A Trip to the Zoopark

During class last Friday, our teacher Irina invited us to bring the girls and join her the following afternoon as she took a group of the Chinese students to the zoopark (a traveling zoo). We were excited to hang out with our teacher and meet the new students.

Saturday was beautiful and warmer than it has been lately, so it was a perfect day for a field trip. The zoopark was in a part of Blagoveshchensk we rarely go to, so Irina escorted us there so we wouldn't get lost. :o)

"City Park... Welcome!"

This Russian version of a zoo was like no American zoo we have ever seen. All of the animals had been driven to the city for the weekend in a style similar to what you see in the Disney cartoon, Dumbo. Their vehicular cages were parked side by side, forming a large circle. The menagerie included lions, tigers, grizzly and brown bears [oh my!], leopards, lynx, caribou, a wolf, monkeys, peacocks, rabbits, meerkats, and some huge albino porcupine looking thing. :o) In the center of the 'zoo,' standing free, was a pony. There were also a leopard and a small tiger, chained to a wheel of a bus, behind a low gate. Havah thoroughly enjoyed the chained tiger, saying, "I like this cat." She and Mercy were also tickled to be able to pet a pony.

"I like that cat!"

Working up the nerve to feed the pony.

After we were done in the 'zoo' we wandered around the park perusing the various venues. Russian parks are a little different than Stateside ones; there aren't usually swings or slides or anything, just benches to sit on and sidewalks to walk down. The city park contains a stationary carnival which is open during the summer months. Some of their rides are the same as in the States, while some are rather unique.

Blagoveshchensk City Park

This 'ride' features children being placed inside a large clear ball and rolled out on a swimming pool.

At the park we met Irina's supervisor and a group of about 30 of the 70 new students from China. As soon as the Chinese students saw Havah, out came all the cameras and cell-phones. She was surrounded in an instant by girls wanting to get their picture taken holding her on their laps. It was hilarious! Havah didn't enjoy it very much (understandably so) and by about the 3rd time she was grabbed for a picture she started crying. Poor girl, she got over it soon enough when she saw all the animals. While waiting for a bus big enough to transport all the Chinese students home, it was 'get your picture taken with Havah' time again! She handled it a little better this time. After a session of this they all took to trying to pronounce 'Havah.' They finally settled on 'Heaven.' :o) So now we have Heaven and Mercy.

Picture time!

Irina, our teacher, with some of the Chinese students.

All in all, it was wonderful to be able to spend time with our teacher outside of the classroom, and we had fun getting to know some of the Chinese students a little - namely, those who spoke a little English!