IV. Лорен Бреннан: << Georgia- Family Style >>
V. Ханна Батлер-Ау: << Еда в Литве >>
Prague Astronomical Clock
Киара Руджиерри
During the summer of 2025, I studied Central European politics and architecture in Prague, the Czech Republic. Among the numerous cultural sites I visited, the Prague Astronomical Clock, also known as the Prague Orloj, was my favorite. The clock reflects the Czech Republic’s cultural and historical significance and is regarded as a national icon. You can find it mounted on the southern wall of the Old Town Hall in Prague’s Old Town Square. Impressively, it was constructed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest still in operation. Imperial clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň and Charles University professor Jan Šindel are credited with constructing the original mechanism.
I find the “Walk of the Apostles” to be the clock's most unique feature– a spectacle that takes place every hour. Windows above the astronomical dial open, revealing a procession of Apostle figures, joined by animated sculptures and allegorical figures, including a Turk, a skeleton, a miser, and a vain man. The clock also features an astronomical dial that displays the positions of the sun and moon. A half-silvered, half-black sphere indicates the moon’s phases, time of day, sunrise, and sunset. There is also a calendar dial displaying allegories of the months and an inner ring with the twelve zodiac signs. While some find the display underwhelming, I believe the Prague Orloj remains a testament to masterful Czech craftsmanship and resilience, especially given its survival through centuries of bombings, fires, and world wars.
Prague is an incredible destination for anyone interested in Central Europe. The city is full of rich history, vibrant traditions, and remarkable architecture. Beyond the Astronomical Clock, there are many more fascinating landmarks to see, such as the Charles Bridge, the Klementinum Baroque Library, and the St. Vitus Cathedral, among others. I highly recommend visiting Prague if you want to experience a city alive with history and culture.
Works Cited
“Figures on the Astronomical Clock.” Prague City Tourism, prague.eu/en/figures-on-the-astronomical-clock/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
“Old Town Hall with Astronomical Clock.” Prague City Tourism, prague.eu/en/objevujte/old-town-hall-with-astronomical-clock-staromestska-radnice-s-orlojem/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Казахстан - чудесный рай? Баку - типа как Дубай?
Всем салам! Вы наверняка уже знаете, что Казахстан — это то самое место где они съели ваше транспортное средство (прикол (cool) знаете, да? Послушайте песни казахстанского испонителя Ирины Кайратовны, если вам не сложно…).
А разве вы знали, что Азербайджан — это то самое место где они создали твоё транспортное нефтьство?! (такая типичная американская игра слов. Нефть (oil) + средство = нефтьство. Вы же в курсе в том, что нефть добывается здесь, в Азербайджане, да? Не знали? Тогда приезжайте ко мне во время каникул, я проведу для вас экскурсию по нефтеперерабатывающим (oil-processing) заводам недалеко от центра Баку. Скорее всего только получится наблюдать на них, у меня пока нет таких знакомых, которые бы дали нам доступ внутрь. Ладно, тогда за шашлыком поедем в деревню).
Меня зовут Даниэлла, и в этой статье заставлю вас подробно задуматься о ценности жизни и о том, как мы проводим ее. Я также расскажу вам немного об Азербайджане и (совсем немного о) Казахстане, как написано в названии статьи. Не волнуйтесь.
Вам не скучно там, во ваше уютной американской общежитии, в любимом историческом кампусе? Вам не хочется узнать больше о мире, даже путешествовать по всему миру, познакомиться с разными и интересными людьми? Вам совсем не интересно, узнать о Казахско-Джунгарских войнах, попить шубат (верблюжье молоко), и покататься на лошадях по казахской степи? Никакого интереса у вас к теме традиционного ковроделия (сarpet making), чаепития и развлечения в нардах (backgammon)? Аххх…
Мои друзья, мои дальние братья и сестры, надо хотя бы раз в жизни быть либо на Кавказе (ребята из команды IPAC – вы молодцы!), либо в Центральной Азии. Я сама живу в Азербайджане уже 2 месяца, и уже столько успехов успела добиться, так много интересного мне уже удалось увидеть. Самая большая радость в моей Азербайджанской жизни — это мои любознательные и креативные студенты, изучающие английский язык в Западно-Каспийском Университете. Вторая самая большая радость — это мои талантливые и отзывчивые коллеги, которые поддерживали меня на протяжении моей жизни в Баку. Посмотрите под этим, там есть фотография меня с ними. Также езжу по всему Азербайджану, провожу семинары по анализу фильмов во время уроков английского языка. Работа безконечная, конечно, а счастье мое? Мое счастье без остановок. Стараюсь всегда работать с улыбкой, вот я такая.
Когда у меня бывает свободное время, я хожу на уроки Азербайджанского языка. У меня огромный прогресс. Недавно написала сочинение на Азербайджанском о нашей столице Вашингтоне, моему учителю понравилось сочинение и пошутил, что мне стоит отправить сочинение в местный журнал. Наши занятия, происходящие два раза в неделю, всегда информативные и благоприятные, и часто даже веселие, со смехом! Групповые занятие тоже суперские, но мне нравится болтать (to chat) во время урока, и на групповых занятиях такое поведение может мешать других незнакомых и скучных студентов и навредить нашему учебному сообществу.
Я ещё хожу на мастер-классы по традиционному ковроделию. Женщины там такие классные, и мы болтаем чаще всего на русском языке, но иногда тоже на азербайджанском. Мои попытки говорить на их родном языке не всегда успешные, но самое главное для меня в жизни сейчас – это быть смелой и стараться быть умнее, чем вчера.
Недавно ко мне в гости прилетела моя самая хорошая подруга Айдана из Казахстана. Она осталась у меня на 2 недели, но к счастью, она скоро вернеться. Мы вместе ходили в походы, в театр и посетили множество археологических памятников. Мне очень понравилось, что моя подруга была со мной, и я очень рада ее возвращению.
Вот так, живу потихоньку (quietly). Надеюсь, что вам было интересно узнать немного о моей жизни. Если вы больше ничего не запомните из этой статьи, мой последний совет: пусть просто не забываете много путешествовать и узнавать как можно больше об этом мире. Хоть жизнь коротка, у нас хватает времени чтобы достаточно видеть красоту земли и восхищаться (to admire) ею. Желаю вам всего хорошего в жизни и учебе.
Service and Solidarity in Kraków
Селест Эдвардс и Алина Кук
Two William and Mary students met in Kraków, Poland, late one night…
Alina Cook calmly and expertly made her way from Warsaw. Celeste Edwards, after getting off a 13-hour bus ride which crossed a time zone, nearly forgot her 110-pound bag, containing almost everything she had to her name, on the bus.
Edwards came from Vilnius, Lithuania, where she spent five weeks improving her Russian language skills and gaining a deeper understanding of Eastern European culture through the R.E.E.S. department’s summer study-abroad program. Cook, who also studies in the Russian department, came from Warsaw, where she was staying with her family.
The two journeyed to the city to volunteer with Freedom Space, an organization founded in Kraków dedicated to assisting Ukrainians affected by the war. Renovations to Freedom Space’s building were completed in 2023, so the authors assume Freedom Space first began offering its services to refugees that year. Edwards and Cook were recommended to the organization by Edwards’ professor and former volunteer, Dr. Alexander Prokhorov.
On their first full day in the city, July 24th, 2025, they arrived at Freedom Space at 9 am for a tour led by Ms. Yaroslava Kolodii and Mr. Tomek Mierzwa, two pillars of the organization.
Cook and Edwards were then asked to play with the children served by the organization while Ms. Kolodii and her colleagues completed important paperwork. This gave the students a chance to practice their language skills. Few of the children spoke English, and those who did spoke little. Since Cook and Edwards did not speak Ukrainian or Polish, they communicated in Russian, which the children were much more proficient in than the college students.
Humorously, Edwards was noted by two of the girls for her refrain of ‘mm-hm’; the boys noticed Cook’s tendency to rely on fillers such as ‘ой.’ Both Edwards and Cook were likely at the novice high level of language acquisition, but enjoyed the opportunity to test their language skills immensely.
kids-2025-07-24-17-39-51 (1).mp4The above video documents the half-day the two students spent with the children. (Shot by Ms. Kolodii.) See at the 12 second mark a challenge set by Ms. Kolodii - to tell a story in panels. The children chose to draw a tsunami and its effect on a ‘корабль,’ or ship. The two college students participated where they could. Edwards asked if she could add a dog to the last panel, to which she received a hesitant ‘ok.’ (She later realized her mistake - notice how the children did not include a ‘собачкий’ (doggie) in any of the other panels.)
On July 25th, after a short lesson from Ms. Yaroslava on how to make млинці (thin Ukrainian pancakes), Edwards and Cook were tasked with using up the remaining batter. They were, as Ms. Yaroslava described, easy to freeze and reheat for the children later.
As familiar as the two students were with the fluffiness of American pancakes, Cook found their final products lacking in thinness. However, Ms. Yaroslava still expressed her gratitude.
Edwards nervously wields her instrument in the face of her critical companion cook. :)
On July 26th, the organization held a food drive, giving out food to Ukrainian refugees in the Kraków area. Two hundred and forty people came to receive food on this date, collecting enough for 600 people, as one individual may have represented a family.
While Ms. Kolodii, Mr. Mierzwa, and other Freedom Space workers manned the food drive, Cook and Edwards did manual work elsewhere in the building, because Ms. Kolodii (correctly) assessed the students’ linguistic skills to be unable to hold up the demands of an environment as complex and fast-paced as the food drive.
Food in the kitchen of Freedom Space on July 26th.
In total, Cook and Edwards volunteered seven hours over the three full days they spent in Kraków. They are incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity—it made their time in Kraków feel much more meaningful, as they were not only visiting the city for pleasure but also to support those affected by war.
After the morning’s work was done, Ms. Kolodii expressed a wish that the pair didn’t have to go, a sentiment they shared.
Mr. Mierzwa furthest to the left-hand side, Edwards second from the left, Ms. Yaroslava second from the right, and Cook the furthest to the right-hand side.
Despite how well-managed Freedom Space seemed to both Edwards and Cook, to their surprise, as they were departing, Ms. Kolodii expressed her concerns about the organization’s longevity to the pair.
(Please note - the following are paraphrases, not direct quotes.)
Ms. Kolodii prefaced by telling the students why the organization is so vital, saying, ‘People need this place because the war keeps going and refugees keep coming, and no one’s thinking about these people, the vulnerable people, and, like, people who can’t go to work because they have disabilities - they have no home, they're from occupied territory. What are they to do - to die?’
She told the pair that the organization is trying to get funding, but that there simply isn’t any money—because, among other things, donations are made to the conflict in Palestine instead, and because other donations were put in flux by President Donald Trump’s ascendancy to office.
She spoke to the pair about the summer camp for children that Freedom Space runs and the financial difficulties refugees face that make attending the camp difficult or impossible. To simply cover the minimum salaries for Freedom Space employees running the camp —ranging from 80 to 150 euros each— is not affordable for the refugees. ‘So,’ Ms. Kolodii said, ‘they sit at home on their phones all summer because Polish law says you must be twelve years old to go to the playground by yourself.’
It is the opinion of Cook and Edwards that this is a superb organization which should remain open for as long as it may be (unfortunately) needed. Please consider donating to help a Ukrainian child attend next year’s summer camp, and to keep Freedom Space open for all those who may need it in the meantime.
A sentiment expressed in the entrance of Freedom Space.
Special thanks to Professors Alexander Prokhorov and Elena Prokhorova, who not only ran an excellent program in Vilnius but also escorted each student to their departure points, including Celeste. (She would not have gotten on the bus to Kraków without their help, she thinks.) Having volunteered for the organization along with his wife, Dr. Prokhorov has worked with Celeste and a peer who could not, unfortunately, attend, Jaime Trautman, since May 2025, to set up this opportunity in late July 2025. Like others in William and Mary’s Russian Department, these professors truly go above and beyond, deriving joy from seeing their students succeed—both in and out of the classroom.
All photos by Cook or Edwards, excluding the Facebook reel, which was shot by Ms. Kolodii.
If the reader has any questions about the Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies program at William and Mary, the summer study abroad program it sponsors in Lithuania, or Freedom Space, please contact the authors of this article at cedwards02@wm.edu or aicook@wm.edu. We would be happy to talk to you!
Georgia- Family Style
Лорен Бреннан
Almost every night in Georgia began with the same question: What’s the plan for dinner? It was usually two of my colleagues and me wandering through the city, debating which restaurant might have something gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, and still cheap. It was basically a game of food Tetris. Eventually, we realized the easiest way to make it work, and still get some actual nutrients, was to just split everything three (sometimes four) ways.
Kelson and I would split khinkali, Eryn and I would share a walnut cucumber-tomato salad, and Kelson and Eryn would split shashlik. If Bailey joined, he and Kelson would split a khachapuri. Eating family-style became our little system– partly out of necessity, partly for bonding. Between the shared plates and shared laughs, we became a family.
Over time, we got used to Georgian dining culture: the long meals, the endless conversations and toasts, and the sense that food wasn’t just food, but an event. One of my favorite memories was when we went to a colleague’s dacha for a celebratory midsummer barbecue. While Professor Maliniak’s kids played in the pool in the rain, the rest of us talked about our future plans over piles of shashlik, lobiani, khachapuri, and boxed wine.
As “the Americans,” we were assigned dessert duty. After much brainstorming (and budgeting), we decided on peanut butter buckeyes and lemon possets– both homemade, of course. We poured our blood (sorry, Kelson), sweat, and tears into those desserts, and somehow, they turned out amazing. The Georgians loved them, even if our boss remained a little suspicious of the lemon possets.
That summer taught me that food is so much more than what’s on your plate. It’s how people connect, how cultures are shared, and how you interact with the world around you. For us, it was how three (sometimes four) Americans in Georgia turned nightly dinner hunts into one of the best parts of the entire experience.
Еда в Литве
Ханна Батлер-Ау
Когда я ездила за границу летом, у меня были возможности попробовать еду, которую я никогда не пробовала. К сожалению, я не ела розовый суп (знаменитое блюдо в Литве). Но, я ела три блюда что я думаю всем нужны попробовать:
1) Кибинай - круассан (хлеб) с мясом или с овощами! Это традиционное блюдо от Karaim community: маленькое Иудейский (Jewish) сообщество (community) в Литве. Они тоже живут в разных странах – Украина, Польша, Израиль и Казахстан, например.
Я попробовала (tried) Кибинай когда мы были на Trakai Замок (castle). В этом районе был ресторан, в котором готовится Karaim блюдо. У Кибинай в этом ресторане есть грубы, курица, свинина, и так далее. Если я вернусь в Литву, я бы хотела есть там опять.
2) Блины - Все знают блины! Я фотографировала первые блины, которую я заказала.Эти блины из ресторана рядом с университетом (ЕГУ) в котором мы учились. Это называется Primas Blinas. Из за того, что мы были студенты университета, у нас был дисконт там. До тех пор как я попробовала блины, я только ела американские “pancakes.” Блины – больше и тоньше чем американский блины. У этого ресторана есть блины с сыром, овощами, шоколадом и сахаром. В фотографии – моя рука. Эти блины были огромные! Они мне понравились потому что, блины подаются с разными начинками. Блины с помидором, сыром (фета) шпинатом и соус песто!
3) Bulviniai Blynai (Блины картошек) – у меня нет фотографии, но это блюдо чабер (savory) и обычный в Беларуси. Они маленькие и жареные (fried).