Cabbage for 6 kopecks and a queue for tomatoes
Helen Sterne University of Surrey
The context
I had graduated with a degree in Russian and French, but though I’d visited France frequently since the age of 8 (with consequent benefits for my fluency in French), I’d only made one brief visit to the USSR during the six years I’d been studying the language and literature and so my knowledge of the language was still quite theoretical. I was keen to convert my ‘book knowledge’ into a ‘living skill’ – I knew I could only do this by immersing myself completely in a Russian-speaking environment for several months, so I applied for a British Council teaching post and was duly allocated a position.
The particular characteristics of the situation that engaged me in an immersive way
In the USSR at that time, communication with the outside world was strictly controlled and regulated – being without a short-wave radio, I could only listen to local channels, while letters from home arrived spasmodically and making phone calls abroad was very difficult and cumbersome. Also I could not travel away from my base without applying for official permission. In short, I was completely immersed in the new environment and there was no escape!
In terms of professional preparation for my new role, I had been teaching English as a Foreign Language in London for three years, but I was used to creating my own schemes of work and having a completely free hand re. choice of discussion topics, etc. This in no way prepared me for the situation I found myself in, where my proposed scheme had to be officially vetted in advance, and any potentially ‘controversial’ topics were thrown out. I had to adapt fast to a completely different set of protocols, practices and values.
In terms of tips for day-to-day survival, I had received an official security briefing from the Foreign Office– not a great deal of use when it came to practicalities like obtaining food in a situation of shortages. I needed to find myself a new set of guides who could help me navigate my way through this foreign landscape.
What forms of learning/ personal development/ change emerged from the situation
The most obvious learning outcome from this experience was the one I had set out to achieve – I developed considerable verbal fluency in Russian, moving from an initial lack of confidence and reluctance to open my mouth for fear of making a mistake, to thinking (and sometimes dreaming) in Russian, even after returning home. This was satisfying for me personally, and confirmed my belief that the only way to make this complex language come alive was to immerse myself in an environment where I would hear it constantly being used by real people in real situations, and had to use it myself to communicate and survive.
I also learned that I needed to be open to new ways of doing things, and that preconceptions I had arrived with might need to be jettisoned. A simple example of this would be the habit of going out with a shopping list in the expectation of finding particular items. It needed a bit of a mental shift to get used to the idea that shopping required an opportunist approach – if you saw a queue for tomatoes it was best to join it, as you might not see them again for a while.
Nonetheless, contrary to the impression of the drabness of Soviet life conveyed by the Western press, there were many things a foreigner could value, whether it was the hospitality, generosity and warmth of individuals, or the sense of security from knowing that basic staple items were cheap (eg. a cabbage for just 6 kopecks). In other words, I learnt to be suitably sceptical of any official ‘spin’ whether Western or Soviet, and to trust the validity of my own experience.
I discovered resources in myself of self-reliance, resilience and staying power, even through the difficult times.
At the same time, learning from the experiences of others (such as my two French colleagues) was invaluable in helping me to understand this foreign landscape.
Inevitably, getting things wrong and making mistakes is part of the experience – for example I ignored the advice of Russian colleagues to dress more warmly for the November 7th parades, and consequently fell ill. This particular lesson has stayed with me for life, but there is also an issue here of appropriate humility and respect for other peoples’ ways of doing things.
Overall this was a transforming experience on many levels. As well as learning about a very different world from the one I had grown up in, I also developed personally, gaining in confidence and resilience, and possibly shedding some naivety along the way.
What words/ concepts/ feelings would you use to describe the immersive experience. What did being immersed mean to you?
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Initial anxiety
Lonely
Challenging
Taking risks
Overwhelming
Staying power / determination
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Highs and lows
Stimulating
Rewarding
Learning/ growing
Adapting
Transforming
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What principles or lessons can be drawn from this story?
- An immersive experience can be a very powerful learning experience.
- It is also a challenging experience, requiring flexibility and openness to new ways of doing things (alternatively these qualities might be developed by the experience)
- It is likely to be a rich opportunity to put theory into practice – however this might involve a willingness to abandon or adapt existing preconceptions.
- It takes time to establish points of reference in the new landscape – it can be very helpful to have the advice and support of others
- The individual is likely to need to draw considerably on his/her own resources, but there are also great opportunities for significant personal development.
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