#auca

The first time Steve sees Bucky Barnes, he knows he is so fucked.

He can’t be older than 20.

Golden skin and grey eyes with sinfully long eyelashes, a chaotic nest of gelled curls on his head, wearing an almost-transparent grey t-shirt paired with impossibly tight black jeans over his endless legs. He looks up when Steve comes into the lab – summoned by Tony to check out the latest suit redesign – and bites down on his plush lower lip and smiles shyly at Steve.

So, so fucked.

OR

АУЦА – университет, в котором я учусь. Это как Гарвард Центральной Азии, основанный в 1997 году на деньги правительства США и неправительственной организации, управляемый Джорджем Соросом. Как вы уже могли догадаться из названия, АУЦА образовательную систему американского типа, с курсами на английском и русском языках. АУЦА также имеет партнерские отношения с Бард Колледжем, так что некоторые студенты АУЦА могут получить американские аккредитованные степени. Специальности: антропология, экономика, менеджмент, математика и программная инженерия. Чтобы узнать больше об АУЦА, перейдите по этой ссылке: https://www.auca.kg/.

У меня занятия по русской грамматике и разговору каждый день с 9:30 до 1:50. Однa из моих преподавательниц учительница, а другой-профессор лингвистики, которая написала почти все учебники русской грамматики в Кыргызстане. Однa преподает в американском/западном стиле, и другая использует советский стиль.

На мой взгляд, советский стиль преподавания строже. Российские школьники выучат классические стихи с архаичными словами. Вариантныe ответы обычно нельзя. В первый день занятий, когда спросили: <<Как вас зовут?>>, я ответила: <<Тэйлор Пуул.>> Это было неправильно. Правильный ответ был <<Меня зовут Тэйлор Пуул.>>, а не <<Я Тэйлор Пуул.>>, <<Меня зовут Тэйлор Пуул.>> или любой другой вариант, о котором вы можете подумать.

Из этого опыта я узнала, что у обеих систем образования есть свои плюсы и минусы. На мой взгляд, советский стиль может быть и строже, но он учит вас как приготовить ко всему и как внимательно думать о словах, которые вы используете. С другой стороны, американская система, больше поддерживает индивидуализм. Но с индивидуальным выбором приходит индивидуальная ответственность.

AUCA is the university where I study. It’s the Harvard of Central Asia, founded in 1997 with money from the United States government and a non-profit run by George Soros. As you might have guessed from the name, AUCA operates under an American-style educational system, with courses offered in English and Russian. AUCA also has a partnership with Bard College, so some AUCA students can earn American-accredited degrees. Degree programs include Anthropology, Economics, Business Administration, Mathematics, and Software Engineering. To learn more about AUCA, please see this link: https://www.auca.kg/.

I have Russian grammar and conversation classes every day from 9:30 until 1:50, with brief breaks. Because I am on an immersion program, no English is allowed. One of my professors is a schoolteacher who only speaks Russian, and the other is a linguistics professor who has written pretty much every Russian grammar textbook that exists in Kyrgyzstan. They are both highly qualified professionals, and one teaches in American/Western style, while the other uses a more Soviet style. It took a long time for me to get used to the Soviet style, and I felt constantly nervous while in class, but I think I’m finally comfortable.

In my opinion, the Soviet style of teaching is stricter and favors memorization. Russian schoolchildren often memorize classic poems with cumbersome and archaic words. Everyone is expected to be ready to participate at all times, and as a chronic daydreamer, I initially struggled. Also, deviations on answers are typically frowned upon. On the first day of class, when asked “What is your name?”, I replied “Taylor Poole.” This was incorrect, as the correct answer was “My name is Taylor Poole,” not “I am Taylor Poole,” “I am called Taylor Poole,” or any other variant you can possibly think of.

What I’ve learned from this experience is that there are pros and cons to both education systems. In my opinion, the Soviet style may be stricter, but it forces you to be extra disciplined. You must participate, be ready for anything, and think very carefully about the words you use when you speak. The American system, in contrast, encourages more individualism. But with greater individual choice comes greater individual responsibility, and much more opportunity to slack off. 

Мой класс В АУЦА. My classroom at AUCA.

Главный форум АУЦА. Флаги символизиют родины студентов АУЦА. The main forum at AUCA. The flags represent the homelands of students at AUCA.

Study space. Учебное место.

Кафетерий. Cafeteria.

Вид на природу из АУЦА. View of nature from AUCA.

Obligatory disclaimer:

Bucky's mother orders him to, for god's sake (hers, specifically), do something about all the people in love with Steve.

He had a plan.

Truly, he really did have a plan.

His plan was to bravely go over to Bucky’s apartment and confess. Confess everything.

But now, sitting in his car in the pouring rain, yards away from Bucky’s door, that plan was completely forgotten.

Growing up the home of missionary parents in Ecuador, Gene Jordan has always known the story of five men—Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian—who gave their lives in the jungle to reach an isolated Indian tribe.

But for Gene, it wasn’t a far-off story. The five martyrs and their surviving families were close friends of Gene’s parents. One of Gene’s prized possessions is a picture of him, age 2, standing with Saint in front of the famous, yellow Piper Cub airplane later shredded by spears on the riverbank.

As a teen, Gene helped Mission Aviation Fellowship pilots wash their airplanes and clean up the hangar, always hoping for an empty seat on the next flight. As an adult, Gene became one of those pilots and was sent back to Ecuador to follow in the footsteps of “Uncle Nate.”

Listen as he shares reflections on a life serving in missions, and the difference the gospel makes in the hearts of individuals, and even entire villages, as the people find in Jesus a reason to live.

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