Oberlin Russian Winter Term Reminiscences
Table of Contents:
Newlin, Tom (Associate Professor of Russian): email requesting reminiscences
Abrams, Ruth (OC ’88): email response
Behrens, Christian (OC ’99): survey response
Bergen, Ronnie (OC ’77): email response
Brown, Rob (OC ’67): email response
Burns, Helen (OC ’11): survey response
Chances, Ellen (OC ’66): email response
Cogley, Jennifer (OC ’90): email response
Edgar, Adrienne (OC ’82): survey response
Engel, Greg (OC ’06): survey response
Engel, Greg (OC ’06): email response
Fairbanks, Brianna (Tindall) (OC ’04): survey response
Feingold, Emily (OC ’07): survey response
Floyd, Melissa (OC ’91): survey response
Freiheit, Elizabeth (OC ’90): survey response
Frost, William (OC ’04): survey response
Judd, Rosie (OC ’03): survey response
Kantt, Suzanne (OC ’87): survey response
Kehm, Gregory (OC ’88): email response
Kellogg, Sanoma (OC ’92): survey response
Klein, David (OC ’85): email response
Kryzytski, Michael (Misha) (OC ’76): survey response
Long, John (OC ’75): survey response
Marcy, John (OC ’89): survey response
Morse, Lisa (OC ’84?): email response
Mullet, Joshua (OC ’99): email response
Pena, Matthew (OC ’04): survey response
Porter, Louis (OC ’10): email response
Rewinski, Zach (OC ’10): survey response
Rudyj, Christina (OC ’94): survey response
Rutland, Carolyn (OC ’74): email correspondence with Tom Newlin
Saito, Mak (OC ’94): survey response
Sanders, Jonathan (OC ’08): survey response
Scales Rheinfrank, Elizabeth (OC ’95): survey response
Scodova, Katherine (OC ’03): survey response
Sherrard, Kalan (OC ’10): survey response
Spasova, Shannon (OC ’98): survey response
Stubel, Patty (OC ’08): email response
Stuhr-Rommereim, Helen (OC ’09): survey response
Tittler, Nancy (OC ’74): survey response
Umphress, Jessica (OC ’99): survey response
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Umphress, Jessica (OC ’99): email response
Westhafer Westmoore, Alice Jean (OC ’74): email response
Wiggins Bellm, Cameron (OC ’04): survey response
Wueger, Diana (OC ’06): survey response
Wurmfeld, Eden (OC ’91): survey response
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Tom Newlin
Dear Oberlin Russian winter term alums, past Russian/Russian and East European Studies
majors,
I'm writing because this winter the Russian Department is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of
winter term Intensive Russian at Oberlin. We see this as a great excuse (among other things) to
get back in touch with you and find out what you've been up to over the years. We would
especially love to hear from you if you have any particularly vivid memories of Winter Term
Russian (either as a student or a teacher— or both) or of the Russian Department or Russian
House. We'd also love to know if you've done any interesting things involving Russia and
Russian since graduating.
Technically speaking, this year is the 42nd anniversary of winter term Russian—not a round
number, I realize, but all the more impressive. We originally thought it all started in 1973, but
discovered recently that we were off by two years. So we're celebrating four decades anyway—
just a little late.
The first winter term Russian class was offered in January of 1971, two years after the
introduction of winter term at Oberlin in 1969. It was the brainchild of Edie Whitehill Clowes
'73, now a professor of Russian at the University of Virginia. She had all of two students and
while the archival records are scant, this small class may in fact have been the very first instance
in which a foreign language was offered in condensed form over winter term at Oberlin. In any
case we have offered winter term Intensive Russian almost every year ever since. I don't think it
is an exaggeration to say that it has been a vital part of our curriculum. Many of our students,
including many majors, start out in winter term Russian, and many of our advanced students gain
valuable experience by teaching it. The winter term Intensive Russian has continued to be
exclusively student-taught.
We are having a small celebration of this anniversary in Peters Hall on the afternoon of Friday,
February 15, with Edie Whitehill Clowes ‘73 in attendance. If you live within striking distance
of Oberlin, or happen to be in the area and would like to join us, let me know. You can send me
an email at [email protected] and I will send you precise details once they are firmed up.
Even if you can't come, please take a few minutes and send us your memories of winter term
Russian and taking Russian at Oberlin, and update us on what you've done with Russian over the
years. We'd like to put up excerpts from your responses (with your permission) on the Russian
Department website.
The easiest way to do this is to go to the survey link we've set up
https://oberlin.wufoo.com/forms/russian-winter-term-40th-anniversary/. If you prefer you can
email me directly. Keeping the following questions in mind, but feel free to answer in any form
you want:
1. When did you graduate from Oberlin?
2. Were you a Russian/REES major?
3. Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Do you remember who your teachers
were? Do you have any particularly strong memories of the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards?
4. Did you go on any Russian Dept.-sponsored winter term trips to the Soviet Union
Union/Russia? What in particular do you remember about the trip?
5. Did you ever live in Russian House? What was life in Russian House like when you were
there?
6. How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I will note that several of our majors have contributed Russia-related stories to "Oberlin Stories"
on the college web page (http://new.oberlin.edu/). If you're curious have a look at the ones
written by Gwen Krosnick '08 who talks both about taking winter term Russian and about going
on a winter term Russia trip or Stephanie Patterson '07. The goal is 1000 stories, so if you feel
inspired we encourage you to send one in to http://stories.oberlin.edu/contribute.shtml.
One other final note; many of you may already receive (electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies (OCREECAS). If you
don't receive it and would like to, let me know and I will add you to our mailing list.
I look forward to hearing from you.
My very bestTom Newlin
Chair, Russian Dept.
Oberlin College
Ruth Abrams 1988
Dear Tom,
I graduated Oberlin in 1988 and I believe I took Russian in the 1985-86. My teacher's first name
was Eliot--I can't believe I forgot his last name. He was cute.
I was not a Russian major and I did not continue to take Russian after my winter term--I was
intimidated by the declensions and the transportation verbs. I succeeded in learning to ask people
whether they wanted tea and I learned to say "stupid elephant," which it turns out is useful when
you're playing chess. I did travel in the USSR right before it broke up in 1990 and was able to
understand the things people said to one another on the street and to read street signs.
It was a really good winter term experience, even though I didn't stick with it, and I am very
pleased to be included in the survey in spite of not having gone anywhere with what I learned.
Ruth Abrams
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:35 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Christian Behrens
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2009
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#7
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? took winter term Russian.
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I used to have a job in Silicon Valley working with kids at a Jewish Community Center. in Silicon Valley, there is a
Russian-Jewish community, and in my various sessions I would always have a couple kids who spoke Russian.
There was one particular group early on working at this JCC enjoyed speaking in Russian, thinking they had hoodwinked
me. They also conveniently were extremely rowdy and lacked the ability to use their ears and follow instructions. With
my Russian being extremely rusty, I went and found my old texts and relearned some vocab, and came back the next
day armed and ready. During the children's lunch time, several of the kids were speaking in Russian and I pieced
together their discussion, а respectable conversation until I heard a couple words (i.e. говно and other unmentionables)
begin floating around. I walked over like a bumbling American, look right at them and say, "Вы знаете я понимаю порусский, да?" to which they all stopped talking and eating and looked at me confused, and fearful. We had a calm
discussion detailing what I would tell their parents if they didn't begin to behave properly (the looks of terror and
resignation were priceless.) Probably one of the best behaving classes I've ever had, all thanks to studying Russian.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
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Ronnie Bergen (1977)
Dear Professor Newlin,
It was a delight to receive your email today asking about Russian at Oberlin and Winter Term.
For me, beginning at Oberlin, Russian became a way of life, and it still has meaning up to the
present.
I graduated from Oberlin in 1977 with a major in Russian Studies, an interdisciplinary major at
that time. I started Russian with Sergey Pavlovich Kryzytski in 1973 with the intention of
majoring in it; I was hooked by Russian 101 and stayed with it. (By the way, I never did a Winter
Term in Russian.) In my sophomore year, 1974-75, I shared what was considered "the biggest
double on campus" with my roommate Judy Strong in Russian House. The dorm had just come
under the aegis of Vladimir and Lida Frumkin, fairly recently arrived from Leningrad, and
consequently all of its residents became immersed in both Soviet lore and all kinds of Russian
music. Lida taught piano in the Conservatory while Volodya mingled with the Russian students.
The Department at that time had 4 professors: the Kryzyzskis, John (Ivan Ivanovich) Dunlop and
Frederike Snyder. Most students who majored in Russian aimed to go on the Leningrad
semester; some of those who took Russian more as a sideline went on the Summer Program. In
those days, the Leningrad program was the only undergraduate program for Americans in the
Soviet Union, while IREX (or something like that) apparently took some graduate students in
Moscow. Like many Oberlin Russian majors, I spent a summer at the all-Russian summer school
in Norwich, Vermont. Northfield, Vt. was a tiny little town stuck in the mountains and the school
was a military academy during the year. It was a substantial leap to the right politically and
culturally from Oberlin, but a great way to learn Russian The highlight of my summer there was
probably the unannounced visit of Solzhenitsyn, who had friends among the faculty and, if I
remember correctly, had been expelled fairly recently from the Soviet Union. I got him to
autograph a book for me (for the life of me, I can't remember which one) which I gave to my
then boyfriend, the son of the Kryzytskis, Misha. I'm sure he still has it.
I went on to take the written and phone interview test for the Leningrad semester program and
began my journey behind the Iron Curtain in September, 1976. (It was my second Iron Curtain
journey: as a teenager, I'd spent a weekend in Budapest!). I'm sure I could write a whole novel
about the experience in the Soviet Union, right in the disco era and during a year in which
everyone in Russia seemed to be wearing red platform shoes. As a kind of window into the
mindset of being in the Soviet Union, suffice it to say that in an information-less environment,
upon seeing fireworks and some sort of celebration a few days after we arrived, some of the
students thought it might be in honor of (not the right words) the death of Mao Tse Tung, which
had just occurred. Turned out to be "Dyen Tankistov"...
After I graduated from Oberlin, I moved back to my native N.Y.C. and was able to get a job in a
large social agency as a translator for the waves of Russian (Jewish primarily) immigrants who
then began arriving in the U.S. This was the ultimate immersion into speaking Russian-- up to 8
hours a day--and I certainly became very comfortable with the language, perfecting all kinds of
social work terms and ad hoc translations for U.S. government programs. A lot of these concepts
and notions didn't exist for Soviet citizens, so it could be challenging to come up with
equivalents in their jargon. We also translated diplomas, driver's licenses and a lot of documents.
I think I got to know the names of all the notaries in the major cities of the U.S.S.R. from
translating those documents.
I eventually went on to do other things, first getting a degree in TESOL and teaching that for a
few years, and eventually returning to school to become a doctor. I've been practicing Neurology
at the University of Arizona in Tucson for over 20 years, trying to keep up my Russian, despite
the fact that using Spanish at work almost every day interferes with it. There were a certain
number of families settled in Tucson in the 90's from the FSU (mostly Byelorussians) and I have
to tell you that once some of the people found out that there was a doctor who could speak
Russian, they all came up with a neurologic complaint!
Finally, just 10 days ago or so, I was in Europe and stopped in in Tubingen, Germany to spend a
few days--in Russian only--with Lilya (Lidia Viktorovna) Druskina, widow of Leningrad poet
Lev Druskin who was quite renowned in Russia when I was there. As a student in Leningrad, I
spent almost all my free time at the Druskin's communal apartment where various waves of
American students ate, showered, and mostly talked for hours. The Druskins, whose name and
address was passed down to me from Oberlin students on prior semesters via the Frumkins, were
funny, warm and always had the most interesting circle of friends-- writers, actors, artists--in
their apartment. They left Leningrad in about 1981 after Lev was excluded from the Writers'
Union and were welcomed into the university environment of Tubingen. Lev passed away in
1990, but Lilya and I have remained very close. I've been to Tubingen a few times, and I brought
her to Arizona and California in 1998. Lilya keeps me speaking Russian; I was able to use it
successfully for 2 days this past summer on a Baltic cruise with a stop in (now) St. Petersburg.
Thanks for listening to my long tale! I owe my life in Russian to Oberlin, my great professors
there, Russian House and Oberlin's sponsorship of the Leningrad semester!
All the best,
Ronnie Bergen
Rob Brown (1967)
I graduated as a Russian major in 1967. At that time I think there were four of us, and we were
in the Department of German and Russian. There was no Winter Studies Program nor was there
Russian House.
I came to major in Russian by a circuitous route. In 1964, my freshman year, I was fortunate to
be a member of the Oberlin College Choir that toured the Soviet Union and communist Europe
for 49 days of the spring semester. We had a crash course in basic Russian language and
etiquette niceties prior to the trip, and in the Soviet Union I became fascinated by things Russian
and Slavic. The following Summer I took a couple of courses in Russian language at Western
Reserve University (prior to its merger with Case Institute of Technology). When I returned for
my sophomore year at Oberlin and was faced with the choice of a major I realized that Oberlin’s
two year language requirement effectively allowed language majors to take the smallest number
of required course hours for graduation. This was consonant with my fervent desire to become a
life-long dilettante. Just before my graduation my major advisor and principal professor,
Marjorie Hoover, declared that I was a “hopeless dilettante who would never amount to much”.
She was correct, as always. I was delighted with her perspicacity, and I have been successful in
the endeavor. “Alas,” she would have said.
Mrs. Hoover was a brilliant, slightly eccentric and wry-witted sprite who pedaled around campus
on her ancient bicycle with the lock hanging around her neck. She was a professor of German
and Russian who had learned Russian after she arrived at Oberlin partly to avoid Oberlin’s antinepotism rule that had hobbled her advancement because her husband, Andrew Hoover, was a
professor of English. A Smithy, she had taken her Ph.D. in German from the University of Bonn
in the 30’s, and after she learned Russian she received an M.A. from Yale in the early 60’s.
Marjorie Hoover was a gentle soul who was nonetheless demanding of her students. Friederike
Felber, a 1967 Russian major colleague, and I were the only two students in an advanced Tolstoy
course taught by Mrs. Hoover. Between the two of us students there was an informal “until
death do us part” pact to attend class under all circumstances lest the hapless lone attendee be
subject to witheringly complex conversation with Mrs. Hoover in Russian for an entire class
period. I went back to Russia in the summer of 1966 with Mrs. Hoover and a group of students
and faculty from other colleges to study Russian at the University of Moscow. We returned to
take the Modern Language Exams in Vienna and then had two weeks or so to wander Europe on
our own before our return. This was at a time when international travel was much less common
than it is now. It was an example of the innovation and excitement that pervaded the Russian
language program of the period.
In my senior year I did not have a clear idea where to go for graduate school. Other nonacademic options were out of the question because both my family and the Oberlin ethos
required that I pursue a terminal degree. After some research, I discovered that law school was
the one place to receive a terminal degree without actually learning anything substantive. This
was the perfect sequel to my dilettante major at Oberlin.
I have not used my Russian much after my formal education. After working for a larger law firm
for a few years, in 1974 I started a general practice law firm in which my now atrophied Russian
language skills were occasionally useful. For a while we represented a small Kodak-affiliated
company with its headquarters in Novgorod. The daughter of the Company’s president was one
of our foreign exchange daughters when our children were growing up.
In celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary, we took our children to St. Petersburg on a trip
that included a visit to our Finnish exchange daughter in Oulu. Native Russian speakers tell me
that my accent and my grammar are still good. I have forgotten most of the vocabulary,
however, so these vestiges of Mrs. Hoover’s insistence on excellence are largely wasted.
About a year and a half ago, I left my first law firm and started another firm. Superannuation of
my brain cells and the increasing complexity of the law have conspired to limit my ability to
excel as a dilettante in my profession, however, and I am now highly specialized in a small,
national practice that uses the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Act of 1974
(ERISA) to help employees buy companies from retiring owners through Employee Stock
Ownership Plans “ESOPs”. I have come to believe that employee ownership is the ideal
Hegelian synthesis among the principles of capitalism, democracy and socialism for this time in
our global economy. This is pretty much my only current manifestation of Oberlin think.
Maybe its roots are in my early introduction to communism and the collectivist economy.
The expansion of my own worldview began with my choir trip and developed rapidly with the
mysteries that were revealed by my study of the culture, literature and language nuances of
Russia. Marjorie Hoover, Serge Kryzytski, Galina Kryzytski, professors of Russian, as well as
Daniel Brower who taught Russian history opened me to multi-culturalism. Even more than that,
these brilliant and effective people helped anchor my adolescent mind to the path of openmindedness and freedom from barriers that has enriched my life and served my clients.
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:40 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Helen Burns
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2011
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#23
REES
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Yes, I taught Winter Term Russian in January 2011 with Sam Skove and
Karrie... her last name is escaping me at the moment. This experience
was both fulfilling and entertaining. I liked to use the methods that the
professors who taught me used, because they worked... and there was
room to put a bit of my own say/interest/ideas in the presentations.
One of my "students" became a good friend and still has been, as we
realized we have similar interests within this field.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I didn't go on a winter trip, but I studied abroad in Moscow for Fall
2009.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
Yes, I lived in Russian house during my senior year. Life was fine... our
Fulbright TA Anna Ierusalimskaia was there and we are still in contact.
Some of the fondest, or shall I say, characteristic, memories of Russian
House life were the Maslenitsa events... and the time when a friend of
mine dared to leave a bottle of vodka in the hallway for five minutes,
only to return to see it having disappeared somewhere...
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I guess I could say that Russian has played a role in my life, because, well, I have been living in Russia. For the 2011-12
academic year I was a Fulbright ETA in Chelyabinsk, an industrial but actually in it's own way beautiful city in the South
Urals. Even though I spent my working hours teaching English, the rest of the day would be in Russian. From
Chelyabinsk I also went to other cities such as Kazan and Ufa, and abroad to Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan) with another
Oberlin graduate. This year (academic year 2012-13) I am working as an English and Spanish teacher at Adyghe State
University, in Maykop, Adyghe Republic... the most... shall we say спокойная republic in the North Caucasus. Here I am
also performing and recording music in Adyghe, Karachai, Chechen and Kabardian, with some of the region's wellknown musicians. I also spent New Years break in an aul in Karachai-Cherkessia, where I was force fed shashlik until
my stomach almost exploded and ended up in a wedding procession and лезгинка.
Короче говоря... I have not only used Russian, I have lived my life in Russian. I have laughed, cried, worked,
entertained, argued, gotten into trouble, fallen in love, and solved major problems in Russian. I have the Oberlin faculty
to thank for all of this.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Sure, my email is [email protected]. I think for some reason
you have my father's email address instead.
https://oberlin.wufoo.com/entries/russian-winter-term-40th-anniversary/
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Ellen Chances (1966)
Tom Newlin asked, “How have you used your Russian since graduating? What role has
Russian played in your life?” What role has it played in my life? …Hmm… One might say that
it has played more than a tiny role in my life… I’m a professor of Russian literature at Princeton
University.
Memories of Russian at Oberlin? Freshman year, first-year Russian, five times a week –
at 8am! Many nights of very little sleep, lots of coffee, …and No Doz… Lots of work in
Russian, that year and the next. I only later – years later – found out that we had covered, in one
semester, what the accelerated class at Harvard had covered in one year. Those classes with
Professor Evelyn Jasiuko were hard, but we really learned Russian well.
What was great fun was the fact that in first and second-year Russian, we were writing
compositions, in Russian, about “mirovozzrenie.” (I didn’t know how to say “carrots” in
Russian, but I could discuss Chekhov’s world outlook!)
The instruction in Russian was excellent. Oberlin’s honors reading list was so rigorous
that graduate school (also at Princeton) was made much easier.
Professor Marjorie Hoover, of the German and Russian Department, was instrumental in
starting Oberlin’s participation in the Council of International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
summer program in what was then Leningrad. When, as a graduate student, I went on that
program, with Marjorie Hoover as leader of the Oberlin group, I remember that she swam almost
every day in the Neva River.
The great language training at Oberlin led me to be chosen as one of the twenty-five
undergraduate students from all over the United States to participate in the first ever semester
program, organized by Indiana University for American undergraduates, in Moscow. Carol
Zazove, another Oberlin student, was also chosen for the program. What an extraordinary
experience! Absolutely extraordinary!
One memory from that trip – walking across Red Square on New Year’s Eve, with
Wayne, my then boyfriend, a fellow student on the program, light sparkly snow gently falling.
Almost no one else was on Red Square. We were on our way to the apartment of my relatives,
who had invited us to celebrate the holiday with them. I had bought, as a gift, a bottle of highquality vodka at one of the Berezkas (the stores, at the time, that sold the kind of vodka, made
out of grain, that was available, for foreign currency, only to Westerners and others from the
“kapstran” (“capitalist countries”). As we walked along the cobblestones, with GUM on our left,
and the Kremlin on our right, I accidentally dropped my book bag, which held the precious bottle
of vodka and my Russian-English dictionary. My dictionary got christened with vodka. The
stains still adorn the pages. We arrived at my relatives with a green book bag, smelling of vodka,
filled with broken shards of glass and a soggy dictionary. I felt terrible that the black printed
words, rather than my relatives, were the recipients of the liquid gift. My relatives just laughed.
Other memories of Russian at Oberlin? The night the Borodin String Quartet, from the
Soviet Union, came to Russian House after a concert. A few of us students sat around, maybe
around a fireplace on a cold winter evening? Maybe I’m making up the part about the fireplace.
Maybe I’m also making up the part about the cold winter evening? What I’m not making up is
the sense of warmth, comfort, and coziness as we hung out together. Here’s something else that I
might be making up, but I think not. Some of the musicians took off their shoes and sat around in
socks.
In those Cold War days, it felt meaningful to be sitting together with Soviet citizens,
human being with human being, transcending the barriers of Cold War politics with normal
human person-to-person conversation. I remember distinctly the words of one of the quartet
members. He said that this was the first time, during the concert tour, that they had time just to
relax and that he treasured the casual evening get-together. At the time, having a “real” Russian
come to Oberlin, or to any part of the United States, was a big deal.
Jennifer Cogley (1990)
1. When did you graduate from Oberlin?
1990
2. Were you a Russian/REES major?
Yes
3. Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Do you remember who your teachers
were? Do you have any particularly strong memories of the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards?
I just remember that my boyfriend and I broke up during Russian winter term. I ran around the
pond a lot and cried and punched pillows... (I might have conjugated a verb here and there but
who can know?)
ARLENE FORMAN! I also cared for her dog, Pookie, when she traveled.
4. Did you go on any Russian Dept.-sponsored winter term trips to the Soviet Union
Union/Russia? What in particular do you remember about the trip?
I was part of the first group of students to the the Direct Educational Exchange with what was
still then the Soviet Union. I studied at Moscow State from August 1989 to June 1990. Quite
memorable -- but more stories than I could pack into a quick email here!
5. Did you ever live in Russian House? What was life in Russian House like when you were
there?
I did live there 1988-1989. The best room i had there boasted a balcony with french doors
opening out to the view of Professor Street. That room may have been the nicest I've ever lived
in!
6. How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I worked for Jewish Family and Children Services (JFCS) in San Francisco helping to resettle
families into the Bay Area emigrating from the FSU from 1991-1994. I ran the furniture
donation program and found that my household items vocabulary became very well developed in
this period. However, the precise meaning of the word "tumbochka" remained ever a mystery to
me. I used to joke that: "Lyubov'", "Svoboda," "Istina" -- Vsye eti slova ponyatno. No, chto, na
camom dele, znachit "tumbochka," ya nikogda ne budu znat'." I clearly never made it onto the
Russian furniture comedy circuit -- but I amused my own self which is to this day my target
audience.
During that period, I met a certain older Russian woman having an adventure in SF -- She spoke
barely any English and worked for crazy hippy new agers in the Bay area. She needed to be able
to tell a story without jumping around and using her hands. I needed Russian practice. We hung
out. She decided that it was time for me to wed and introduced me to the most boring
(American) computer programmers she could find. I told her NEVER AGAIN introduce me to
any one -- I am fine single. Then she arranged for Jan Leite, an unemployed Russian architect
visiting from Moscow for his US adventures, to pick her up at my house. I met him and from
day refused to let him out of my sight. We were married 6 months later. (13 years, two kids,
and a house later we divorced -- but it was all very romanitcal at the time and I have no regrets.)
After JFCS, I worked for Center for Citizen Initiatives where I helped arrange management
internships for newly formed Russian enterprises taking advantage of the "blooming of
capitalism" in Russia. During that time I was bitten by the entrepreneurship bug -- The near
absolute lack of small businesses in the Soviet Union while I was there made me deeply
appreciate entrepreneurship and the role of community-rooted businesses in our neighborhoods.
Eventually, I got an MBA-ish (didn't turn in my final paper, but whatevs!). Now I work in
Economic Development for the People's Republic of Berkeley, CA preaching about the
transformative power of private business for community and environmental change.
I have two beautiful, brilliant children who speak Russian at their father's house. I have a career I
love built on a interest I formed while doing Russian-related work.
So, yes, I would say that the Russian Department of Oberlin College had a pretty formative
impact on my life.
Thank you for asking! Have a blast at your celebration.
Jennifer Cogley
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:36 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Adrienne Edgar
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1982
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#12
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? I took Russian all four years at Oberlin but I can't remember whether or
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
not I took winter term Russian.
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No, but I went on the CIEE exchange program to Leningrad in spring
1981, along with three other Oberlin students. I don't recall any Russian
department-sponsored trips during my time at Oberlin.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I lived in Russian house for three years, from 1979-1982. Vladimir
Frumkin was director at the time, and it was a wonderful place to live.
We had a very cohesive group of residents and spoke mostly Russian
together. Many of us performed in Frumkin's Russian musical theater
productions based on the works of Russian bards. Some of us toured
with Frumkin and appeared in his lecture-concerts featuring the songs
of Okudzhava, Galich, and others.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I have a Ph.D. in Russian/Soviet history from U.C. Berkeley and am on
the faculty at U.C. Santa Barbara. I travel frequently to Russia and other
post-Soviet countries (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan) for my research.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
[email protected]
Created
Note: I am hoping to attend the reunion in May. Will there be any
Russian-related events?
1 Feb 2013
184.189.227.121
8:53:32 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:41 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Gregory Engel
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2006
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#29
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Who were your teachers? Do you have any particularly strong
memories of the experience? Did you continue taking Russian afterwards? *
I took a winter term intensive Russian class in January of '03 as a first-year. The course was taught by a triumvirate of
women whose names escape me now - I think one was named Simone and one was named Gabby, possibly?
Since I can't recall my instructors' names, I suppose I can't honestly say I have strong *memories* of the experience, but
I do have strong impressions. I remember being very busy and very cold and Peters being very empty. I also remember
feeling at the time that the workload was normal, but afterwards being told that we had covered a fairly large amount of
material in a short time. I never felt like I was at a disadvantage in the following semester. I took two further semesters
- Basic 2, and Intermediate 1, I suppose - and I might have continued further had circumstances been different. By the
time I finished the intermediate course, I had become pretty well determined not to major in Russian or REES, a decision
that still haunts me to this day.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
Sadly, no, but I wish I had.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
After five or six post-Oberlin years of ignoring Russian completely, I decided to take it back up again as a hobby about
two years ago. I'm glad I did! All the material I learned at Oberlin suddenly came swimming back, and through some
determined but uncoordinated attempts at furthering my education on my own, I have progressed slightly further,
although by no means to fluency. This has mainly involved reading (usually from graded/glossed readers), talking to
Russians via Skype, blogging on lang-8.com, skimming headlines on snob.ru and slon.ru, as well as taking some night
school classes. It's been slow, and no single element has been nearly as effective as the classes I had at Oberlin.
But I'm glad I'm doing it! I cajoled my wife into having our honeymoon in Moscow, where I was able to read signs and
ask for permission passably well. More exciting than that, I recently convinced my boss to let me work remotely out of
St. Petersburg for a few months, which I will be doing starting in May of this year. I am very excited about this!
Suffice it to say that although I never completed so much as a minor in Russian or REES at Oberlin, the program did
manage to instill a good language foundation in me and a very strong passion for the country and the cultures.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
Yes, please!
https://oberlin.wufoo.com/entries/russian-winter-term-40th-anniversary/
Page 1 of 2
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:41 AM
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
11 Mar 2013
71.178.60.179
1:34:43 AM
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https://oberlin.wufoo.com/entries/russian-winter-term-40th-anniversary/
Page 2 of 2
Greg Engel (2006)
Hi Professor Newlin!
I just noticed this e-mail about six weeks too late. I have filled out
the survey already but I thought it worth mentioning to you directly in
case my response was so late that no one was checking the results anymore
or something like that. If you didn't receive my response, I will happily
send it over e-mail. And I would love to be added to the OCREECAS list!
Thanks for sending this out!
~Greg Engel, '06 (I had you for my first-year second-semester Russian)
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:42 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
#30
Name *
Brianna (Tindall) Fairbanks
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2004
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
REES
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? I taught winter term; I think it was during my sophomore year. I really
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
enjoyed teaching it, as it helped solidify my own knowledge. It was also
have any particularly strong memories of
just a peaceful time to be on campus; not very many people around.
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I did not, though I did to a summer trip that was sponsored by the
department to Siberia. That trip was amazing; I wrote about it in the
OCREECAS newsletter.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
Yes; I helped translate for a Russian attorney who works on
environmental issues and was visiting the United States. I have gone to
law school since graduating and am now a public interest environmental
attorney. It was great to use my Russian again, and to learn about
efforts to preserve the environment in Russia. I would love to eventually
work for a group that has partners in Russia, though my current work is
focused on the United States.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
I think I'm on the list, but here is my email, in case I'm not:
[email protected]
Created
1 Apr 2013
207.114.134.61
2:48:10 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:40 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Emily Feingold
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2007
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#22
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
I took Russian winter term in the winter of '08, my freshman year. My
teacher was ... I think her English name was Kathleen! She was a student
as well, a senior I think. She was great. I had a really great time that
term. I took Russian next my Sophomore year and every semester until I
graduated. I've spoken it on occasion since, meeting Russians along the
way, most recently on a train ride from California to Chicago. It's been a
wonderful, fun skill to have, even though I've gotten quite rusty.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
Sadly, no.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I've conversed with some Russians, who were very happy to find that I
could speak some Russian. It's been very fun.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Sure!
Created
12 Feb 2013
74.85.13.66
11:04:36 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:28 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Melissa Floyd
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1991
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#3
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? Nope.
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No, but I did spend a summer and the following spring semester in
Leningrad (and yes, it was Leningrad then).
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
Yes, all of sophomore year. It was a little... chaotic. The house director
spent as much time as possible at Kent State (can't remember why), but
that much freedom was great at 18!
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I more or less fell into international finance, since it was the early 90s
and I spoke Russian, and I spent two years in Belarus. I switched to a
career in science shortly after I got back, though. Now I use my Russian
to talk to a few Russian speaking friends (and their children, colleagues,
and my bacteria. So far, the bacteria don't answer.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
1 Feb 2013
128.183.107.121
12:54:20 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:40 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Elizabeth Freiheit
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1990
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#26
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
I tool a winter term Russian. I believe it was with Arlene Forman, but I
can't really remember. I spent a lot of time translating newpaper
articles.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
no
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
no
I took 3 years of Russian. Then dropped it and watched my GPA soar. I
think Russian was taking up a lot of time that I could have spent on
other classes.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
After I graduated I went to teach English in the Czech Republic. I found that Russian helped me to learn Czech faster,
since many of the words have the same roots. However, I found when I accidentally said something in Russian instead
of Czech, people would be indignant. There were still Russian soldiers occupying the Czech Republic at the time (selling
grenades to kids). So there was no love of Russian there. People would brag to me about how they "took Russian" in
school for 8 years and never learned a word. Although I still remember a few things, I found the overlap between the 2
languages difficult, and ended up suppressing the Russian to have better access to the Czech. I did go on and get a
Masters degree in International Affairs specializing in Central/Eastern Europe affairs. I then worked for the Foundation
for a Civil Society in the Prague office for 2 years.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
I suppose not. Thank you for asking.
21 Feb 2013
173.181.5.2
4:40:00 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:30 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
William Frost
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2004
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#4
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Took the class my junior year, after getting back from a semester in
China. We had three teachers; Gabbie (a freshman), Sumona (another
freshman?), and a junior (Breanna? ). I continued taking it afterwards,
for about another year. (Just did conversation my last semester.) I also
took a refresher course in graduate school.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No, but my now-ex-wife did. There was amazing community there, and
Nate was a fantastic RA. Also, the resident academic (whose name I'm
blanking on) was sweet and held great community events. Russian
Halloween was fantastic.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
Other than the refresher course, no. I was a Chinese major, and that has
been more important. I am now a Foreign Service Officer serving in
Togo, and so right now I spend LOTS of time speaking French. Though,
in a way, having taken Russian helped me with French due to some
grammatical similarities.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
1 Feb 2013
41.207.163.2
1:07:50 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:30 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Rosie Judd
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2003
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#5
REES
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? I didn't take the Russian Winter Term, but as a REES minor, I took 2
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
years of Russian language classes at Oberlin, my first year being with
have any particularly strong memories of
Professor Newlin, and absolutely loved the REES community.
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
It's actually funny how things come full circle. I haven't used my Russian language skills much since graduating, other
than helping out the occasional Russians lost in the Atlanta airport (I worked for an airline for 7 years and traveled
constantly) or helping out Russian tourists touring the High Museum of Atlanta, where I volunteer several days a month.
However, I recently started working in the marketing department at the Georgia Aquarium and we're currently working
with many Russian scientists monitoring a Beluga whale population in the Sea of Okhotsk. Once my coworkers
discovered my Russian skills, they have asked me to help translate some documents and emails and hop on conference
calls in order to help improve the relationship between our research teams. It's been both a challenge and a joy to
improve my Russian skills and help my organization with the conservation of such a beautiful species.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
1 Feb 2013
74.255.42.151
1:15:12 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:36 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Suzanne Kantt
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1987
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#10
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? No, I did not do a Russian winter term. Teachers - Olga Markoff-Balaeff,
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
Russian Theater with Vladimir something (I can't remember his name). I
have any particularly strong memories of
received an MA in Russian from Middlebury.
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I travelled to the (then) Soviet Union through ACTR and Middlebury and
attended Middlebury summer Russian School 4 years before receiving
my MA in Russian.
I used it quite a bit in the 1990s. I translated for Soviet emigres during
doctors' appointments and in other arenas. I worked for the American
Red Cross Holocaust & War Victims Tracing and Information Center
from 1990 - 98; I used Russian quite frequently in that job.
Since leaving the Red Cross in 1998, my use of Russian has been pretty
limited, unfortunately.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
[email protected]
1 Feb 2013
128.220.112.199
2:22:02 PM
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Gregory Kehm OC 1988
Thanks Tom.
A little behind in my email, but I do appreciate my memories of "USSR circa. 1986" winter term
being sparked. It was a powerful and wonderfully mysterious experience for me.
I'll be sure to fill out the online survey and add some stories (there are many, including a few that
should not go on your website) and pictures! I'll look forward to future updates.
Thx
Gregory Kehm OC 1988
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:42 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Sanoma Kellogg
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
January 1992
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#31
REES
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? Yes, I taught with Kim (Kira) Fedchak. Can't remember which year-When? Who were your teachers? Do you
either January 1990 or 1992.
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I've worked with Russian through pretty much all of my career. I was a project manager and the only Russian speaker
for the former Soviet Union section of the International Directorate of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science (AAAS) for 5 years. During that time and afterwards, I worked as a freelance translator. I began translating for
the United Nations system (freelance) in 2005, with contracts at the IAEA and UNESCO. I also worked as a freelance
interpreter for OECD and the Council of Europe during the same period, and I worked as a translator and interpreter on
the private market in Europe during that time, as well. Since October 2011, I have been an English booth interpreter at
United Nations Headquarters, where I interpreter from Russian and French.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
[email protected]
I got a newsletter in May 2012 but haven't gotten one since. Have I
missed one?
18 Jul 2013
157.150.62.2
4:01:45 PM
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PUBLIC
David Klein 1985
Hi.
I'm Oberlin '85. I travelled with a group of Oberlin students to the Soviet Union for winter term
in 1985. later, I received a masters in Russian and East European Studies from Michigan and
spent some time over there. I still use my Russian. I married Russian and have some Russian
friends.
Please add my email to your newsletter list.
Thank You,
David Klein
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:37 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
#13
Name *
Michael (Misha) Kryzytski
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1976
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? No.
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What was life in Russian House like when you were there? *
I grew up in Oberlin. My parents were on the faculty, teaching Russian, from 1963-1982(?). I remember when "Russian
House" was a small hallway in South Dorm. The move to the "real" Russian House occurred probably around 1970. I
lived in Russian House all but my Freshman year (and the Spring semester of my Junior year, when I was in Leningrad on
the CIEE program). It was a fabulous college experience! It was one of the least dorm-like dorms on campus. There
were about 18-20 of us. Lots of parties, frisbee on the front lawn, and hanging out on the porch swing. When the
Frumkins came to Oberlin and became the House Directors, there was much more Russian spoken in the common areas
of the house. They were quite engaged with the students.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
Actually, I haven't. As a native speaker, I didn't take any Russian
language courses at Oberlin. I was primarily a Math major. My Russian
major came more by default: most of my credits came from the
semester in Leningrad and from Russian Lit courses I took (mostly with
John Dunlop).
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
[email protected]
Created
2 Feb 2013
67.214.5.253
3:27:56 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:40 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
John Long
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1975
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#25
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
I did a couple of winter terms involving Russian and Soviet
history/politics, but frankly can't for the life of me remember exactly
what they involved beyond reading Chamberlin's History of the Russian
Revolution w Professor Lanyi, a poetry and literature intensive w
Professor Dunlop (sp?), and plowing through the recommended
readings before going to Leningrad for spring semester 1974.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No. I did the CIEE exchange program at LGU in spring 1974.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
Yes. I lived there three years. Lots of great memories, esp. of Anna
Sergeyevna Von Der Nonne, house mother my first year, and the
Frumkins (as well as some creepy memories of Yuri Kratkov, one of
Pasternak's KGB minders, who was house parent for a year). I lived in
five different rooms over the years. Can still summon up the sound of
the side door closing and folks coming up the stairs. Seems the days
revolved around studying, making it to class on time, throwing frisbee
in the evenings and, at least for some of us, getting stoned. Still
amazed that I managed to graduate.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
Went on to Columbia University for the PhD program in Political Science
and the Russian Institute. Continued to take language courses. Given
the miserable employment prospects for PhDs at the time, I bailed after
receiving my Masters and Russian Institute Certificate. Other than
recreational reading, a business trip in '92 to interview prospective
crisis management firms in Moscow, a winter vacation in St. Petersburg
last year and several weeks in Kyrgizstan last summer visiting our older
son who serving w the Peace Corp, I've had little occasion to use
Russian.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
yes, pls, if not already on it. [email protected]
Created
18 Feb 2013
72.208.110.232
11:34:01 AM
IP Address
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:40 AM
PUBLIC
https://oberlin.wufoo.com/entries/russian-winter-term-40th-anniversary/
Page 2 of 2
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
John Marcy
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1989
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#9
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Who were your teachers? Do you have any particularly strong
memories of the experience? Did you continue taking Russian afterwards? *
I took Winter Term Russian in January 1985, my freshman year at Oberlin. I don't remember the names of my student
teachers (there were two, both women), but Vladimir Frumkin oversaw the program, and I remember going to Russian
House for tea and conversation with him on at least one occasion.
After Winter Term, I enrolled in the second semester Russian course with Elena Sokol and then continued for two
semesters of Intermediate Russian. I would have continued, but it became impossible to fit it in my schedule. I did take
a history of Soviet politics class with Vladimir Brovkin at some point a couple of years later.
In general I never knew the real names of my classmates, only their Russian names. Several years after graduation I was
visiting New York City, walked into a Tower Records, and heard someone shout "Ivan!" And there was one of my Winter
Term classmates, Khristof! (Christopher Minarich See below for another similar story.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No, but see below for a different trip.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
Lived in Spanish House for two years and German House for a semester
-- never in Russian House! I was double degree in cello and Spanish.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I went to the Soviet Union in the summer of 1990, while in graduate school, as a member of the American Soviet Youth
Orchestra, which was sponsored partly by Oberlin (but the Conservatory, not the Russian Dept) along with Moscow
Conservatory. This was an orchestra of about 50 American and 50 Soviet musicians. The Americans were from all over
the US, while the Soviets were all students at Moscow Conservatory.
We rehearsed and performed in Moscow, then performed in the Baltics (Tallinn, Pärnu, and Riga (Yurmala), then on to
Kaliningrad and back to Moscow. We were in the USSR for about 3 weeks total before going on to tour Europe and the
US -- about an 8-week tour in all. It was a very memorable trip. It was the era of Gorbachev, glasnost' and perestroika,
but it was still over a year before the Soviet Union would break up.
While we were rehearsing in Moscow, Boris Yeltsin resigned from the Communist Party during a party congress, and
there were anti-government street demonstrations. Our Russian conductor (from Moscow Conservatory) was
conducting rehearsal that afternoon, and he ended rehearsal after only a short time, saying it was impossible to
concentrate given the situation. One of the Russian cellists took me to the demonstrations and then showed me around
the city. At this point it had been 4 years since my last Russian class, but enough had stuck to allow me to get by pretty
https://oberlin.wufoo.com/entries/russian-winter-term-40th-anniversary/
Page 1 of 2
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:35 AM
well.
The day we flew to Tallinn happened to be the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of Estonia into the Soviet Union,
and there was clearly a fair amount of anti-Russian sentiment. I remember sitting with an American bassoonist at lunch.
The waiter brought her something, and she said "spasibo." The waiter replied (in English) "I am no Russian... but you're
welcome." In Pärnu some of the Americans in the orchestra started playing ultimate frisbee on the beach. Some of the
locals were watching, apparently unfamiliar with the game. One young man joined in. He had no idea what the rules
were or what team he was on, but he was having a lot of fun!
One of the most interesting parts of the trip for me was Kaliningrad, a city which had been closed to foreigners until
very recently because of its military importance. We drove there on a bus from Riga, passing through Lithuania. Once
we crossed the border into Kaliningradskaya oblast', there were many propaganda posters -- clearly this was an area
where glastnost' and perestroika hadn't caught on yet! Most of the residents had never met a foreigner before, and the
orchestra got a reception as if we were celebrities. We played in the Dvorets Sporta, and it was the loudest applause of
the whole tour.
One other memory of the tour involving Oberlin. The American half of the orchestra first arrived in the Soviet Union by
ship from Stockholm to Leningrad before taking a night train to Moscow. At the port in Leningrad, we went through
passport control. The officials were just looking over the passports and visas for a few seconds and then waving people
through. When my turn came, the woman took my passport, motioned for me to stay put, and then walked away with
my passport. After I had been standing there for a few minutes, getting a little nervous, a female voice said "Ivan!" I
looked up and saw one of my classmates from Russian class at Oberlin whom I still know only as "Natalya." Apparently
she had been working at the duty-free shop at the port of Leningrad. She had been working that morning and suddenly
saw a bunch of people come through with Oberlin T-shirts. It was a very strange coincidence. Eventually the official
came back, returned my passport, and waved me on. I never found out what the issue was.
For the entire trip the Russian I had taken at Oberlin served me well! I can't say I have used the language much since
then, though I do have a couple of Russian colleagues for whom I will generally pull out a phrase or two, though their
English is much better than my Russian.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
1 Feb 2013
76.101.21.232
1:31:07 PM
IP Address
PUBLIC
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:35 AM
well.
The day we flew to Tallinn happened to be the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of Estonia into the Soviet Union,
and there was clearly a fair amount of anti-Russian sentiment. I remember sitting with an American bassoonist at lunch.
The waiter brought her something, and she said "spasibo." The waiter replied (in English) "I am no Russian... but you're
welcome." In Pärnu some of the Americans in the orchestra started playing ultimate frisbee on the beach. Some of the
locals were watching, apparently unfamiliar with the game. One young man joined in. He had no idea what the rules
were or what team he was on, but he was having a lot of fun!
One of the most interesting parts of the trip for me was Kaliningrad, a city which had been closed to foreigners until
very recently because of its military importance. We drove there on a bus from Riga, passing through Lithuania. Once
we crossed the border into Kaliningradskaya oblast', there were many propaganda posters -- clearly this was an area
where glastnost' and perestroika hadn't caught on yet! Most of the residents had never met a foreigner before, and the
orchestra got a reception as if we were celebrities. We played in the Dvorets Sporta, and it was the loudest applause of
the whole tour.
One other memory of the tour involving Oberlin. The American half of the orchestra first arrived in the Soviet Union by
ship from Stockholm to Leningrad before taking a night train to Moscow. At the port in Leningrad, we went through
passport control. The officials were just looking over the passports and visas for a few seconds and then waving people
through. When my turn came, the woman took my passport, motioned for me to stay put, and then walked away with
my passport. After I had been standing there for a few minutes, getting a little nervous, a female voice said "Ivan!" I
looked up and saw one of my classmates from Russian class at Oberlin whom I still know only as "Natalya." Apparently
she had been working at the duty-free shop at the port of Leningrad. She had been working that morning and suddenly
saw a bunch of people come through with Oberlin T-shirts. It was a very strange coincidence. Eventually the official
came back, returned my passport, and waved me on. I never found out what the issue was.
For the entire trip the Russian I had taken at Oberlin served me well! I can't say I have used the language much since
then, though I do have a couple of Russian colleagues for whom I will generally pull out a phrase or two, though their
English is much better than my Russian.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
1 Feb 2013
76.101.21.232
1:31:07 PM
IP Address
PUBLIC
Lisa Morse (1984?)
Hi,
I appreciated the email about the 40th Anniversary. I co-taught the Intensive Russian in 1984, I
believe. I went on to get a Master's in Russian at the University of Pittsburgh, but have not used
my Russian much in the years since. Currently I teach English as a Second Language, and I keep
my ears open for families who have emigrated in an effort to be of help to them as they transition
to life in the U.S.
I'd like to get on the list to receive the OCREECAS newsletter, in spite of my inactivity in the
language. I don't regret the time I spent studying Russian and certainly feel that it has helped me
understand some of what my students go through!
Lisa Morse
Joshua Mullet (1999)
Hi Tom and Russian peeps!
I graduated in 1999 from Oberlin with B.A. in mathematics. I took a lot of Russian. I think I
was almost a minor or something.
I taught the intensive Russian Winter Term in winter of 1997. This was a very memorable time
for me. My partner, Morag Boyd (OC '96) was pregnant with our daughter, Katya. Early in
winter term, we were walking to the clinic for a pre-natal visit, and I slipped on the ice and broke
the fifth metatarsal in my left hand. So, I got to teach the Intensive Russian Winter Term in a lot
of pain and on Vicodin! I'm not sure if that made it better or worse for me and my students, but I
loved it. I loved teaching Russian, and this was the first time that I really had a class to
myself. It helped me realize how much I enjoyed teaching and I spent a long time after that
teaching mathematics.
After graduating from Oberlin, I went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where I
received my Ph.D. in mathematics in 2006. I spent the next four years as professor and lecturer
of mathematics at The Ohio State University. In 2010, the academic job market having all but
dried up, I took a position in quantitative finance at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, OH.
And the rest is history.
Sadly, I don't do much with my Russian anymore. I remember that I was near fluent, but now it's
difficult to carry on a conversation. My experience at Oberlin did, however, leave me with a
lasting love of 19th century Russian literature, especially Tolstoy. I have re-read Anna Karenina
several times since Tom's "Zhenskiy vopros" class. It is without a doubt my favorite novel of all
time.
I did not live in Russian House, but I got very drunk there on many occasions! :-)
Josh
Joshua P. Mullet, Ph.D., CQF
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:39 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Matthew Pena
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2004
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#21
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
I took the winter term course. I can't remember who my teachers were
but I remember having a challenging and great time. I was a double
degree student in politics and vocal performance, on track to graduate
in four years. I knew I wanted to study Russian for music but because I
overloaded most semesters, it wouldn't fit into my normal semester
course load. Winter term was my only choice. So instead of going back
home--to California--I stayed in Ohio for January.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I took the course because I knew Russian music, particularly opera and classical, but also folk songs, were particularly
beautiful, but without at least the fundamentals of the language, I was severely limited even knowing how to begin
studying Tchaikovksy, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov and the other great Russian composers. The basics I learned in
the winter term intensive were enough to set me apart from almost all of my non-Russian colleagues; I could read the
original composer's manuscripts, do my own translations and have access to other reference materials most of my
other colleagues couldn't approach. Since graduation, I've become a full-time singer and have performing Russian song
and opera, including Lenski in Eugene Onegin with the Anchorage Opera. I now live in Germany where I sing at the
Detusche Oper Berlin. Just a few months ago, I even helped settle a debate over unclear musical notations in a Prokofiev
opera because I was the only one in the room who had even the most basic knowledge of Russian. Thank you winter
term Intensive Russian for continuing to make me look good!
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
6 Feb 2013
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:39 AM
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Page 2 of 2
Louis Porter (2010)
Hi Tom!
My apologies for the late response and also being terrible at keeping in touch. It was great to
receive the letter regarding Russian Winter Term! I hope everything is going well, and was very
glad to hear from you about the commemoration of a great Oberlin tradition.
Here's my answer to the letter's request for a reflection. Unfortunately, I am overwhelmed with
work right now (I had no idea how much work graduate school entailed!) and so this is not a
very polished response. While it may be too late also, I thought I'd send it anyway:
I graduated from Oberlin in 2010 and, as a double Russian language and History major, I both
took and taught Winter Term Russian. This was a formative experience for me. Coming to
Oberlin as a prospective English major, Professor Newlin's first year seminar on Tolstoy's War
and Peace and Winter Term Russian steered me on a totally different path from what I had
expected. Taking Winter Term Russian was a wonderful experience, and the student-teachers did
a terrific job at providing the fundamentals of the language. During my senior year, when I ended
up teaching Winter Term Russian myself, the experience of going back to Nachalo was
rewarding in many ways and an apt prelude to what I do now–––serve as a TA. Unfortunately,
my teaching now does not involve dialogues about "Jim the aspirant" and a sketchy boot seller!
If they did, my current obligations would undoubtedly be more fun. In short, without Winter
Term Russian, I would be on a completely different track, and I am glad I had the opportunity to
interact with the wonderful students and professors of the Russian department. Today, I am a
PhD student in Russian History at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and have just
completed my MA thesis, entitled "An Endnote to History: Julian Huxley, Soviet Scholars and
UNESCO's History of Mankind, 1945-1967," which won the "Southern Conference on Slavic
Studies Best Student Paper Prize" this year. Without Winter Term Russian, I would never have
been introduced to the Russian history that is currently both my work and my passion.
Also, I wanted to thank you for all the help, advice and fun classes throughout my time at
Oberlin. Its safe to say that without the first-year seminar and Russian classes, I have no idea
how different my life would be, both in terms of intellectual trajectory and as a person. By the
way, I'm assigned to read later this semester your book for my class on pre-19th century Russian
history.
Hope you are well, and that Winter Term Russian got a lot of students this year!!
Best
Louis
1
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:41 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Zach Rewinski
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2010
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#28
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Who were your teachers? Do you have any particularly strong
memories of the experience? Did you continue taking Russian afterwards? *
I team-taught winter term Russian during my fourth year. Several of the team members, myself included, had been to
Russia in recent memory, and we returned to Oberlin bursting with stories of our experiences and escapades. I still
fondly recall sharing what we had learned about Russian culture with our students, and their obvious fascination with
Russian culture felt like a reward for my experiences and confirmation of my belief that knowledge gains value only as it
is shared. We taught Russian 101, but the language was only one way that we opened our minds and revealed why we
so strongly believe that studying Russian is a great idea.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
n/a
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I lived in Russian House for a total of 3 semesters and enjoyed each of
them. Life in Russian House included poetry readings, film screenings,
and a lot of music. We hung Soviet propaganda posters on our walls,
sang Russian chanson, and on occasion enjoyed delicious Russian
meals. My final semester in Russian House was my final semester at
Oberlin, and having spent my third year in Saint Petersburg, I suddenly
appreciated all of the quarks and oddities of that house and its
residents in a way that I had never expected.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I use Russian on a daily basis as a graduate student and teaching
assistant in Slavic Language and Literature. My fascination with Russian
language, history, literature and culture began in my first year at
Oberlin, and grew stronger throughout my time at Oberlin. I have
Oberlin's Russian Department, Russian House, and winter term Russian
to thank for their immense impact on my life, thought, and decision to
remain an eternal student of life, literature, and the many ways that we
attempt to make sense of them!
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
[email protected] (i think i'm already on the list, but just in
case)
Created
26 Feb 2013
https://oberlin.wufoo.com/entries/russian-winter-term-40th-anniversary/
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:41 AM
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Page 2 of 2
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:37 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Christina Rudyj
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1994
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#14
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? I didn't take Russian during Winter term.
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I worked in the Russian Practice at Coudert Brothers as a legal assistant
and used my Russian language skills as a legal assistant at Clifford
Chance.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
[email protected]
Created
2 Feb 2013
98.163.91.187
5:53:14 PM
IP Address
PUBLIC
Carolyn Rutland (1974)
I meant to write you more earlier this week, but couldn't get to it.
I will have to do this in installments.
I have a snapshot somewhere of me that winter term. Probably Edie
took it. I will see if I can find it.
I haven't updated my information with the Alumni Office in some years.
I retired from the City of Kalamazoo in 2009. I worked for the BLM
in Lander, WY 2009-2010and then moved to Helena, MT. I now work for
the Montana Bureau of Environmental Quality on the Libby Asbestos
Superfund project. I am a geologist.
1. I am real sure Edie taught Madeleine and me Russian Winter Term
1971. Madeleine and I were first-year students. Edie had been to
Middlebury that summer. Edie and I lived in Allencroft/Russian House.
I think Madeline lived in French House or maybe Dascomb.
Some of us Allencroft talked for a while about studying Russian art
that Winter Term. I baby-sat for Thalia Gouma Peterson, Carl
Peterson's wife. She taught art history at Wooster and her research
speciality was Byzantine art. She was willing to lead us, but asked
to be paid a token amount. That didn't work out and eventually we
ended up with the Russian language class idea.
There were three of us in Allencroft hat year, all first-years, all
women. None of us knew any Russian, but we did know some German. We
assumed that was why we'd been assigned to Russian House. The other
two were Marion Garvey and Jeannette Schloss. Neither of them were
interested in learning Russian, but I was open to the opportunity.
4. Since I no longer live in Michigan, I doubt it will be possible to
travel to Ohio for the fun. I do appreciate the invitation and the
offer to help with mileage, etc.
As promised, I'll write more later, hopefully tomorrow.
Carolyn Rutland
On Jan 10, 2013, at 7:40 PM, Tom Newlin <[email protected]> wrote:
1
Carolyn! Many thanks for your speedy reply, and my apologies for my slow one.
I really appreciate your willingness to help out.
The info. about Madeleine Wells in invaluable: I just got her address from the
Alumni office and will write to her the old-fashioned way (the alum office didn't
have an email address for her).
A few specific questions:
1. You mention Winter Term 1971. Edie thought she taught the class during
Winter Term 1073 (when she was a senior). Do you remember specifically that it
was 1971?
2. Do you have any particularly vivid memories of what it was like to learn
Russian learning during Winter Term? What made you want to take Russian?
3. Did you keep taking Russian after Winter Term, and have you used it in any
way since graduating?
4. Any chance you can drive down from Kalamzoo for the Feb. 15th gettogether? We could put you up and reimburse you for mileage if you're
interested.
My very best -- Tom Newlin
These%are%some%answers%to%the%rest%of%your%questions%about%my%Winter%
Term%Russian%experience.%
%%
What%made%you%want%to%take%Russian?%%I%thought%vaguely%that%I%might%study%
several%foreign%languages%in%college%(I%had%studied%some%German%and%some%
Spanish%before%college)%and%perhaps%end%up%working%for%the%state%
department.%%I%wanted%to%travel%the%world%and%thought%speaking%more%
languages%would%be%an%advantage.%%I%suspect%that%because%I%ended%up%living%
in%Russian%House%as%a%firstDyear%student,%I%started%with%Russian.%%Certainly,%I%
2
made%good%friends%among%the%other%residents%and%Russian%students%that%
year,%so%another%reason%was%to%interact%with%them%in%Russian.%%Also,%I%
babysat%for%the%Dunlop%children%(Masha%(Mini),%John%(Brat),%and%later%
Olgichka)%and%they%spoke%Russian.%
%%
Vivid%memories%–%It%was%exhausting.%We%met%twice%a%day,%morning%and%
afternoon.%%I%had%to%study%hard%after%the%morning%session%to%be%ready%for%the%
afternoon.%%Madeline%was%much%better%at%this%selfDdiscipline%than%I%
was.%%Also,%learning%Russian%was%hard%for%me.%%I%had%picked%up%German%and%
Spanish%fairly%easily%and%just%assumed%Russian%would%be%the%same.%%I%think%
the%different%alphabet%and%the%fact%the%Russian%is%not%as%closely%related%to%
German%and%Spanish%are%the%reasons.%
%%
Did%I%take%Russian%after%that%Winter%Term?%%Yes,%Madeline%and%I%both%took%
the%second%semester%of%Elementary%Russian.%%John%Dunlop%gave%us%a%test%to%
ascertain%whether%or%not%we%could%do%it.%%I%did%poorly%on%the%test%and%Mr.%
Dunlop%warned%me%that%I%might%receive%a%“no%entry”%in%the%second%semester,%
but%he%let%me%try.%%And%I%did%pass%the%course,%although%it%was%hard%and%I%
suspect%I%just%barely%passed.%%The%professor%was%named%Gribinshchikov.%%I%
continued%to%live%in%Russian%House%until%February%1972.%
%%
Have%I%used%Russian%since%that%Winter%Term?%%Just%in%personal%ways.%%I%can%
recognize%when%someone%is%speaking%Russian,%as%opposed%to%just%knowing%
he/she%is%speaking%a%foreign%language.%%I%can%sometimes%understand%words%
and%the%gist%of%what%someone%is%saying,%as%in%a%movie%or%a%TV%show.%%I%can%
eavesdrop%on%tourists%at%an%airport%baggage%claim!%%I%can%tell%that%Gibbs%(on%
NCIS)%doesn’t%have%a%very%good%Russian%(or%Spanish)%accent.%%In%1993%I%spent%
several%months%in%Argentina%with%my%family%and%used%Spanish,%German,%and%
Russian.%%The%father%of%a%friend%there%had%been%a%World%War%II%Austrian%in%a%
Russian%POW%camp.%%I%used%a%little%Russian%once%in%Cuba%(I%was%there%
completely%legally,%by%the%way).%%I%don’t%read%Russian%literature%in%translation,%
but%I%do%like%to%read%fiction%and%nonfiction%about%Russia%and%Russians.%%In%the%
last%month,%for%example,%I%have%read%Imperial Requiem: Four Royal Women and the
Fa… (sorry, that cut and paste operation didn’t work completely) and
Former People: The
Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy by Douglas Smith. In Former People I
3
think I finally got a comprehensive picture of the Russian Revolution, which had
previously eluded me. I like to sound out the English transliterations of the Russian
names. I haven’t traveled to Russia –yet – but I almost made it to Baku,
Azerbaijan a few years ago (friend working at the embassy).%
%
I would love to visit Oberlin and attend the get-together in February (and be
winded and dined), but I doubt that the trip will be possible. I have two dogs and a
grandson living with me. If something opens up, I will let you know.%
%
I found some pictures of the residents at Allencroft 1970-71 and another one of me
that winter and I will send them to you via email.%
%
Let me know if you have any other questions or if I can help in any other way.%
%
Carolyn Rutland
4
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:31 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Mak Saito
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1994
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#6
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Yes. I can't remember his name. I remember working really hard all
month, and enjoying it! My instructor estimated the number of hours in
the first semester in class, 14 hours, and said that's what I had to do to
catch up (not including outside class time). I took the spring semester,
but knew I was going to be an environmental studies and biology
double major/chemistry minor.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
No, knew people there, seemed nice.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I interact with Russian scientists on a regular basis, my Russia winter
term experience has certainly helped me in my collaborations and
interactions.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Created
1 Feb 2013
128.128.61.76
1:15:13 PM
IP Address
PUBLIC
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:39 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Jonathan Sanders
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
May 2008
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#19
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? I took winter term Russian in Jan of 2004. I don't remember who my
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
teachers were but I remember the classrooms always smelled kind of
have any particularly strong memories of
like chai. I took 2.5 more years of Russian afterwards.
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I did a summer in Siberia with the Great Baikal Trail Association, where I
got to see Lake Baikal in all it's summer glory. I had a great time that
summer speaking Russian and English between the different volunteers
and learning a lot about Russian and Buryat culture.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I only stopped in Russian House for movies and tea.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I used my Russian during a long road trip from Spain to Mongolia, following the model of the "Mongol Rally" though my
friends and weren't in the actual rally. We got stuck at both the Ukrainian and Russian borders where I had to translate a
notarized letter in Spanish declaring that I had full rights to the car, even though it wasn't in my name. We made it
across the Russian border after two hours of discussion only to get pulled over thirty minutes later by town cops
claiming we were speeding - we had to give up $50 and an ipod to get out of that one, since our papers weren't
technically in order.
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9/3/13 10:38 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
#17
Name *
Elizabeth Scales Rheinfrank
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1995
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Who were your teachers? Do you have any particularly strong
memories of the experience? Did you continue taking Russian afterwards? *
I took winter term Russian during my freshman year at Oberlin. The class was very well-organized, and the instructor
was a very good speaker. She encouraged me to test into second semester first-year Russian, which I was able to do. I
very much enjoyed studying Russian and went on to minor in it. Even though Russian was not my major, I got to know
my professors in the Russian Department very well, and liked all of them. During my junior year, I became ill and had to
be hospitalized for a few days. While in the hospital, two of the members of the Russian faculty called to see how I was
doing. They were all great!
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
Yes, I lived in Russia House for one semester. My room in Russia House
was lovely, and I enjoyed living there--except that it was haunted. Have
you heard people talk about the ghost at Russia House? No one
discussed it when we were living there, but I ran into her on the stairs
one evening!
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I have not used Russian much upon graduating. Once my husband was
organizing an international conference and the Russian interpreter was
late, so he asked me to fill in for about an hour. That was interesting. I
was surprised by how much I remembered. I have also helped out
Russian tourists on the street in New York City when they needed
directions.
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9/3/13 10:37 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Katherine Scodova
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2003
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#15
Russian
REES
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
I both took and taught Russian winter term. Azida (sp) was my teacher,
and she co-taught with a young man. I cannot remember his name. The
year I taught I worked with Joshua Gray. We had both been in Krasnodar
together the previous semester. After my first winter term as a student,
I went on to be very involved with the Russian department/OCREECAS
and completed my degree in Russian language and literature and REES
in 2003.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
no.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I lived in Russian House during my 4th year, and I was also the RM that
year. Very few students living in the house were a part of the Russian
program, so there was not much interaction among the residents and
the Russian language/cultural programming.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
Russian has continued to be a very large part of my life. I completed internships related to ethnic minority rights in
Moscow after graduating, and I later went on to complete my MA in Slavic Studies at The Ohio State University with
funding from the FLAS fellowship. I was awarded the FLAS for Uzbek and Russian, and I was able to spend the second
year of this program in Moscow. After graduating, I became a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine, where I lived in a
Russian-speaking community. I now work on a State Department program called EducationUSA, which is administered
by American Councils. I'm based in Moscow, and I manage the whole program in Russia. While most of my colleagues
have a strong command of English, Russian is predominately used for communication with my staff and local partners.
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:41 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Kalan Sherrard
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2010
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#27
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Who were your teachers? Do you have any particularly strong
memories of the experience? Did you continue taking Russian afterwards? *
I took Winter Term Russian my first year at Oberlin, the winter of 2006 and continued to take Russian the following year
with Tom Newlin, and though I did not keep on taking Russian language classes thereafter, I did have a continuing
relationship with the department, regularly taking the wonderful ( and wonderfully advertised - I think the department
is among the best on campus at self-promotion) module courses, from soviet film to the Georgian feast, and larger
classes, including I think theater and revolution, all of which I found vitally beneficial and intellectually nourishing.
Initially, the Russian Winter Term was an afterthought, a sort of convenient annex to my personal January project of
total freeganism and zero-sum economics, where I ended up eating loads of expired protein bars and trading Harkness
Co-Op bags of cookies for a few eggs. But as the weeks drew on, I was increasingly captivated and engaged in the
language, ultimately found it centrally important to my experience of Oberlin, and by the end it became an important
element of my Comparative Literature Major.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I did not.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
Again, while I never lived in the Haus, I found myself there frequently
while at Oberlin. I remember tea parties, Russian Talk Time, Sometimes
visiting with Amanda Blasko, and secret dates in the various crevices of
the building. I always had friends in Russian House, and many of my
most important Oberlin relationships actually started there. When
outside acquaintances would come visiting, I usually took them to
Russian House as an example of architectural coziness at its perfect
height.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I have. While less than I would have liked (I keep promising myself to once and for all learn Russian back to front, or at
least develop conversational fluency), I regularly mutter to myself in Russian, write coded Spanish in the Cyrillic
Alphabet, Scrawl it on the chalkboard front of my Nihilist Puppet Show Suitcase in the subways of New York City, and go
through serious periods of prolific graffiti-ing Russian-Language vegetables around the country and world - stickers
and murals of the image and Russian word for the featured plant: especially onions, carrots, beets and potatoes - to
educate and encourage.
To me, to date, Russian has remained a shadowy temptress, beckoning to me from the shadows and pulling at the
strings of my... strings.
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the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
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email address below.
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:27 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Shannon Spasova
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1998
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#1
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Who were your teachers? Do you have any particularly strong
memories of the experience? Did you continue taking Russian afterwards? *
I taught winter term Russian - I think it was 1998, I did it together with Allison Miller. It was a great experience,
because that together with the drill sections that I taught were my first experiences teaching Russian. I went on to
graduate school in Slavic languages and now teach Russian at Dalhousie University in Canada. I am also still Facebook
friends with one of my students from that Winter Term class! I have another Russian-related winter term that still
benefits me now - Susanna Kittredge and I learned how to make Ukrainian Easter Eggs for my first winter term project,
and every spring I teach my students that and it is always one of our department's most popular events!
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
No, but I studied abroad in St. Petersburg in 1997.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I didn't, but I sometimes attended events there.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
It pervades my life. I teach Russian at Dalhousie University, and can
never learn enough about Russia. I have returned to Russia several
times since Oberlin, most recently taking students over for my
university's study abroad program, which is the oldest study abroad
program in Canada!
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Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Shannon Spasova
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1998
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#2
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? I answered already.
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I answered already.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I answered already.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I just submitted this but then remembered one more thing. I sang in the Slavic Folk Choir at Oberlin. My interest in
Russian and Slavic folk music grew slowly after that, but I played in the University of Wisconsin's Russian folk orchestra,
and bought my first balalaika (a prima) in 2001 in Moscow. Then while teaching at the Middlebury Russian School, I
sang in the Russian Choir. I completely fell in love with Russian folk music then, and have since bought 2 more
balalaikas (another prima and an alto), a bayan, 2 zhaleikas, a gusli, and several percussion instruments (lozhki,
treshchotki, drova). I love that and have been doing folk music with my students at Dalhousie University for the last 5
years or so.
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Page 1 of 1
Patty Stubel (2008)
1. When did you graduate from Oberlin?
2009 (Preferred class year 2008; Double Degree)
2. Were you a Russian/REES major?
No
3. Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Do you remember who your teachers
were? Do you have any particularly strong memories of the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards?
I took WT Russian in WT 2005, and continued taking 2 more semesters- I definitely remember
playing risk, in russian, in Russia house. Pretty great. You (Tom Newlin) were my professor,
and I have a distinct memory of you jumping up on a table at some point..
4. Did you go on any Russian Dept.-sponsored winter term trips to the Soviet Union
Union/Russia? What in particular do you remember about the trip? - No
5. Did you ever live in Russian House? What was life in Russian House like when you were
there? - No
6. How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
I unfortunately haven't been able to continue with Russian in my life (although I keep trying...)
but I still play racquetball/count the score in Russian, as an intimidation tactic. —Best, Patty
Stubel
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:37 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
#16
Name *
Helen Stuhr-Rommereim
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2009
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
I took Winter Term Russian during my freshman year, and my teacher
was Kevin Brondum, who later became a very close friend when we were
both doing Fulbrights in Siberia after graduation. It was a little grim to
be in Oberlin all winter long. My memories of it are all darkness and
snow, and I remember long nights of hunkering in my dorm room,
studying, drinking tea, and reading Dostoevsky. But it was appropriately
cold and dramatic, a good way to start. I continued taking Russian for
the rest of college.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I never went on Russian Department trips.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I did not live in Russian House.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
After graduating, I spent a year in Krasnoyarsk, Russia studying on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. For that
year, of course, Russian was very important. I travelled in the Caucuses as well, and in addition to visiting former
lecturer Amanda Blasko in Georgia, I used my Russian extensively to get around. Since then, it comes up from time to
time. I did a translation of Pussy Riot songs for a website I write for when they first emerged last winter. I'm working on
an MA right now in Cultural Studies, and my dissertation is going to be based on epistolary writings, involving some
work by Viktor Shklovsky, and letters by Marina Tsvetaeva and Pasternak. The thread is always there. But my most
important use of Russian these days is when I manage to correspond with my friends in Krasnoyarsk.
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:40 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Nancy Tittler
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1974
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#24
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? I did not take or teach Russian during Winter Term.
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I did not study in the Soviet Union during winter term. I went in summer
1973, through the CIEE.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What was life in Russian House like when you were there? *
I lived in Russian House for two years, from 1972-74. While we did not always speak Russian among ourselves, the
house was a home for Russian-themed activities. Highlights in my memory include visits by poets Ivan Elagin and Iosif
Brodsky (!). Brodsky came shortly after his exile. Following a reading, he accompanied Russian students and faculty to
the Russian Table in a corner of Max Kade German House. I remember my teachers sitting at the far end of the table,
enjoying each other's company, while I sat next to Brodsky, struggling to engage him in conversation. I assumed that
my feeble third-year Russian repelled him; however, when we took him back to Russkiy Dom after dinner, he remained
reticent. I recall that Edie Clowes finally took him up to her room and played him some music on her stereo; he
eventually loosened up. I now realize that he was probably suffering the depression of forced exile, and that surely he,
as well as we, did his best to be sociable.
In my senior year Russian House hosted a group of Soviet tourists, an anomaly in my limited experience. They consisted
of half Georgians and half Lithuanians, and displayed the expected differences in manner: the Georgians warm (I
received one marriage proposal) and the Lithuanians reserved. During our meet-and-greet in Russian House living
room, we learned that each had left behind a family with small children; hence, their "freedom" to travel to the US
without risk of defection. When some of us wished to take them for a meal at an Oberlin Co-op, their handlers (no
doubt as to their identity) denied our request, preferring to keep the group together at all times. And yes, we did find a
factory to tour, not far from Oberlin.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
After Oberlin, I continued my study of Russian in graduate school,
completing a Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale
University. I have taught Russian language, literature and cultural
history at Binghamton University since 1980.
If you don't t already receive
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:35 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Jessica Umphress
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1999
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#8
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Who were your teachers? Do you have any particularly strong
memories of the experience? Did you continue taking Russian afterwards? *
I was a winter term student in 1997 and then taught the course in 1999 after having spent 8 months living and
studying both theater and biology in Russia (a very Oberlin experience). While I know that there were three teachers the
year that I was a student, I only really remember one of them: Joshua Kizner. He's easy to remember because we got
married in 2003 and now have two children together! When people ask how we met, we like to joke and say that he was
my teacher at the time. I did continue to take Russian through the department after that winter term, and again after I
returned from my studies abroad. But the winter term experiences were highlights of my college years. The best way to
learn a language is immersion, and with Russian and having to learn Cyrillic there was really no better way than to eat,
sleep, and breathe it for four weeks straight.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I went to Russia through another program.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I lived there for two years, one of which I was the RC. Life in Ruski Dom
was great. The community was always tight and warm, and everyone
looked forward to house meetings as a treat. My senior year I thought it
would be good to import the Russian tradition of eating grilled meats
outdoors, so we used house funds to buy a grill and have a barbecue on
the front lawn. Residents of the house also went on a group camping
trip together that spring, where we did some hiking and more grilling of
meats. We had a lot of fun.
How have you used Russian since graduating? What role has Russian played in your life?
Russian has an odd way of continuing to pop up in my life. I worked at the Field Museum in Chicago for several years
during my 20s as an exhibition developer. One year the museum hosted an exhibit of jewels and treasures from the
Kremlin--and as part of the contract we also hosted a revolving door of Kremlin curators. When word got out that I
spoke Russian, I was appointed their official Chicago tour guide and spent months chaperoning them around the city on
cultural excursions. In the same spirit, I later assisted a visiting Russian scientist with some translation work and
received a credit in his book on ornithology. These days I research how children learn science in their everyday lives,
with a particular focus on the role that culture plays in cognition. I bring my experience with Russian language and
people to the table all the time in arguing for how our cultural environment shapes the way we see the world.
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Page 2 of 2
Jessica Umphress (1999)
Tom,
It's funny to get this email about celebrating 40+ years of winter term Russian, because I was just
talking about the experience a couple of days ago. I married my intensive Russian teacher--Josh
Kizner--and we celebrate our 10th anniversary (and 2 kids) this summer. Who ever thinks of
Russian as a romance language!?
We live in California (near the Russian River Valley where Russian cultural heritage is pretty
strong, so our rusty language skills actually get a bit of use every now and then), so we won't be
able to make it to the celebration in February. But we'll be there in spirit. And Oberlin
(hopefully) has two future legacy students whose very existence is due to winter term Intensive
Russian. Josh and I never would have met otherwise.
Hope that you are doing well,
Jessica Umphress OC '99
(Follow-up email) You can absolutely share our story--although I like to imagine that we aren't
the only marriage/partnership sprung from winter term's Intensive Russian course. Josh and I
didn't actually overlap much on campus as he was on his way out the door when I was his
student, but we both taught the winter term course and RC'ed Russian House in our own times,
and the "shared" experiences gave us lots of common ground early on. Even today we argue a bit
over who is the better Russian speaker. His grammar and vocabulary have always been better
than mine, but my pronunciation and conversation skills have him beat by a long shot. And when
in doubt about who is right, we still have our trusty, beat-up red copy of Clark's "Russian Third
Edition" to settle disputes. It all feels very Oberlin.
Alice Jean Westhafer Westmoore (1974)
I'm a 1974 graduate of Oberlin, with a major in Russian, although I never participated in the
Russian Winter Term. I lived in Russian House my freshman year and have fond memories of it,
particularly my friendship with Barb Cain, who graduated a couple years ahead of me. She lives
in the Buffalo area and we get together every January for a joint birthday party for our husbands,
who were born in the same week and are both fans of Mad Magazine and the Three Stooges.
I did spend the fall semester of my senior year (1973-1974) in Leningrad with fellow Obie
Beverly McCoy Michaels. Bev and I somehow managed to contract dysentery during our visit to
Tblisi, Georgia, (where I recall the November 7 parade included a salute to Stalin) and had a
very interesting experience first in the Tblisi hospital (which still had a polio ward!) and then
thankfully, for most of our stay at a hospital in Leningrad. My experience in Leningrad was a
life-changing one in expanding my horizons since I experienced the Soviet Union under
Brezhnev. Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag Archipeligo" had just been published in the West and one of
the questions at Customs was whether you had a copy of the book. When you made Russian
friends, they would clam up in the presence of other people's Russian friends, not knowing
whether they were to be trusted or not. The Russian people were very warm and hospitable
though and I continued to correspond with one of my Russian roommates for years afterward,
although sadly, in the past five years I have not been able to reach her. (Our Russian roommates
were never asked if they wanted to room with four Americans, but they were very gracious about
it.)
I did not continue my studies in Russian after Oberlin; I had summer internships at newspapers
and have now worked for nearly 30 years as a journalist at The Buffalo News. I still have a deep
interest in all things Russian although I'm afraid my language skills are terribly rusty.
I interviewed Obie grad John Vaillant recently when The News Book Club chose his marvelous
book, "Tiger," for our November Book Club selection. One of my colleagues at The News, Maki
Becker, is a 1984 Oberlin grad.
I won't be able to attend the gathering in Oberlin but I say hi to Edie Clowes, who was in Russian
House the same time I was.
Best,
Jean (also known as Djenya.)
Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:38 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
#18
Name *
Cameron Wiggins Bellm
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2004
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? When? Who were your teachers? Do you have any particularly strong
memories of the experience? Did you continue taking Russian afterwards? *
I taught Winter Term Russian my senior year (2004), and I loved every second of it. I remember running into my
students on the treadmills at the gym and taking them to the Russian stores in Cleveland to practice their language and
stock up on Mishka candies. At the end of the term, I made them blini and we watched a few films, along with some
truly terrible music videos, at Russian House. The highlight of the classroom instruction was a little Super Woman doll I
found in the house I rented. We named her Super-Zhenshchina, and we used her to demonstrate all kinds of verbs of
motion, and as a story-telling prompt. That winter was an especially cold one, and I used to recite Tsvetaeva poems to
myself while trudging through the snow to distract myself from my frozen toes. O Rus'!
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I didn't.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I didn't live in Russian House, but I was there all the time. There were
cozy teas every week, and I had a few classes in the apartment of the
visiting lecturer, Amanda Blasko. I loved the October Revolution party
and the spring party on the lawn.
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I finished my PhD in Russian literature at Berkeley in 2011. My
dissertation was on the generic amalgamation of the nineteenthcentury novel and drama. I am currently working on a book about
creativity in the academy.
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Created
4 Feb 2013
108.205.152.208
8:29:29 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:39 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Diana Wueger
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
2006
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#20
Neither
Did you take or teach winter term Russian?
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
I took winter term Russian in 2003, then took Russian continuously
afterwards (minus the semester I studied abroad in Central Europe and
the semester I was on leave). I remember being overwhelmed by the
barrage of new information; the only phrase I could consistently
articulate was Da, pochta, which has become a long-standing joke
among my friends who were around for Winter Term 2003.
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
Nope
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
Nope
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
While my Russian language skills have atrophied terribly (though I can
still explain whether a building is, in fact, a post office), I'm currently
working with a professor here at the Naval Postgraduate School to
coordinate a Track II dialogue in Moscow with Russian scholars and
officials to discuss Russia and the US as Asian powers, with an emphasis
on strategic stability and nuclear nonproliferation.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
Yes please! [email protected]
Created
6 Feb 2013
205.155.65.226
3:50:49 PM
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Wufoo · Entry Manager
9/3/13 10:36 AM
Russian Winter Term 40th Anniversary
Name *
Eden Wurmfeld
When did you graduate from Oberlin? *
1991
Were you a Russian or Russian and Eastern
European Studies major? *
#11
Russian
Did you take or teach winter term Russian? No.
When? Who were your teachers? Do you
have any particularly strong memories of
the experience? Did you continue taking
Russian afterwards? *
Did you go on any Russian Departmentsponsored winter term trips to the Soviet
Union/Russia? What in particular do you
remember about the trip? *
I went on a CIEE trip - but I don't think that was sponsored by the
Russian Dept.
Did you ever live in Russian House? What
was life in Russian House like when you
were there? *
I didn't live there, unfortunately!
How have you used Russian since
graduating? What role has Russian played
in your life?
I lived in St Petersburg for two years - 1991-1993 - I used my Russian a
lot then. Since changing careers, I've used it very little, unfortunately. I
worked briefly with a Russian film director, Yuri Mamin. I miss speaking
Russian and wish I'd kept it up more. I've been back a handful of times
since living there - most recently in 2006. I did find it largely came back
to me with a few weeks of immersion.
If you don't t already receive
(electronically) the annual newsletter of
the Oberlin Center for Russian, East
European and Central Asian Studies
(OCREECAS), would you like us to add you
to our mailing list? If yes, please list your
email address below.
[email protected]
Created
1 Feb 2013
72.229.98.210
5:12:31 PM
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