15."Reflect on your learning in this course. What are the most important things you have learned? How has your English improved? What do you still need to work on? What are your English learning goals for next semester?"

 "Reflect on your learning in this course. What are the most important things you have learned? How has your English improved? What do you still need to work on? What are your English learning goals for next semester?"

So, I suppose the most important thing I have learned it's not English skills or structure of writing it is an importance of tome management. This lesson gave me English class, I was always putting aside for a while starting doing homework. It's really awful, I do really hope that I will get rid of this habit, because it really disturbs  me.

one of the most important  skills gained during this course -- is a structure of the essay. It is the most essential part that after a half of semester I had understood. And that's more, this structure is extremely useful not in English, but in any writing. 

I suppose that now I am better in  writing, which has never been one of my strong sides. But, unfortunately, I feel that I am in lack of speaking and my vocabulary will soon start to become poorer. Nevertheless, as the aim of the course was writing I really feel the improvement. I suppose I still need to work on logic of my writings.

Now I am hesitating to choose English as a extra course or not, because there will other compulsory courses, which will be very hard, but my self-esteem says that I have to choose English. If i do it, my goals will be to  practise writing and vocabulary as much as possible. 

14. Free choice. New Year is coming soon

I am writing this blog while going back home, but what is not typical for me is doing in advance, about a week before deadline. I suppose it is wise because in a week I will have much more work than ever in this semester, so as now I have  a half of an hour and I decided to write a blog instead of reading The collapse of Empire by Y.Gaidar. 

So, I decided to dedicate this blog to coming New Year. Yet I. haven't had a felling of coming celebration. It is a bit sad, but actually I have no time to spend it thinking about New Year, just because of the top of agenda is the ending of the semester and enormous amount of homework. It's actually the first time I am thinking about coming holiday. The most funny thing that after ending the semester in December, 27 approximately I will rush to do shopping having no idea of what to give as a present. I always have so difficulties with choosing a present and now I expect to have even more than just difficulties as i have a couple of days to find and buy all presents

And what I really want to do is to go skating with my friends. I expect that just after doing such winter activity I will feel the coming of New Year and it' s a kind of New Year mood, which everybody has experienced but can't explain what it is. Also I think that in some days there comes a time to color NewYear tree. Every year my family plans to buy a live one, but every time we color own artificial one. Actually never mind which the New Year tree you have, because I think any of it brings you a feeling  of coming celebration and long holidays.

Now when I remembered than I did it in advance, I really have a feeling of  slight relief, so i really advice everybody who is reading this blog now to try  to do everything in advance.

13. Argumentative essay

Critique on essay 

 Looking back to all my previous works I can say that each paper is not as good it can be almost due to lack of self checking and lack of time spent on  this or that piece. So, every time there is an assignment on next day,I starts doing it after midnight and the only aim for that moment is to finish as soon as possible and fall asleep. I actually understand that it isn't appropriate strategy to do your homework and try to prepare assignments in advance. But to be honest, every time my plans to start doing in advance become ruined.

As for previous assignment, I find it one of the most interesting one for the whole course. Also I really like the fact that we could choose theme from 3 and could use your own. But here are only senseless details. Taking into account all my essay, it's first draft, I can say that I expect I managed to do -- is to follow structure and make ideas quite full and appropriate. But it has a lots of weaknesses which are to be improved. I am not quite sure that I really managed to explain everything I wanted in a explicit way. Also I am pretty sure that there occur some grammar errors, which I didn't noticed at night, so actually, it's briefly everything about my essay organisation

No doubt, it should be improved but I see the only opportunity to do it in dedicating more time than it's usually dedicated. 

This piece is the most different with all previous essays, just because it's much more serious and I can say it demands more work n it than others. 

I bet that is everything how can I analyze my work.

12. December stress. Free choice

This is the first time when I clearly understand what I am going to write about in this free topic blog. Thinking about other themes of previous blogs demanded sometimes even an one of thinking over, but today i will write about present feeling of constant stress
At 2a.m. today I have realized that I am fed up with studying and feel constant stress, it doesn't for sure mean that I decided to give it up, but I can't  calm down at least. Every time when I get down to my homework I become angry, but not with people who made it up, with myself. The main reason of it is time management. To be precise, total absence of time management. A year ago I got used working and doing a homework at night. I know that it's not as effective as working in the evening, but after getting home I can't make myself start doing something. That story was continuing for all these three studying months and still continue. But what actually arose such feelings is an enormous amount of homework at this week and, as it was promised, till the end of December.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to overcome this stress, it surely need to be gone through , and after i suppose everything will be no doubt  ok. I consider myself as an optimist, but now there is a black stripe with studying which disturbs me and prevents me from enjoying life.

I know tht this post is dull and boring to read, but it was necessary for me to write it as an another  opportunity to complain 

Still in this situation I will answer that I don't regret about choice of university if you ask me.

11."No Pay?Many Interns say,"No Problem" and "Take This Internship and Shove It"

"No Pay?Many Interns say,"No Problem" and "Take This Internship and Shove It" are quite different and even opposite ones. As for me, I share views the first text's author  - internship has more advantages than disadvantages, it's a great opportunity to gain practical skills through even unpaid internship if you don't have full-or part-time job. If we consider this situation from intern's point not from effectively equilibrium on labour market, I bet it's worth going through internship even if you have to do without wage

I suppose my point is clear enough, so secondly I want to share some facts about internships in Russia. I somehow aware of situation with internships in out country, as my Mum is a doctor, and it's a common knowledge that one the most popular professions in which having an internship is strongly needed in medical ones. When I read the first text I was a bit shocked that in the USA exist even paid internships, and students has a choice of having a wage on not. In Russia student now has to pay by their one for their internships and we particularly don't have any wage. What is more effectively - nobody knows,but still both systems exist.

10.Free Choice. My sister

First of all, I wanted to apologise for really bad English and vocabulary in two or three previous posts. I understand that it's my fault, but I physically can't control myself and use appropriate vocabulary at 2-3-4 a.m. Sorry!

I have a sister Sasha, and she read almost all my blogs. She is 10 and now is studying English in school, so she can understand what I am writing about. For several times she asked me to dedicate a free choice blog to her. I always have problems with imagining what to write about; however I don't know why but I always refused her. And now when I remember about her request and she is sleeping for some hours I will dedicate this post to her.

She was born when I was 7 years old. She was so little that I was afraid to hold her. Now I feel that we became friends, but it has happened recently. I understand it because now have closer relationships and tell each other every thing we want. I am very glad that it happened, because we such a big age gap, that sometimes we had misunderstanding. We both realised that we are the nearest and dearest to each other and overview our priorities in this relations. Now I can really trust her and value this opportunity. I am very grateful to her  and my parents that she is my sister.

9.Compare two cultures

I am not very aware of American culture, not especially of culture, but of way people behave. Just a common knowledge about Americans. I suppose it's due to lack of experience in communicating with them  - I know about three of four of them. I have been always into americans' manner to smile every time and  tell everything in a calm friendly atmosphere. Because it's one of the most different thing between  people from Russia and from America. However, on the one hand, smiling person provokes your smile, while abrasive manner could hardly gain your approval and even attention. But on the other hand, when a person tells you unpleasant things, personally  i hate smiling in such causes, because for me, it's strange a bit

Other aspect of mentality is a king of a rumor that Americans much stupider that Russians. But I  bet there is not base under this statement. As for me, Americans are different as well as Russians and as in each nation there exist people with different cultural background and knowledge. Personally I am acquentanted only with well-educated Americans and I truly believe that everything is in one's hands. 

It quite hard to compare such culture which you are not very aware of ith yours. But there were such aspects which for me are remarkable from that cultures

8.Free choice.

Now I'm siting in the nearest sushi bar for my home and just using it's wi-fi. Unfortunately, my internet connection has collapsed and I have to sit here, because I am obliged to complete a CDS project in Economics. 

It's not typical for me to complete a task  three days before deadline, but I'd better to it now, because I just can imagine when I can connect to the Internet next time for my laptop.

I decided to write about importance of doing nothing. First it sounds ridiclous, but just remember your last time dreaming of doing nothing.

This theme came to me after  watching some videos about doing nothing, they are cool, and if I manage to upload them here, I will definetely do it

Indeed, I bet doing nothing is extremely important in our fast-moving fussy life. Even now it's a kind of week holidays, I don't feel myself relaxed. I try to spend my free time actively and in different ways, however, I don't have enough time for leusure. But maybe I got used to going somewhere out, that it became like a habit for me, so I can say I need a new source of rest. Maybe, even doing nothing.

You will understand what I mean after wathcing these videos. I will give eigher vides or YouTube links.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M9ABgJzm5A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f347m914gY

Enjoy it and "Делай ничего"!

7. English 201

This course is a kind of new experience for me. Now, I will tell what I really think about course and my progress.
 First of all, I noticed that this course is very useful for me. Now I am better in structure of the essay, much better than in school. It's extremely important not in English, but also in essays in Russian. For instance, in our economics essay. Before the course, I supposed I was quite ok in writing, as I have rather high grades and my FCE writing  was ok. Indeed, everything appeared not so glowing. Now, according to my grades I understand that I fall behind a bit. The main reason of it I bet that I spend not enough time on my assignments and frequently I don't understand what I have to do.
What did I enjoy? One of the most memorable was writing with music(Pink Floyd). I do dare say that I like our English, despite of the fact that it's the first class on Tuesday, which stats in 9 a.m. I can't help fall asleep due to lack of sleep.
My goals for the second part of semester are to  make my essays better than now, to gain some new experience and the last but not least to improve situation with my grades as much as possible.
All in all, I like this course. 

6. Free choice

Valery's birthday

I found nothing more interesting than to write about my she-friends. Yeah, it's banal, but i dedicate my blog to them, because they nevertheless important for  me.
In my life I actually have a lot acquaintances but only few friends. I bet it's ok when you can really trust only a few amount of people. But that quite strange that everyone i will mention above is one of my closiest friends for about 2-3 life, someone even less. But I feel that it's not so essential for me. Most important, that I really appreciate our relationships

Agata

Last school year
With Adelya next to our home

I am talking about Valery, Adelya and Agata. They always suppost me despite of the fact that we are different, sometimes contradictory. But main point in my relatoins with my friends is a the comfort and and security that I feel when this one of them.
I feel sorry that it's too late now, and I am falling asleep, so I won't talk about each of them. Just know that I do value my friendship with this three people.

5. Unusual story

Having read this post's theme I was eager to tell a story that really scarified me in the moment, when it happen.
I was about 6 years old, and my mom asked to go to the market with her to help a bit.
So that market was quite far from our home, as a result we went there by car. We arrived, but unfortunately there were no free parking places, in weekend all parkings are usually occupated. Mum decided to start parking  in second line, that cars from the first one couldn't move away if the "second" is staying.
So we created the second line, but mom give her mobile number on windscreen, so that the "first" car could connect with us.
We were doing our shopping about two hours, we also have forgotten about our way of parking, but nobody has called yet. Eventually we did everything and came back to the parking. Already everything has been ok. Mum throught away the note with her number, and started the engine. But then she remembered that she has forgotten to buy something else. Having told me that it will take her about two minutes, she leaved me in empty car, and I was watching her approaching to market entry. And even in that moment the owner of the "first" car came back.  It was man, in his middle 50th, with rough exterior and abrasive manner of speech. He asked me to open the car, but in fact it wasn't closed. I refused, and told him that Mum will be there in a minute. Despite of this fact, he stated abusing her, and tryed to open our car on his own. I immediately jumped to the leader's seat and try to do my best in closing the door inside. I was really afraid and scared hence I didn't notice how everything has happened. All in all, mom returned and we wentt home.

It's extremelly hard to impart all my fear in that moment, because now i understand this case what quite ok, and this story appeals to me ridiculous. But when i was 6, it really turned upside down everything in my head. It's one of the most remarkable scaring stories in my life.

4. Free choice.Do you believe in fate?

Do you believe in fate?

If you asked me 2 years ago or even a year ago if I believe in fate, I would, no doubt, say no! I truly believed that a human makes his own life and nothing aside can influence it. I really supposed that nothing happens just because it should happen. But I bet I became a fatalist, to some extend. This story that has changed my views began a year ago, when I, as on ordinary school-leaver, was worry about economic olympiads and entering the university. Time was passing, and I with my friendы participated in different economics competitions. One day we even flied in Siberia, this journey also is a piece of fate in my life. I took the lead in going there, but when it was time to go I badly didn’t want. Fortunately, my classmates persuaded me and I now am sincerely grateful for it, as I managed not only to be ok in economic tasks, to get a prize, but also made friends with some afterwards nes-classmates. But it’s an inessential piece of fate I bet.

After this “cold” adventure, it was time for vseross there I failed. At that moment I felt empty, but I never had a thought that I will give it up. But what is the most fatal in this story is that there still was one chance to enter nes, and I suppose it was impossible one. I passed my exams but still didn’t have enough points to enter nes with relief. I started to take into account other variants, but just a week before finishing the whole story I found out that the circumstances have changed. It was so quick, but as a result I entered a programm.

I still do think, it just should have happened, and it happened. After that I started to dedicate greater part of reasons of different events to the fate. For me, fate exists and the elder I become the more I believe in predestination.

*(for David) vseross – russian economics olimpiad for schoolers 

3. Special place

I remember that in childhood the most remarkable place for me was one park, which was close to my previous home. I don’t remember it in details, but I will try to tell you about this place

I was near 5 years old, and just opposite to my windows was quite a big park. Park was situated in ravine, and there was a plenty of trees. It was my favorite place to spend time in, although it was rather ugly. There was a pond in the middle of the park, but the water in it smells so terrible that it was not wise to go down to the water. I always spend time before afternoon there, when this park was full of different sounds, birds’ singing, and children crying, so I can’t say that it was calm and quiet. It was a kind of sacrificed place for me and my peers, I bet just because it was spacious and we can play wherever we want. Moreover, my mum hated this place, and we had a walk there not as frequently as I want.

I have no idea why it is special for me, but it was my first thought, when I read a theme of a blog. Now I go to this park very seldom, but every time I go, pictures from my childhood strike me. 

2. Free choice. Nothing original

          I really still have no idea, what I gonna write about. I suppose my post about music or cinema could seem a bit ridiculous just because I have no particular favourite music style or film.

As David asked me why I think Moscow is too fussy sometimes, so i suppose my second blog will be dedicated to my city. Maybe, to some extend  it would be interesting for a vast majority of my potencial readers, because a lot of my classmates have been living in Msk just for several weeks.

Metro in rush-hour

So, firstly, I really sometimes become fed up of living in Moscow and wanna move to any European calm country. People here are extremely quckly and even impudent, and Msk’s slogan is “who isn’t in time, those is late”. For instance, in subway approximately in 8-9 a.m. you will  with 100 per centage of probability see such a picture.  There are same thing in outpatients’ clinics, clubs, traffic jams.  Queueing up is part and parcel of living in a huge city, especially in Msk.

Secondly, what I want to say in my post is to recommend some variants how to spend an evening and where to do, but my pieces of advice don’t pretend to be a guidebook.

To start with, not taking into account Red Square and Arbat, having a walk along boulevard ring is essential I suppose as far as visiting some small parks as Neskuchii garden, skver u Patriarshich. They are very cute and lovely. Also now in September, as the weather allows, you can have a walk on a water bus along Moscow-river, and describing outdoors activities it’s worth mentioning Moscow Zoo. Personally, I don’t keen on zoos, but a hike there can be really entertaining.

I’m a theatre-goer, I try to be in theatre as frequently as possible, but there so many theatres in Msk, so it seemed to me that I haven’t visited even a half. My favourite  ones are Sovremennik and Vakhtangov’s one. And, no doubt, Bolshoy and Maly Theatres are the most famous ones.

Parks. They are no so well-equipped as in London or NYC, but they are full of quite antique architecture and look like green oasises in a loaded city. Futhermore, at weekend a lot of different activities are held, sometimes in can be even concerts.

Park Tsaritsino

Gipsy

And last but not the least part of my narrative is clubs and night life. Youngters can really party hard in Msk, moreover, they often start in pre-party places, for instance, such as the famous ones - Dendi Café or any restaurants by A.Novikov, and after this go to a club. Clubs are various that I don’t see any point in listing them. I really like Gipsy.

To sum it up, you can your own favourite places in Msk, that will match your taste and means. I didn’t mentioned musems or sport matches and so on, just because I think I have to fihish it up. I believe my post was at least a bit informative, and I bet you will enjoy these or other places in Moscow, even despite having a huge homework to do after comeback.

1.Self-Introduction

Hi, everybody! As it’s my first blog, I feel quite anxious about it, but I dare suppose it’s part and parcel of having such an experience. Having just read David’s post, I really found it diverting, so I will try to make something akin.

My name is Anna Nazarova. I was brought up in Moscow and have been living here for a whole my life. Honestly, I have quite ambigious thoughts about my city - I, no doubt, like my lifestyle in Msk, but also frequently I want it to be not so fussy.

Talking about my plans in future, I do want to start my career and carve a niche for myself, after getting my B.A. in Economics. During this class I want to practice speaking as much as possible, cause for me it’s one of the most essential part, I also obviously believe my speaking English is not brilliant enough. And the second but not the least thing is mastering a skill of creating not only essays and journalistic pieces and also CV, letter of application, etc. Briefly, I’d like this course to be as practical as possible.

In my leisure time, which I expect I won’t have as much as I had in school, I like first of all traveling, cooking and playing tennis. As my Mom has green fingers, gardening has become one of our family pastimes. Moreover, I am really into dances and going somewhere out with my pals, even some of them call me «culture vulture».

Well, I bet that’s all about myself, I do hope u enjoyed my piece!