Organization

First of all, my writing has become more organized and accessible. I have learned to organize information into lists and shorter paragraphs, clarifying what the information is about with subheads and bullet points. This technique has not only made my writing clearer to my audience, but has helped me organize information before I sit down to write. By making me think of my writing in terms of a clear and concise outline, I come to the writing process with a better idea of what I’d like to say and how I plan to convey it to an audience.

Subjectivity

Second, I have learned to conceptualize a journalist’s role differently than I did before. Though I still believe there is a place for objective and fact-driven journalism, especially in a world where more and more media outlets seem to be resorting to spin, I am more open to the idea of showing who I am through my writing. In this class, I have engaged in readings and discussion that have led me to believe that honesty and transparency are not strictly the domain of objective journalism, and that sometimes being straightforward about one’s background, biases and perspectives can lead to even more honesty in journalism. Subjective journalism also has the potential to win back credibility, especially now that media outlets are constantly criticized for being heartless and for not sharing a system of values with their audiences.

Importance of Audience

Finally, as is obvious from the previous paragraphs, I am considering my audience more now than I have in the past. Before, I was more likely to write a story and assume that, if others wanted to read it, they would. Now, I am devoting much more attention to assessing who my audience is, what their needs are, and how I can better communicate information to them. This, like the above-mentioned reliance on honesty and subjectivity in writing, could potentially breathe life into an industry struggling with low readership and a loss of credibility.

In short, the course was able to teach me an impressive amount about both the technical and theoretical sides of journalistic writing, both of which will benefit me in my career as a journalist. There is a chance that I will use these skills directly, as more and more newspapers are going online and need that type of expertise. However, even if I do not work in an online capacity (or even in a journalism capacity!), I will be able to incorporate what I have learned in this course to make my writing more effective, more honest, and more relevant for my audience.

Clarity

This class could benefit from more clarity as far as what is expected in each post. I found myself making mistakes on assignments because I misunderstood the purpose of the assignment and what the instructor was looking for. This gradually became much less of a problem, however, as I got used to the class and its objectives. Having done more readings and seen more examples, I became more comfortable with the assignments and what their aims were.

Technical Guidance

Second, I think the course would be stronger if it offered a strictly technical component for people like me who have never created or posted on a blog before. It would be very useful to devote some time to WordPress itself, including posting, slide shows, and even some HTML. At first, I remember being quite intimidated and nervous about the class, since many of my classmates already seemed to have extensive experience with blogging and HTML coding.

As with the issue mentioned above, I became more comfortable as time went on, but I would encourage an introductory segment for people like me who are much less familiar with the techniques involved in creating a working blog from the ground up. I realize, of course, that this would have been painfully boring for many of the students in the class, so I would suggest not making this a mandatory component of the course. Maybe an introductory reference section could be added to the textbook as a technical guide for the uninitiated. (I would like to add, though, that both the instructor and my fellow classmates were eager to help when I had technical questions.)

Useful Modules

I found the text very informative and helpful, but was especially drawn to those readings which I felt would be more useful in my planned future career as an international correspondent. For example, Module 8, which dealt with knowing one’s audience, discussed cultural and ethnic differences as an important issue to consider in communication. This was invaluable to me, because I will have to keep differences in culture and language in the back of my mind at all times in order to do my job effectively. Since I’m also very interested in how advertisers communicate their messages, I was fascinated with the section about online advertising. I also got quite a lot out of the Screen Writing module, since I feel it got to the heart of the difference between writing for old and new media.

The modules that were less engaging, from my point of view, were the ones concerning business communication (intranets and extranets) and public relations, but I think this was for the simple reason that these are not my areas of interest. In both of these modules, I was able to find useful information that I may well draw on in my future career.

Expat Football League combines sport, community service

By: Julia Vail

Moscow has much to offer in terms of sports, from hockey in the winter to soccer in the summer. However, for those who prefer to hear their cheers and shouts of encouragement in English rather than Russian, the Moscow Expat Football League offers exciting events until mid-December.

The eight teams in the league play every Saturday on the Dinamo indoor pitch until Dec. 15, when many of the players will be traveling with their families for the holiday season. (View map.)

When asked what visitors can expect at these events, co-founder Nick Rees’s answer is simple: an enthusiastic game of football.

“The level is quite serious now, and it’s noticeable that the beer bellies are getting smaller and smaller,” Rees said. “We have many ex-pros playing now so people who come to watch are quite surprised and impressed with the standard.”

Rees is the manager of the Four Squares Flagons, one of eight teams participating in the league. He said that two new teams will be formed this year.

Admission to the games is free, as are the refreshments. Rees advised fans to bring their appetites.

“In the summer we provide free shashlik (Russian shish kebabs), beer, salads, fruit, soft drinks and more,” he said.

He added that space tends to be limited during the winter months. Spectators are encouraged to come early and bring the kids to these family friendly football matches.

History of League

Rees founded the league with Darren Keane in 2003 when both became homesick for their weekly dose of football in their native England. Though the league was originally given the informal title “Over-30 Expat Football League,” interest in the league has grown and it has since attracted players as young as 25.

The league now boasts close to 350 registered players.

Other Events

On Nov. 24, the league will also hold its End of Summer Season party, which celebrates another successful season and awards the top players. This party is one of two annual parties in which the league expresses appreciation for its members and sponsors, as well as tries to contribute to the community.

At the Fourth Annual Summer Ball held in July, the festivities included a lottery and an auction, the proceeds of which went to Moscow charity organizations Diema’s Dream and Dogs as Assistants for Disabled People. Diema’s Dream, founded in 1998, is a charitable organization that provides medical and educational support to disabled Russian orphans.

The money paid for a new roof for a home for disabled orphans located about 250 miles outside Moscow.

The league also donated money to Dogs as Assistants for Disabled People, which used the proceeds to train two guide dogs and build a new kennel.

“I’ve been living here 12 years, and I wanted to give something back,” Rees said at the summer party.

The Moscow Expat Football League, aside from its charity work, also provides a place where people can forge friendships and become part of a team.

“Usually people who are new to Russia don’t know how to find new friends or get involved in social circles,” Rees said. “The Expat Football League gives people the chance to meet a bunch of like-minded, friendly, sports-mad guys who are usually in the same situation.”

Contact Information

More information on upcoming games and events can be found on the Moscow Expat Football League website.

Expats interested in attending upcoming games or joining the league can contact Nick Rees at nickrees99@yahoo.com.

English Language Evenings (ELE) provides lectures on variety of topics

Vice president of International Women’s Club to speak Saturday

By: Julia Vail

While living in Santa Cruz, Calif., author and editor Stephen Lapeyrouse enjoyed participating in discussions at local coffee houses. When he moved to Russia in 1994, he wanted to re-create that type of environment, in which people of different classes, professions and backgrounds share their knowledge and ideas.

The ELE (English Language Evenings) lecture series, which is now in its 10^th year, is the product of Lapeyrouse’s efforts. The lectures, designed to bring together anyone interested in intelligent topics in English, are held once or twice a month from early autumn to late spring at the Chekhov Library and Cultural Center on Strastnoi Bulvar. (View map.)

“The audience hears new ideas and perspectives, and they can have a public evening related to the mind, not a concert or exhibition or a bar or a party,” said Lapeyrouse, who now serves as the editor for the Moscow newspaper English.

Lapeyrouse, who came to the then-Soviet Union for the first time in 1986, said he was struck by the depth and passion of the Russian people. Drawn to this type of lifestyle, he left California and moved to Russia eight years later. He began the lecture series in 1998 to enjoy “an intelligent evening in English.”

The admission for the lecture is 50 rubles, which covers the expenses for reserving space in the library.

Featured Speakers

Monica Howkins, vice president of the International Women’s Club, will speak on Saturday, Nov. 30. Her speech will be about women of the world and their perceptions on balancing work, family and personal development.

The International Women’s Club was founded in 1978 by four women from the United States who were married to diplomats stationed in Moscow. Since that time, the organization has grown to include over 800 registered members, and works to promote friendship and cultural understanding between women of different nationalities living in the Moscow area.

The ELE lectures, which have featured speakers as diverse as opera singers, journalists and ambassadors, typically draw a crowd of 40 to 60 people. However, Lapeyrouse said some speakers have brought in more than 100 listeners.

“We also have had performances at times, and talks which included music and lecturing,” he said.

Lapeyrouse said the audience also has the opportunity to learn about people who they may be familiar with from the television or radio.

“We have had many different kinds of people and topics over the years, from 12 plus countries as well,” he said. “New contacts and relations have developed from ELEs also.”

Audience

Lapeyrouse said that the majority of people who attend the lectures are actually native Russians who speak English fluently. Though native English-speaking expats also come to the lectures, Russians have consistently shown a great deal of interest in broadening their English language skills and expanding their knowledge of the English-speaking community.

“I sometimes was tired and wanted to stop doing it, but the Russians basically begged me not to,” Lapeyrouse added.

Contact Information

For more information on ELE lectures, visit www.elemoscow.net. If you are interested in giving a public lecture for the series, contact Stephen Lapeyrouse at s_lapeyrouse@hotmail.com.

Proceeds to help children suffering from cancer

By: Julia Vail

The American Women’s Organization of Moscow (AWO) will hold its Charity Art Auction on Sunday, Nov. 25, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The auction will take place at the Leonid Shishkin Art Gallery at 29 Neglinnaya St. close to the Tsvetnoi Bulvar metro station. (View map.)

The proceeds from the event will go to the Nastenka Foundation, which was founded to improve the lives of children at the Moscow Institute of Pediatric Oncology.

The auction is open to the public, but reservations must be made because of limited space within the gallery. Participants will enjoy wine and cheese during the auction, which will feature Soviet-era paintings. Debbie Leturno, president of AWO, said she expects 50 to 75 people to participate.

“It seems that fantastic things happen sometimes by luck, sometimes because you’re in the right place at the right time and sometimes by pure hard work,” Leturno said in the November newsletter. “In the case of our upcoming AWO Art Auction, it seems to be a combination of the three.”

AWO has held an annual craft fair for the last 14 years, and for the last six years the proceeds of the fair have gone to the Nastenka Foundation. When AWO members stopped by the Shishkin Art Gallery to pick up some paintings for this year’s fair, Leonid Shishkin, owner of the gallery, generously offered to donate 40 to 50 paintings for an auction to raise money for the charity.

The organization was also instrumental in creating the Nastenka Foundation in 2001.

“AWO members worked with Jamila Aliyeva [chairwoman of the Nastenka Foundation] to … help children suffering with cancer and provide support to their families during this difficult time,” Leturno said.

History of the Organization

AWO is a nonprofit organization founded over 15 years ago to help North American expatriates adapt to their new environment, provide social and cultural contacts in the community and keep members informed about issues that affect them as Americans living abroad. It currently has over 200 members.

Leturno became involved in the organization when she moved to Moscow four years ago. She said she was already familiar with AWO when she arrived, since the organization is part of a worldwide network of American women’s clubs. She said she joined the organization “as a means of meeting other Americans and finding fulfilling activities to fill [her] time while in Moscow.”

Other Events

Aside from the craft fair and auction, AWO members enjoy regular meetings at the Hard Rock Café, holiday parties at the Spaso House, the residence of the United States ambassador, and many workshops on culture, sewing, reading and travel.

Though Leturno said she would love to hold a similar event next year, it all depends on the generosity of gallery owners like Shishkin.

“I would like to extend sincere thanks to Mr. Shishkin for his generosity and compassion for the children supported by Nastenka,” Leturno said.

The artworks that will be auctioned off on Sunday can be viewed at the Shishkin Gallery website.

Contact Information

Reservations for the auction can be made by calling Cresa Pruitt at 241-32-53 or Deb Christian at 730-39-83.

To become involved in AWO or request more information, send an e-mail to awomoscow@yahoo.com.

Experience Moscow is an interactive way to find events that pertain to your specific interests. In other publications, events are often listed without descriptions of what to expect, why the event is taking place, and who is putting on the event. Experience Moscow gives its members an inside look at each event and organization, to give members a better idea of whether or not an event will suit their interests.

In addition, the Advanced Search feature provided by Experience Moscow allows members to save time by filtering out events that do not meet their needs. Members can search by date, location, cost of admission, appropriateness for children, and type of event (Performance, Sports, Lectures, Art, Charity and Outdoors).

How do I sign up to get access to Experience Moscow?

Readers can sign up through The Moscow Times Web site by clicking the Experience Moscow link on the home page, or sign up directly through the Experience Moscow Web site at www.experiencemoscow.com. Subscription to the online publication is free, and you will also periodically receive tips and reviews about restaurants, theaters, hotels and clubs in the city.

Are the articles available by just going to the Experience Moscow Web site?

No, the Experience Moscow Web site is designed to give general information about restaurants, bars, movie theaters and hotels in the Moscow area. It also contains a metro map and links to useful sites for expats, such as The Moscow Times, the United States Embassy, and The Moscow Expat Site.

Readers can also sign up to get access to the Experience Moscow online publication.

How do I find a particular event?

On the Advanced Search page, the reader can type in a variety of information to narrow down the possibilities for events. These include time, date, location, cost, and type of event. (See Question 1 for event categories.)

How can I find out whether an event is appropriate for my children?

Each article contains information about whether or not an event is appropriate for children. If the reader does not have time to skim the article for information, there is also a check box indicating whether or not an event is “family friendly.”

How do I get more information about joining an organization?

The contact information for organization leaders and/or event organizers is located at the end of each article. For those interested in getting involved in local organizations, every article contains information about the organization’s history, purpose and regularly scheduled events.

Once I narrow down events that pertain to my interests, can I save that search as a “Favorites” page?

Yes, Experience Moscow allows you to customize and save a particular search, so that events that fit certain criteria always pop up on your home page. You can change and save these criteria when you wish.

Can I receive automatic updates about upcoming events?

Yes. When you become an Experience Moscow member, you have the option of signing up for e-mail updates on upcoming events, as well as new restaurant, hotel and movie reviews. Once you have specified which types of events suit your needs and interests, Experience Moscow will send you e-mail updates on upcoming events that fit these criteria.

Is it a security risk to access Experience Moscow from a public computer?

Experience Moscow values the security of your account. In order to prevent others from accessing your information on a public computer, please log off after you are done enjoying the site.

Do you have to be an expat to participate in the events?

Being an expat is not necessary, although it is assumed that people with fluency in English will get more enjoyment out of the events than people without English speaking skills. Experience Moscow was designed to ensure that English-speaking expats and visitors who do not feel comfortable speaking and understanding Russian will still have an enjoyable experience in the city.

However, others are more than welcome to sign up for Experience Moscow and participate in the events. Others who might benefit from the publication include Russians hoping to make English-speaking contacts and students of English as a second language.

Whom do I contact if I would like to announce an upcoming event?

Contact one of the Experience Moscow staff at 555-555-5555 or by e-mail at staff@experiencemoscow.com to let the publication know about upcoming events. Because of the large volume of events available for expats in Moscow, Experience Moscow cannot guarantee that every event will be featured in an article.

Can I post comments on events I have attended before?

Experience Moscow welcomes your input, and provides a forum after every article for questions and comments. The publication also gives members the opportunity to rate events on a scale of one to five stars.

If I provide Experience Moscow with my e-mail address, will I receive spam from Moscow businesses?

No. Experience Moscow does ask that you periodically participate in online surveys from The Moscow Times to gauge consumer needs and interests. However, your information is private and will not be given to third parties for commercial purposes.

Moscow has much to offer in terms of sports, from hockey in the winter to soccer in the summer. However, for those who prefer to hear their cheers and shouts of encouragement in English rather than Russian, the Moscow Expat Football League offers exciting events until mid-December.

The eight teams on the league play every Saturday on the Dinamo indoor pitch until Dec. 15, when many of the players will be traveling with their families for the holiday season.

When asked what visitors can expect at these events, co-founder Nick Rees’s answer is simple: an enthusiastic game of football.

“The level is quite serious now and it’s noticeable that the beer bellies are getting smaller and smaller,” Rees said. “We have many ex-pros playing now so people who come to watch are quite surprised and impressed with the standard.”

Rees is the manager of the Four Squares Flagons, one of eight teams participating in the league. He said that two new teams will be formed this year.

Admission to the games is free, as are the refreshments. Rees advised fans to bring their appetites.

“In the summer we provide free shashlik, beer, salads, fruit, soft drinks and more,” he said.

Though he described the event as very family-friendly, he added that space tends to be limited during the winter months.

History of League

Rees founded the league with Darren Keane in 2003 when both became homesick for their weekly dose of football. Though the league was originally given the informal title “Over-30 Expat Football League,” interest in the league has grown and it has since attracted players as young as 25.

The league now boasts close to 350 registered members.

Other Events

On Nov. 24, the league will also hold its End of Summer Season party, which celebrates another successful season and awards the top players. This party is one of two annual parties in which the league expresses appreciation for its members and sponsors, as well as tries to contribute to the community.

At the Fourth Annual Summer Ball held in July, the festivities included a lottery and an auction, the proceeds of which went to Moscow charity organizations Diema’s Dream and Dogs as Assistants for Disabled People. The money paid for a new roof for a home for disabled orphans, and provided two new guide dogs for blind people living in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

“I’ve been living here 12 years, and I wanted to give something back,” Rees said at the summer ball.

The Moscow Expat Football League, aside from its charity work, also provides a place where people can forge friendships and become part of a team.

“Usually people who are new to Russia don’t know how to find new friends or get involved in social circles,” Rees said. “The Expat Football League gives people the chance to meet a bunch of like-minded, friendly, sports-mad guys who are usually in the same situation.”

Contact Information

More information on upcoming games and events can be found on the Moscow Expat Football League website.

Expats interested in attending upcoming games or joining the league can contact Nick Rees at nickrees99@yahoo.com.

While living in Santa Cruz, Calif., Stephen Lapeyrouse, author and editor of the newspaper English, enjoyed participating in discussions at local coffee houses. When he moved to Russia in 1994, he wanted to recreate that type of environment, in which people of different classes, professions and backgrounds share their knowledge and ideas.

The ELE (English Language Evenings) lecture series, which is now in its 10^th year, is the product of Lapeyrouse’s efforts. The lectures, designed to bring together anyone interested in intelligent topics in English, are held once or twice a month from early autumn to late spring at the Chekhov Library and Cultural Center on Strastnoi Bulvar.

“The audience hears new ideas and perspectives, and they can have a public evening related to the mind: not a concert or exhibition or a bar or a party,” Lapeyrouse said.

Lapeyrouse, who came to the then-Soviet Union for the first time in 1986, said he was struck by the depth and passion of the Russian people. Drawn to this type of lifestyle, he left California and moved to Russia eight years later. He began the lecture series in 1998 so people could enjoy “an intelligent evening in English.”

The admission for the lecture is 50 rubles, which covers the expenses for the library and ELE.

Featured Speakers

Monica Howkins, vice-president of the International Women’s Club, will speak on Friday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. Her speech will be about women of the world and their perceptions on work, family and personal development.

The lectures, which have featured speakers as diverse as opera singers, journalists and ambassadors, typically draw a crowd of 40 to 60 people. However, Lapeyrouse said some speakers have brought in more than 100 listeners.

“An Australian poet consistently brought the most people,” he said. “We also have had performances at times, and talks which included music and lecturing.”

Lapeyrouse said the audience also has the opportunity to learn about people who they may be familiar with from the television or radio.

“We have had many different kinds of people and topics over the years, from 12 plus countries as well,” he said. “New contacts and relations have developed from ELEs also.”

Audience

Lapeyrouse said that the majority of people who attend the lectures are actually native Russians who speak English fluently. Though native English-speaking expats also come to the lectures, Russians have consistently shown a great deal of interest in broadening their English language skills and expanding their knowledge of the English-speaking community.

“I sometimes was tired and wanted to stop doing it, but the Russians basically begged me not to,” Lapeyrouse added.

Contact Information

For more information on ELE lectures, visit www.elemoscow.net. If you are interested in giving a public lecture for the series, contact Stephen Lapeyrouse at s_lapeyrouse@hotmail.com.

The American Women’s Organization of Moscow (AWO) will hold its Charity Art Auction on Sunday, Nov. 25, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The auction will take place at the Leonid Shishkin Art Gallery at 29 Neglinnaya St. close to the Tsvetnoi Bulvar metro station.

The proceeds from the event will go to the Nastenka Foundation, which was founded to improve the lives of children at the Moscow Institute of Pediatric Oncology.

The auction is open to the public, but reservations must be made because of limited space within the gallery. Participants will enjoy wine and cheese during the auction, which will feature Soviet-era paintings. Debbie Leturno, president of AWO, said she expects 50 to 75 people to participate.

“It seems that fantastic things happen sometimes by luck, sometimes because you’re in the right place at the right time and sometimes by pure hard work,” Leturno said in the November newsletter. “In the case of our upcoming AWO Art Auction, it seems to be a combination of the three.”

AWO has held an annual craft fair for the last 14 years, and for the last six years the proceeds of the fair have gone to the Nastenka Foundation. When AWO members stopped by the Shishkin Art Gallery to pick up some paintings for this year’s fair, Leonid Shishkin, owner of the gallery, generously offered to donate 40 to 50 paintings for an auction to raise money for the charity.

The organization was also instrumental in creating the Nastenka Foundation in 2001.

“AWO members worked with Jamila Aliyeva [chairwoman of the Nastenka Foundation] to … help children suffering with cancer and provide support to their families during this difficult time,” Leturno said.

History of the Organization

AWO is a nonprofit organization founded over 15 years ago to help North American expatriates adapt to their new environment, provide social and cultural contacts in the community and keep members informed about issues that affect them as Americans living abroad. It currently has over 200 members.

Leturno became involved in the organization when she moved to Moscow four years ago. She said she was already familiar with AWO when she arrived, since the organization is part of a worldwide network of American women’s clubs. She said she joined the organization “as a means of meeting other Americans and finding fulfilling activities to fill [her] time while in Moscow.”

Other Events

Aside from the craft fair and auction, AWO members enjoy regular meetings at the Hard Rock Café, holiday parties at the Spaso House, the residence of the United States ambassador, and many workshops on culture, sewing, reading and travel.

Though Leturno said she would love to hold a similar event next year, it all depends on the generosity of gallery owners like Shishkin.

“I would like to extend sincere thanks to Mr. Shishkin for his generosity and compassion for the children supported by Nastenka,” Leturno said.

The artworks that will be auctioned off on Sunday can be viewed at the Shishkin Gallery website.

Contact Information

Reservations for the auction can be made by calling Cresa Pruitt at 241-32-53 or Deb Christian at 730-39-83.

To become involved in AWO or request more information, send an email to awomoscow@yahoo.com.

1307 Glenwood Ave. Suite 154

Raleigh, NC 27605

NEWS RELEASE

11/11/07

International Festival of Raleigh Promotes Cultural Diversity

More than 50 Ethnic Groups Express Culture through Food and Dance

RALEIGH, N.C. – The world became a little smaller on Saturday, Nov. 3, and Sunday, Nov. 4, when ethnic groups from the Triangle came together at the N.C. State Fairgrounds to celebrate the 22^nd Annual International Festival of Raleigh.

Representatives from more than 50 ethnic groups cooked traditional dishes, sold handmade jewelry and performed traditional dances. Demonstrations, such as henna painting and egg dyeing, were given at booths set up throughout the building.

Kathy Knudsen, executive director of International Focus, the non-profit organization that puts on the festival, said the idea behind the event was to promote knowledge and appreciation of other cultures.

“We have so many ethnic groups that have moved into the area,” she said. “The more we know about each other, the more the fear of each other goes away.”

Knudsen estimated attendance at 17,000 to 20,000 people.

While the proceeds from ticket sales went to the fund for next year’s festival, the individual ethnic groups will be able to use the money made from the cafes and booths to promote their own cultural programs.

“Many give the proceeds to charities and non-profits,” Knudsen said. “All of that money goes back into the community.”

International Focus was founded after the festival began in 1985 to help prepare for the annual event. Later, the organization grew to offer educational programs for people who have recently moved to the United States.

Some of these programs include:

• Language training
• Help with finding homes and jobs
• Assistance for students abroad
• Assistance for businesses looking for potential employees from other countries

The festival will be held next year from Friday, Sept. 12, to Sunday, Sept. 14, at the new Raleigh Convention Center.

“It’s free admission because it’s the grand opening of the new civic center,” Knudsen said.

To view photos of the 22^nd International Festival of Raleigh, visit www.internationalfestival.org/gallery.html.

CONTACT: Kathy Knudsen, Executive Director

919-832-4331, info@internationalfestival.org