September 27th | 27 сентября

Notes

8.34 a.m. - In taxi

• Joined the group in front of hostel to hop in a taxi.
• I took the bad habit of reaching for Yandex Translate to communicate, instead of tinking in Russian.

9.04 a.m. - Amur State University | Амурский государственный университет

• The group put on "ceremony" clothes in the changing room.
• In the presentation/show room of the university.
• Boys wear tops of a different color. It's purple instead of grey.

• Organizers say some words to the "delegation" group leaders, and the leaders shout directions across the big room.

9.40 p.m. - =

• Dances and singings.
• Rosemary is burned.
• Professional cameraman in the room. And most people take pictures or record videos.

• Situation hard to describe with words. Here, it's about sounds, looks, movements, ambiance, feelings, smells, colors, symbols.
• Everybody from the group I'm with go on stage at least once to sing, dance, or both.
• Every delegation pulls up some show, poem, song, or dance.
• Minor technical issues.
• I recognise army songs Kirill sung wile we where running in Paris.
• The older womans of the different groups is managing this part of the show. Applause! ok, next!

10.21 a.m. - =

• Questions prompting to my mind. (Seen end of this post)

10.58 a.m. - =

• Poems.

11.16 a.m. - =

• Powerpoint. We can see a man and other people in army suit, and on a tank.

11.56 a.m. - =

• Boys are playing on their phone.
• First part of the day ends.
• Heading to university restaurant.

12.27 p.m. - University restaurant

• Students are in sport class.
• Eating at a table with even younger children. There is Tamara, one of the managers. Feeling a bit weird, but that's the job.

1.30 p.m. - Amur State University | Амурский государственный университет

• Waiting in the hall for everybody to gather and start the second part of today events.
• Came across Olga, and finally go a hello with and eye contact, Ура!
• Elif writes the name of the group she is part of: невтэчем

1.57 p.m. - =

• The officials from the other day are present, in the first row.
• The boys ask if I'm an agent, a spy.

2.11 p.m. - =

• Talking and laughing with guys. Talking about girls for another delegation.
• They go to dance on stage. They ask me to take pictures and videos.
• This part of the show has more lights and sounds, and a more powerfull ambiance in general.
• It looks like the other day. Songs, presentations, awards, diplomas. There are a big diploma (A3 format) and smaller diploma (A4 format). The awards are ranked gold, silver and bronze. And some goodies.
• Olga takes pictures with the young awarded. Then she pulls out a big book. I think it's her work.

• Thankings for the baboushkas of delegations.
• There is an "Amour" song (lyrics).

4.11 p.m. - =

• Show ends.

5.01 p.m. - Hostel

• New roommate. Youri left.
• Going to KFC with the boys.

6.15 p.m. - Blagovechtchensk | Благовещенск streets

• KFC is closed. We go to a mall. Walk around and leave. We look for a burger place.

6.28 p.m. - "Free time" burger place.

• Boys go to China tomorrow (Heihe).
• They only have a few shops in there village. They manly eat deer meat and fish.

9.50 p.m. - Blagovechtchensk | Благовещенск streets

• Money transfer with Kirill successfuly.
• Hoping in a taxi with the boys, looking for a video game place with virtual reality setup.
• We spend few hours in a mall with this kind of equipment. We play a scary game and a shooting game.

11.23 p.m. - Hostel

• Talking in the kitchen with Dima, Luda, and others.
• Shower. Bed.

Questions

• How is the show organised from an administrative point of view?
• Witch institutions take part in it?
• How does the event contribute to build a national sense of belonging?
• How does Chinese partners take part in this event?
• How does Russian and Chinese culture encounter during the event?
• How can I link this to my initial cable-car topic (witch is in neutral right now)?
• What is "social engineering"?

Erratum

• No one is called "Svetlana" in the group.