Alex (my Moscow State University host) just told me as I was practicing in the auditorium for my first of four talks and two panels, that I shouldn’t be nervous because even if I am bad, people will like me “by default.”
My talks are part of the MSU Journalism Faculty’s and U.S. Embassy’s celebration of World Press Freedom Day. The conference is called “Days of American Journalism.” Tomorrow night we go to a reception at the U.S. Embassy.
I’m not sure if I should trust Alex’s analysis of how well this will go, however. He’s the same guy who told me not to worry about the subway bombing because a second almost never happens six weeks after the first. (BTW, the subway stations are each art museums. Really beautiful and all different.)
I met the oldest journalsim faculty member, Prof. Semjon M. Gurevich. He’s 90 and still comes to work each day. His specialty is media economics. He says he met Stalin. When we couldn’t speak Russian together, he switched to German so we could talk.
This week is also the 65th anniversary of the end of WWII. Today there was a stunning precision flying practice of WWII planes and current bombers. Streets are shut down, and soldiers are everywhere, practicing for the May 9 celebration.
**** Sent via wireless handheld. ****
Gary Kebbel's Travel Blog 