attendance and had been grouped into teams according to ability. After a quick cup of coffee it was off with our instructor to have a go at some of the pegs.
Our instructor for the day was a lovely older gentleman called Terry who took my team through the basics of a 20 gauge shot gun, gun safety and the techniques for shooting on a teal, rabbit and driven pegs.
I had been clay pigeon shooting a couple of times before but it was great to have some tuition on how to do it properly and correct any mistakes I was making. After a few off shots I got into my stride and managed to hit the clays. After 30 shots across the pegs my total score was 22. Not bad for a beginner!
After the shooting it was back to the lodge for some delicious homemade cakes and a cup of coffee. The selection was so delicious it was hard to pick what to have! In the end I chose the chocolate brownie cake, which did not disappoint.
The day was sponsored by Browning so after the cake there was a chance to try some of their guns on the ground before the winners of the day were announced. I was delighted to have come top in my team and been awarded a Browning shooting cap and protective glasses.
I would like to thank the Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club for organising the day. It was great to meet fellow members and bond over clay pigeon shooting and tasty cake. If you have the opportunity to attend a future day I would thoroughly recommend it!

Achievements and Activities

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 17:10:00 +0000

Now, I am a person who likes to be busy and who usually has at least one project on the go, but in the last few weeks I think that I have managed to firmly dispel any feelings of having a quarter life crisis.

For one thing I am now employed, which sadly means dear reader that you will no longer be treated to posts about my trips to the job centre. I am as sadden by this as you, but do not fear I am sure that there will be plenty of other things I will find to write about.

Aside from successfully finding work over the past few weeks I have;

Graduated from University

Laura-Rose Saunders BA (Hons), MA (Hons), UCL (ULU)

Taken part in filming for a new BBC 3 show (look out for me in 'No Country for Young Men') helped interview one of the members of Russian Group Pussy Riot, had my last day volunteering at CCHQ, received a letter of thanks from Party Chairman - Grant Shapps,

Letter from Grant Shapps

Travelled to Russia as part of a delegation, visited Yaroslavl, met Hero of the Soviet Union and first woman in Space - Valentina Tereshkova, met with members of Russia's four main political parties (United Russia, A Just Russia, the Communist Party of Russia and the Liberal Democrat Party of Russia), took part in my first press conference,

Alongside my fellow delegates

and once again found myself on Russian TV speaking, badly, in Russian.

Now to have a rest and catch up on some sleep!

Funemployment - Volunteering

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 16:10:00 +0000

Upon returning from my adventures in Russia (final post to follow shortly) I decided that I had had enough of sitting in my room applying for job after job and would use some of my time to do voluntary work.

It wasn't particularly hard to find people who were glad to have 'someone like me' helping out with them as, despite being rejected from over 100 jobs due to 'lack of experience', 'being overqualified' or 'not being quite right for the role', I still speak Russia, work well with people, have a Masters from UCL and have a wide variety of other useful skills.

Now, I consider myself to be an honest person and as such I dutifully informed the Job Centre of this fact. That and I have promised my boyfriend that I will not get arrested this year and that he will not have to come bail me out of jail for fraud or any other crime. This is where my latest spate of bemusement with the Job Centre and the whole JSA agreement began.

At my first appointment after returning from Russia I was asked, as always, if there was any change in my situation to which I replied 'yes, I am now doing some voluntary work' at which point the adviser's face literally fell and the reaction was akin to him just being told that I had committed the act of murder. When I asked why his reaction was such it was explained to me that while the Department of Work and Pensions (or Department of Worry and Pain as I have now dubbed it) do approve of me using my time to volunteer I can do no more than 15 hours a week or I will loose my benefit money.

My face now fell and it was my turn to react as if I had just been told that my adviser had committed the act of murder. I asked why it was that the DWP would have a problem with me putting my time to good use, gaining new skills and adding things to my CV rather than sitting at home eating MacDonald's, watching Jeremy Kyle and binge drinking. The explanation was simple; if you do more than 15 hours unpaid work the DWP will deem you to be in full time employment and will stop your benefit as it is not their job to fund your life while you help others.

While I can see that in some cases people could reject offers of employment in order to stay in their voluntary positions I was also confused, as isn't the Job Centre constantly trying to get me to attend workshops, or go and get more experience, or find unpaid positions that may lead to employment? How is it that when I then do these things of my own volition I get told off by the DWP for doing so?

Since returning from Russia there have been two voluntary roles that I have undertaken. The first was at my Church's Arts Week where I offered my services to help raise money for a variety of charities. The second is at CCHQ. While I can see that if you are not predisposed towards the Conservative Party then you would probably be in favour of me loosing my benefit money as punishment for my Tory inclinations and right wing ways.

However, through this voluntary placement I am learning new skills, meeting new people, being kept in the workplace mindset and environment, being given a focus, getting work experience and being praised for my contributions (something that counterbalances the constant rejection experienced while job hunting).

Given all of the benefits that come from volunteering somehow it seems strange to me that the Job Centre seem to have the stance that you can volunteer and try to better yourself, just not too much. It would be the same as them giving me a council flat but not providing me with glass for the windows or a front door, the attitude being one of 'we want to help you, just not too much.'

So for the time being I will be doing my 14.59 hours of voluntary work a week while job hunting, and if asked at an interview why I did not do more with my time to help others I shall simply reply 'Well, I wanted to use my time to better my situation and that of others but the Job Centre would only allow me 15 hours a week to do so and would prefer that I sit on benefits watching TV, drinking and eating junk food.'

The job hunt, and the disbelief, continues...

The Accidental Diplomat - Day 7 - A Bridge Over the River Kama

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:53:00 +0000

The energy levels began to flag today as all of the flying and travelling began to take its toll. Fortunately the itinerary for the day was a fairly relaxed one. After a hearty breakfast of pancakes, yogurt, fruit and coffee it was off for a guided tour of Perm city.

On the tour we were driven around the city and show sites including the statue of Boris Pasternak (author of Dr. Zhivago), the friendly bear of Perm, and the 'Salty ears statue' which commemorates all the former residents of Perm who carried salt sacks on their shoulders and suffered from enlarged ears due to the salt rubbing against them.

(Image - The Friendly Bear of Perm)

Taking a leaf out of the habits of the bear I decided that the next few hours should be used for napping, eating, then some more napping. After this rather dull but useful cycle I was much revived and ready to return to exploring Perm.

One of my fellow delegates had found about a boat tour of the Kama River that departed every two hours and lasted about an hour and a half. So a group of us decided that this would be a great way to see the surrounding area and lap up some more of the sun.

The sun gently shone down on us as our boat sailed down the Kama, sea gulls flew along side as children threw pieces of bread to them. The only thing to disrupt the tranquillity of the trip was the pop music blaring from the upper deck. It seemed that we had managed to board the party boat. Many an embarrassed Russia child looked on as their parents boogied down to Russian pop music and even the ever popular Korean hit Gangnam Style.

(Image - Me on a boat on the River Kama)

After dinner I attempted to buy souvenirs from a very grumpy Russian lady in a park who told me that she could not be bothered to serve me and to return tomorrow. In the time that she took to be rude to me she could have made several hundred roubles, but this seemed to escape her notice so I decided to return to the White Nights festival where the service was, well, actual service.

On the way back to the hotel I decided to stop and pick up a beer to make packing for the return to Moscow more enjoyable. Sadly my attempts to buy beer were hampered as it was after 11pm and a new 'no alcohol after 11pm' law was now in place. The strange thing about this law is that beer, spirits and wine cannot be bought after 11pm, even non-alcoholic beer, but Kvas (a Russian yeasty drink that is around 1.5% alcohol) can be bought after 11pm. So instead of stocking up on beer to drink while packing I had kvas, it would seem that my day frolicking around as a peasant had had more of an effect on me that I thought!

The Accidental Diplomat - Day 6 - Peasant Times

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Today was quite possibly one of the most random and fun days of my life! After a somewhat broken night of sleep, mostly caused by my body being confused by the fact it was still light at 1am, our group was taken on an excursion to a place called 'Khokhlovka' which wass a massive open air museum located not far from Perm.

We were greeted by two Russian ladies in traditional dress offering us bread and salt.Yum! There was just long enough to enjoy the view before we were directed into a nearby building where we changed into traditional Russian Peasant costumes. Given that I was named 'Laura' after Laura Ingalls-Wilder authoress of Little House on the Prairie this somehow seemed very apt!

(Image - Me dressed as a Russian Peasant Girl)

Once everyone in our group was changed, and now looking very traditional, it was time for the tour of the museum. Throughout the excursion our guides explained to us about how the buildings were build and the history of the area. This was intermixed with activities such as churning butter, weaving, milking goats and traditional peasant dancing.

(Image - Traditional Peasant Dancing)

After this it was time for a lunch of okrushka (milk, onion, gherkin soup) and pies. Having been walking around in the heat for so long it was great to finally sit and relax. The experience was all the better as this was the view from our table;

Sadly it was then time to return to the Twenty First Century and Perm. There was enough time before dinner to have an explore and see some of the statues and sites. After dinner it was off to the 'White Nights Festival'. To celebrate the extended hours of daylight the city had transformed one of the areas into a mini city with a river, several stages for live music and various bars and cafes. It was both strange and lovely to be able to sit outside in the sun drinking kvas at nearly midnight and not be cold. I may have grumbled about it while trying to sleep but it was a totally unique and undescribible experience!

The Accidental Diplomat - Day 5 - The Conference Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 08:03:00 +0000

I awoke this morning to find a note in the handle of my door informing me about a round table discussion on the teaching of Russian Language abroad with my name on it in bold. This somewhat perplexed me as I had not been told about this event before.

At breakfast I was told that it would be the same as yesterday - sit in the audience etc. Somehow I had the feeling that it would be just like the day before in that I would somehow end up speaking, but as the day before had been a success and it is an honour to be asked to speak I decided to go with the flow and see what happened.

Arriving at the conference venue I tried to hide at the back hoping that maybe I wouldn't be spotted, sadly this failled after it turns out that not only was I due to take part but that there was a name sign on the table. Luckily I was not the first to speak and was able to jot down a few notes about the teaching of Russian Language in the UK, how fortunate I was to have been able to learn it at school, how it was rare in the UK and some reasons for why that was.

(Image - Me speaking at the Round Table discussion)

During the round table the representative from Armenia got slightly bored and decided to start talking to me instead of listening, bit rude but she did say to contact her if I am ever in Armenia. After I had spoken the chair of the round table, Andrei Klimov, commented for a long time on the points that I had made in my speech.

Following some downtime in the gardens of the conference venue with some tea and sunshine there was breifly time for lunch before we were taken on a tour of the newspaper 'Argumenti i Fakti' Perm offices. This was a great chance to meet with their journalists and find out things like how they differ from the Moscow version of the paper.

That evening we had free time to explore the city of Perm. I decided that after sitting inside for so long that I would try to find a nearby beach and enjoy the sun and the 30C heat. Looking at the map I could see that it was a shortish walk over a nearby bridge to the less industrialised side of the river. I packed a bag and headed off.

(Image - The Bridge over the River Kama)

I found the route no problem and could see the beach from the otherside of the river. The problem came in crossing the bridge, because it was fairly high up and exposed my head started to spin part way across. I decided to turn back and try to take a bus instead as we had been told that the number 3 went in that direction. I managed to find the bus no problems and was happily sat enjoying the trip until I realised it was going in the wrong direction. Realising this I jumped out and decided to explore Perm instead as my attempts to ask the ticket lady if the bus went to the beach were met with the reply 'I don't understand, I don't know *glare*'.

Fortunately I was in the city centre and not too far from the hotel so decided to head to a nearby park. This park turned out to be called 'Gorky Park' and was like a smaller version of the 'Gorky Park' in Moscow complete with theme park rides, pop corn and shooting games. After I had had a good look round and enjoyed some ice cream I wandered back to the hotel past statues, beautiful buildings and a couple of highly decorated churches.

(Image - Perm by night)

Of all the places that I have visited in the World Perm is easily one of my favourites. The views are stunning, the buildings beautiful and because of the White Nights you have extra time to enjoy the city by daylight.

The Accidental Diplomat - Day 4 - The Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:05:00 +0000

After only an hour of sleep and some serious jet lag after the double city jump it was time to get up and prepare for the conference. Luckily Perm was experiencing the White Night which meant that the sun rose very early and made 6am (1am GMT) feel more like 10am.

Once registration was over there was enough time for a coffee and a mingle with some of the other attendees before I headed over to the venue for my discussion. However, the event did not quite go as I had expected.

I took my seat in the audience on the front row so that I would have easy access to the microphone and could stand up if needed. I was just looking over my speech when one of the organisers came up and asked me why I was sat in the audience when I was meant to be on the panel representing Great Britain. This somewhat through me but it was too late to protest. Next thing I knew I was on the panel for the discussion along side five other people (all native Russian speakers) who were all very high up in their respected organisations. Oh and the event was chaired by the Russian equivalent of Philip Schofield, and was televised.

Eventually my turn to speak came and I decided to give it my best shot and pray their were no follow up questions. There was one but it was about the definition of 'proper Russian' which I was able to draw a parallel to 'Queen's English' and explain the differences to regional English.

(Image - Me on the panel discussion)

As it was a bit early in the day to begin drinking I decided to go and recover with coffee and biscuits, while doing so the chair of the debate, Sergei Brulov, came up to me and chat a had in English. He apologised for being a bit hard with the questions, asked me where I learned Russian language, jokingly accused me of working for MI6 and told me that clearly I would go far. All very encouraging things to hear!

(Image - Me with Sergei Brulov)

After lunch it was time for my fellow delegate to speak on behalf of Great Britain in the international round table that was linked up to countries as far west as Iceland and as far east as Japan. It was truly an amazing experience! It was then time for a drinks reception with the Governor of Perm and some time in the sun enjoying some Russian vodka.

(Image - Me with the Governor of Perm)

The Accidental Diplomat - Day 3 - Moscow to Perm

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:00:00 +0000

The rain beat heavily against my window as I opened my curtains before leaving my room to head to a breakfast of pancakes, coffee, fruit and yogurt. Almost as if the city were sad of our departure to Perm later that day.

Following check out it was time for a coach excursion around the Russian Capital. The plan had been to get out at various locations, however due to the rain this was only possible at Sparrows Hills near Moscow State University. Our tour began at Dinamo then we drove down to Tverskaya, on to Red Square, along the Moscow river past the Kremlin then on the Olympic Stadium, Sparrows Hills, Yuro-Zapadnaia, then back round and up to Red Square and the Church of Christ the Saviour. In short we saw all of the key site before heading off to Sheremetovo Airport.

(Image - Red Square in the Rain)

The trip to the airport should not have been too long a journey, in theory. However, our driver didn't seem to have either a sense of direction or any kind of patience. After getting lost near Khimki (a new technology park near Moscow), having a race with another coach, doing a u-turn across 12 lanes of traffic he then got lost again near the airport. Eventually we arrived near Sheremetovo and could at last see the hotel where we would have lunch and the airport we would depart from. Sadly, at this point the driver's patience finally ran out after he got the coach stuck between some parked cars. Upon discovering this he threw up his hands and shouted rather loudly words to the effect of 'buggar this! I'm off! I'm not driving you any further, you can walk from here.' then promptly left for a cigarette leaving our group to walk to the hotel for lunch.

After lunch it was time to check in and board the Aeroflot domestic flight to Perm. Now, I was always aware of how Russians love their security and paperwork but simply getting into Sheremetovo was an adventure in itself - passport control and security just to enter the place. Then more security, check in and passport control. Before I knew it I was boarding.

The first thing that struck me about flying with Aeroflot was the two stunningly beautiful air hostesses who greeted us on the flight. It turned out, however, that they were reserved for the first class passengers and that those in economy were left with the slightly more homely looking hostesses. The second thing that struck me was that alcohol was not to be served on domestic flights - somewhat ironic for a country with a reputation for drinking. Luckily I was befriended by a lovely middle aged man from New Delhi who distracted me from the fact I was on a plane, and sober, by telling me all about Perm and how for him flying for a luxury.

Two hours later we landed at Perm airport and were then driven to our hotel near the Kama River. Perm could not have been more different from Moscow. Where Moscow felt historic, busy and was filled with tower blocks and churches, Perm was rural, calm and exactly as described by Pasternak in Dr. Zhivago.

After dinner and more unpacking, well upending my suitcase onto the floor, we were given our itinerary for the next day at which point I heard my name called for taking part in a discussion that I had not prepared for. I went to the organiser to check this and was informed that this was in fact the case and I would be in a discussion but not to worry as I would be sat in the audience and would only have to speak when asked to.

Following a mild panic I went to my room to write my speech on 'the influence of SMI (Mass media) on the preservation and development of Russian Language'. Even though I had been told that I would only be in the audience I wanted to be prepared.

Around 2am Perm time (9pm GMT) I had finished and had just enough time for about 3 hours of sleep before needing to get up for the conference the next day. Luckily this was also around the time that the sun set meaning that despite being in the middle of the White Nights I was able to sleep in a darkened room.

(Image - The View from my Hotel Room)

The Accidental Diplomat - Day 2 - Moscow Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:20:00 +0000

For the second morning in a row my alarm forcible wakened up at an ungodly hour, the only difference today was that it was in fact 8am Moscow time (5am GMT). Falling over my stuff to get to my alarm clock I vowed that the next time I unpacked something I would use a slightly more organised approach.

The first activity on the itinerary was a meeting with the head of Rossotrudnichestvo Moscow who explained to us the aims of the organisation before taking questions from our group. It was interesting to hear about the work that they do in a variety of different countries around the world.

(Image - Me with the Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Moscow)

Then it was on to lunch at a nearby hotel. So far on this trip I had been offered some fairly normal dishes, however, it was at lunch that I was reminded of some of the more obscure aspects of Russian cooking. For example the format is almost always some form of heavily mayonnaised 'salad', soup, main dish, cake. Today I was given carrot, onion and mayo 'salad', cheese soup with mystery meat, cheesy fish with rice and a massive slice of honey cake. All of which was tasty but very different from the food I am used to in the UK.

(Image - Cheesy Fish and Rice)

With lunch over it was off to the International Language Library where we had the chance to explore the collection and hear from it's head. As a present from one of the groups that works alongside the library we were given some copies of books with parallel translation in them - Russian on one side, English on the other.

Upon returning to my hotel room before dinner I discovered that the maid had not liked my style of unpacking and had decided to reorganise all of my things. This made it slightly tricky for locating clean clothes and, amongst other things, my cuddly toy cat which meant that changing for dinner in fact became a very long and arduous process.

At dinner I was greeted with yet more interesting dishes to sample such as beetroot and mayo 'salad' however this was counterbalanced by a delicious cabbage soup and bread. Just as we were finishing dinner the organisers of the conference informed us that tomorrow morning we would need to appear at breakfast with our fully packed suitcases as we would not be returning to our hotel before our Aeroflot flight to Perm.

In all my time in Russia I had successfully managed to avoid Aeroflot, or Aeroflop as they are more popularly known, and domestic Russian flights which are known for their low levels of safety and high crash rates. As the train to Perm would take around 30 hours and the conference was due to begin the next morning there was no way out - I was going to be flying Aeroflot.

Luckily I managed to find three activities to distract myself from thinking about this - FaceTiming my family after discovering free wifi in the hotel lobby, watching Russian TV (Twilight was on STS :D ) and packing. Anyone who knows me will know how much I simply, erm, love this activity, which was made even more fun by spending several hours trying to locate all of my things after the maid had 'tidied up'. Luckily my approach to packing is similar to my approach to unpacking - grab all the items, fold them, cram them in, sit on suitcase, zip up. Sorted!

The Accidental Diplomat - Day 1 - Arrivals

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:52:00 +0000

At 3:30am on Monday May 27th my alarm clock screamed out that it was time to get up, get dressed and head down to Heathrow for my flight to Moscow before I would head to Perm where I would be a delegate at a conference entitle 'Russia Language between Europe and Asia.'

After two night buses and a train I arrived at Heathrow where I had enough time to check in and sample the delights of the Duty Free section. As someone who does not particularly like flying being able to try some new whiskey or a nice orange vodka before a fly is a definite bonus. A flight is a much more enjoyable experience following a rather large shot of orange vodka, or three.

It was then time to board the plane where I was able to meet my fellow UK delegates for the trip. We had previously communicated by email and it was nice to finally meet them and be able to put faces to names.

Four hours later our plane landed at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow where we were greeted by a taxi driver holding a sign for our conference and a torrential thunderstorm that would rival some of the ones in the UK. It was then that we got to experience the legendary Moscow traffic jams. On previous trips to and from the airport I had always used the express train and negated these jams, today however I was able to experience the joy of taking an hour to travel just over 5 miles. No wonder Russians are such terrible drivers.

Eventually we arrived at our very Soviet looking hotel and were given our conference itineraries and told that there would be a welcome dinner later that evening where we would have the chance to meet the other delegations. There was a few hours to spare so we had time to settle in and unpack.

My style of unpacking is to open my suitcase and tip everything on the floor, so for me unpacking was done in about thirty seconds. This then gave me time to run out of the hotel and buy a new SIM card for my Russian mobile. Luckily for me there was a Evroset kiosk not far from the hotel and close to Dinamo metro station. The only thing standing between me and it was 12 lanes of traffic. Upon witnessing several Ladas jump through red lights I decided it was best not to try to play frogger but to in fact simply wait at the crossing. It didn't take long to sort my SIM and I was back in time to change for dinner.

During the dinner I got to meet my fellow delegates from countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Vietnam, USA, France, Tajikistan, and Moldova. All of whom spoke Russian and it was amazing to communicate with people such a range of countries.

With dinner over it was time for bed before the conference activities began the next day. After four years away from Moscow it felt very strange to be back. Especially when I opened the curtains of my hotel room to see that my view was overlooking a building that I used to see everyday when I was walking to Sokol metro station. It seemed as Moscow was exactly how I had left it.

(Image - The View from my Hotel Room, Moscow)

Language Conference - Perm

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 26 May 2013 11:18:00 +0000

From tomorrow until the start of June I shall be away at a Language Conference in Perm, Russia. This will mean two things; one, that I will probably not be able to post while I am there, and two, that when I return there will be a plethora of posts.

I will be attending the 'Russian Language between Europe and Asia' conference where I will be speaking on the topic of 'Teaching Russian language to Foreigners: Problems and Perspectives'. It is set to be a very interesting conference and I am honoured to have the chance to speak.

While I am away if you, dear reader, are looking for things to read then try the posts from my Year Abroad in Moscow.They give a fairly good idea of what life was like for me when I was living there. They also include some funny interactions with Russian old ladies or Babs.
Now to go and pack! I wonder where I put my passport......

Funemployment 13

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:18:00 +0000

Last week I was treated to the joy of having not one but two visits to the Job Centre. I must say at this point that the advisers are now back to being helpful and running roughly to time.

The first visit was for my 'personal intervention'. Now I had been given the impression that I would sit with an adviser and go through everything that I was doing to look for work with a fine tooth comb and that it would be analysed and I would be told where I was going wrong.

For this appointment the adviser was running late and I did not have a book with me so instead I got to evesdrop on a nearby conversation;

JCP: So how is your job hunt going?

Claimant: Shit.

JCP: Oh?

C: Yeah, I had an interview and I didn't get the job.

JCP: Well this is not uncommon, tell me what happened?

C:Well, I went in and it started well and then they asked me a question I didn't like so I told them to f*** off.

JCP: *sighs* Well, that was probably why they didn't hire you.

C: *confused* why?

JCP: Well, people don't tend to like being told to f*** off, especially not in an interview.

C: But he was annoying me.

JCP: *sighs again* well, even if they are then you have to remain polite. Some interviewers will try and test you a bit.

C: Why?

JCP: To see how you react to certain situations.

C: Yeah, and when someone annoys me I tell them to f*** off.

JCP: *slightly exasperated* Yes, but in an interview you cannot.

Sadly at this point I was then called so I am not sure how the conversation ended but it is clear that interviewers do not like being sworn at. Who knew?!

During my 'personal intervention' my adviser asked why I was there, told me he had never in his life heard the term 'personal intervention' and that as far as he could see I was doing everything correctly and there were no complaints. He was then as confused as I was that I had been sent for this appointment to which I said that as far as the JCP were concerned I would just do as I was told.

After this session I was told that I needed to come back to sign on as today was X and I am a Y signer. I asked if it were not possible to just sign me on anyway rather than coming back twice in one week and was met with the reply 'you're a Y signer and today is X, you must come back on Y' and a look of confusion.

At this point I decided that it was best not to argue as it was eating into my job hunting and writing time. That and I wanted a coffee.

So what have I learnt from this trip? 1. Interviewers do not like to be sworn at. 2. If you are a Y signer you must come in on Y. 3. The 25+ advisers are still much more helpful than the 16-24 signers.

The job hunt continues.

Happy May Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:34:00 +0000

Today is May 1st traditionally celebrated by those of a Communist persuasion as International Workers day. So to celebrate this I am sharing with you some of my favourite Communist themed videos while I go Morris dancing. Enjoy.

I read some Marx (and I liked it);

I am the man;

Rap Battles of History;

Funemployment 12 - A New Low

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 14:18:00 +0000

This may (not) come as a shock to some of you but during my last visit to the Job Centre they managed to hit a new low. Now, I have come to expect a pretty dismal level of service from the Job Centre and the majority of the time they seem to be a hindrance rather than a help in my job hunt, last week they got worse.

I arrived duly on time for my appointment and took a seat to wait to see my 'adviser'. Usually the Job Centre runs at least ten minutes late but I make it a matter of principle that I will always be on time even if they are not. After around ten minutes a few people had been seen, various 'advisers' were industriously typing away (on what I couldn't see, probably Facebook, but they looked busy) and others were sitting on each others desk gossipping about their weekends. NB in the over 25 section there are no filing cabinets for them to lean against so desk-sitting is the new gossip position.

After about twenty minutes my general mood was decreasing - people coming in after me had been seen, people before me had been seen and no one had come to ask anyone elseo who was also waiting who they were here to see. I was on the verge of going up to the nearest 'adviser' and pointing out that I had better things to do with my time than sit and listen to office gossip while being ignored by people who were meant to be advising me. This was until I remembered that I hadn't actually signed on yet and that if the advisers got confused by me being polite then sarcasm would probably not go down well and may even be taken as a reason to put a strike against my name.

After a further five minutes one of the advisers started to 'free lance' from desk to desk and appear to be, well, actually working. Once he had finished with his last person I went up to him and explained, politely, that I had been there for nearly half an hour, I just needed to sign on, no one had called my name and that I wanted to know how much longer it would be before I was called. The adviser took my name and went to ask his colleagues.

Upon returning the conversation went as follows;

JCP: Sorry about that, but it turns out that the person you are due to see isn't actually here and doesn't work on X.

Me: Oh, well that explains why I didn't get called

(in my head): well there's a bloody surprise! I've been booked in with someone who's not even here, how incompetent do you actually have to be to work here? Is it some kind of specified skill on the job description?

JCP: Yeah, well I'll just go and get your record and we'll sign you on.

Me: Cool, thanks

(in my head): You haven't even pulled my record out?! I come in on the same day at the same time every fortnight and no one has found my record?! If I were this disorganised and useless at my job I'd had been fired!

JCP: Right found it *types away and brings up my page* ok if you could just sign here

Me: Ok *signs paper waits with baited breath for 'a have you considered MI6?' comment*

JCP: Ok, I have also booked you in with Y at X on Z and because this is your M visit next time you'll be having a, what we call, 'Personal Intervention'.

Me: Ok.....

(in my head) What the hell is that?! Have they been following me and are going to formally reprimand me for blogging about them? Or my drinking? Bollocks this does not sounds good!!!

JCP: *looking at my confused expression* don't worry it's not as scary as it sounds you will just sit and go through everything that you have done to find work with one of our 'advisers'.

(in my head): oh God! This sounds worse than I feared

JCP: you can also tell them how you feel about job hunting

(in my head): hello! Someone is actually going to ask me for my thoughts on job hunting, he he he, they may live to regret that!

Me: Ah ok, that sounds useful

JCP: do you have any other questions?
(in my head): yes, can I bloody leave now please

Me: No, don't think so

JCP: Goodbye then! Sorry again about the wait.

(in my head): DW you're still doing better than Haringey Council!

At this point I grabbed my stuff and ran out the Job Centre still slightly stunned that someone had actually booked me in to see someone who would not even be there. Seriously, if I had done something like that when I worked as a receptionist then I would have been in big trouble. It's no wonder that the DWP has problems if they can't even book someone in for an appointment and not cock it up. Needless to say I am now very much looking forward to my 'Personal Intervention' *slightly evil grin* if I get asked for my honest opinion on job hunting then they may find that they have a lot of feedback about my experiences.

The job hunt continues.

RIP Margaret Thatcher

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:04:00 +0000

On April 8th 2013 it was announced that former PM Margaret Thatcher had passed away in her sleep at the age of 87. The news of her death brought about strong reactions on both sides of the political spectrum; those on the right have mourned her passing while some of those on the left have literally danced for joy.

Margaret Thatcher has always been a figure that people seem to either love or hate. However, just a thought to those celebrating her death; while you may be happy that she has 'finally gone' please bear in mind that you are in fact celebrating the death of an old lady. While you may not agree with her views, policies or what she did she is still someones mother, wife, daughter and friend, and above all else is someone who deserves our respect.

Lady Thatcher was the first woman to become Prime Minister of the UK, won three consecutive General Elections and stood to her guns when dealing with the unions. Feats for which she should be praised. No one since has been so successful in a General Election and many of her policies are still in place today. Things that bring to mind the old saying 'if you want something done properly, get a woman to do it'.

When I first began to be interested in politics and get involved it was Margaret Thatcher who stood out as a role model for the aforementioned reasons. Politics may be an area that is predominantly male but it is still one where women can succeed. Margaret Thatcher may be gone but her legacy will live on and she will most certainly not be forgotten.

I leave you with a video mashup from some of her speeches;

Aquaerobics

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:10:00 +0000

Since becoming funemployed I have tried to use the time that I have not been looking for work to see some parts of London I have not seen, read some new books and try some new experiences. One such experience that I have tried is attending the gym. Yes, I know, I am as shocked you dear reader!

Earlier in the week one of my housemates informed me that LA Fitness were offering 5 day free trial passes and that there was a gym fairly close to our flat. So, given that a. is it free and b. I have some free time I decided to give it a try.

Now, I feel at this point it is important to note that I have never set foot in a gym in my life as working out is not really my thing, but this gym had a swimming pool and given that the local leisure centre charges £4.70 a swim and is, well, shit I decided to give it a crack.

Day One went fine, the pool was lovely, I made a new friend in the sauna who also shared my views on the condition of the local leisure centre, and the only thing to mar the experience was the news that Lady T had passed away. God rest her soul.

Day Two however was a somewhat different experience. Things began well - nice swim, bit of time in the sauna, then when I was back swimming I suddenly became aware of a lot of older ladies beginning to enter the pool and remove the rope that sections of the laned swimming. Next thing I know the pool is now full of about twenty older ladies and somehow, I still literally have no idea how this happened, I have become part of an over 60s aquaerobic class.

After several failed attempts to leave the pool and being stopped by said older ladies in brightly coloured, floral swimming caps I decided that the best thing to do was try to hide and ride it out. Things were going rather well with this plan until one of the ladies next to me informed me in a rather loud voice that caused several other ladies to turn and look at me that I was not doing the exercises properly as I had to somehow alternate my feet and hands. How on earth she noticed this through all the splashing I have no idea. Still I thanked her, explained sport was not my thing and once again tried to remain inconspicuous. Well as inconspicuous as you can when you are surrounded by twenty ladies who are a good forty years old than you and all in floral bathing caps.

My plan went well for a further five minutes until the instructor shouted out 'and jump and turn 180 degrees'. I resisted the urge to shout 'oh buggar' rather loudly as I had now managed to be at the front of the class and all of the ladies were now watching me. Luckily, for me, the instructor then asked everyone to jump back by 180 degrees and I was now at the back again and able to try to hide.

The problem that I now had was that every ten minutes or so the instructor changed the types of exercises we were doing so as to work out different parts of our bodies. After an initial gentle warm up it then moved on to the more strenuous exercises that involved a lot of jumping and clapping. The movement caused by twenty older ladies and myself jumping more or less in unison caused a lot of tidal waves that crashed over the edge of the pool knocking the grates out of places and also moving several nearby flipflops along the side of the pool. The sight of which caused me great amusement and I had to try very, very hard not to laugh each time this happened.

After about half and hour the exercises had changed again and the instructor's back was now to us so I decided to try to make a dive for the steps and run off and hide in the nearby steam room. Sadly, once again my path mysteriously became blocked by some of the older ladies and I had no choice but to remain in the pool until the end of the class.

Luckily, after 50 minutes the class came to an end and I was able carry back on with my swimming and try to pretend that nothing had happened. I also decided that if I was swimming and had my head under the water then the instructor would not be able to catch me and ask me why exactly I had decided to gatecrash an over 60s session and I would be able to escape trying to explain that the older ladies had seemed to decide to band together and stop me from leaving.

So, having now taken part in my first, and well last, aquaerobics session I can safely say that it is not the sport for me. Not just for the fact that I had been criticised by an older lady for my lack of co-ordination, the tidal waves that were created by the jumping that kept making me giggle but also the fact that it is rather embarrassing when the instructor asks you to stand on one leg and it is me that fall over and not the older ladies.

Now back to job hunting.

Do You Remember This Lady?

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:57:00 +0000

Earlier today I was forwarded an email about one truly inspirational lady and her actions during the Second World War. Sadly she missed out on a Nobel Peace Prize but she is someone who should not be forgotton! Rather than forwarding the message to those I know I am instead putting it here so that even people I do not know can read the message.

"As General Eisenhower said at the time, "we want plenty of photos so no one can ever say this did not happen."

Remember this lady?

Irena Sendler
Died: May 12, 2008 (aged 98)
Warsaw, Poland

During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an ulterior motive. Irena smuggled Jewish infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried. She also carried a burlap sack in the back of her truck, for larger kids.

Irena kept a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers, of course, wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.

During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. Ultimately, she was caught, however, and the Nazi's broke both of her legs and arms and beat her severely.

Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she had smuggled out, in a glass jar that she buried under a tree in her back yard.
After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived and tried to reunite the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.

In 2007 Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming. Later another politician, Barack Obama, won for his work as a community organizer for ACORN.
In MEMORIAM - 65 YEARS LATER I'm doing my small part by forwarding this message. I hope you'll consider doing the same.

It is now more than 65 years since the Second World War in Europe ended. This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated!

Now, Iran , and others, claim the HOLOCAUST to be 'a myth'. It's imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again."

Favourite Literary Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Laura-Rose) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 11:21:00 +0000

Being unemployed has, obviously, given me a lot of free time something, which after six years at UCL, is a slightly strange experience. Now, I am the sort of person who likes to put their time to good use and not be without an occupation. So, aside from when I am doing job applications, attending interviews or doing work for my internship I am using my time to explore parts of London I have not visited before and to read my way through all the books I have wanted to read and not found the time to read.

Now, dear reader, before you jump in and remark about 50 Shades of Grey I feel I should state that this is NOT on the list. My 'To Read' list comprises of a mix between classic literature such as Dickens, Hugo and Wilde as well as some more modern works such as Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. Aside from finally managing to discover some great works of literature I am also finding some fantastic quotes and I will share just a few of them with you.

From The Picture of Dorian Gray by the wonderful Oscar Wilde we have;

“Experience is merely the name men gave to their mistakes.”

“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”

“Because to influence a person is to give him one's own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. His virtues are not real to him. His sins, if there are such things as sins, are borrowed. He becomes an echo of some one else's music, an actor of a part that has not been written for him. The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly -- that is what each of us is here for. People are afraid of themselves, nowadays. They have forgotten the highest of all duties, the duty that one owes to oneself. Of course they are charitable. They feed the hungry, and clothe the beggar. But their own souls starve, and are naked. Courage has gone out of our race. Perhaps we never really had it. The terror of society, which is the basis of morals, the terror of God, which is the secret of religion -- these are the two things that govern us.”

From Dickens there is;

"Out of my thoughts! You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy who poor heart you wounded even then. You have been in every prospect I have ever seen since - on the river, on the sails of the ships, on the marshes, in the clouds, in the light, in the darkness, in the wind, in the woods, in the sea, in the streets. You have been the embodiment of every graceful fancy that my min has ever become acquainted with... To the last hour of my life, you cannot choose but remain part of my character, part of the little good in me, part of the evil."

And from Tolkien;

“Where there's life there's hope.”

“Don't ever laugh at live Dragons, Bilbo you fool!”

Now back to job hunting.