Almost There!

It's 10:22 in Waterford, CT and there are 30 eager students trying to get some kind of rest before leaving tomorrow morning for Moscow. We have been inundated with information from how to say "please" and "thank you" to social mores, specifically chivalrous men carrying and moving heavy objects as to keep women from putting their uterus in distress (heaven forbid you might not be able to conceive). I got to the National Theater Institute in Waterford yesterday. After a wonderful time at Skidmore I took a bus to Hartford where Sam's family picked me up and took the two of us to NTI. The Szabo's were so gracious, as always, and reminded Sam and I to stick together (don't worry Mom and Dad; I got yet another "be extra safe and careful" talk). We met everyone yesterday and jumped straight into meetings and mixers. The people have been great so far and I am excited to work with each and every one of them. There are two other girls from Texas, one is also from Houston! Shauna, the woman in charge of our orientation, is also from Houston-- what a small world. She also has worked with the Bread and Puppet Theater, a company that I would LOVE to intern with next summer.

During our conversations together there has been one topic that has truly struck me: the reverence for theater and art in Russia. In communist Russia many churches were shut down or vigorously regulated and theater began to fill the void that was left. Because of this tradition theater is a sacred institution in Russia. Artists are regarded as true craftsmen and respected highly among everyone. The concept is not even comparable to what we know in America as celebrity; there is a true reverence for the artists, theater and otherwise, in Russia.

Seeing as there is a line of people waiting to use the computers, I'm going to have to cut this one short. Tomorrow morning I will be on my way so I'll post again in Russia!!!

Love.