I decided to bring the joys of the Gallagher brothers to the young people of Tyumen but unfortunately they didn't dig it. I think they were put off by the lyrics of the song I chose which was Half the world Away (for those of you who don't dig Oasis either, that's the theme tune to The Royale Family)... we looked at the words before listening to the song, and the teenagers' analysis of Noel's lyrics? 'He a crazy man'. Indeed he is young folk. I think they're used to more upbeat themes to their pop tunes.... so then we listened to a Russian pop song, by my favourite Russian pop group, which they translated for me and which went along the lines of..... 'your father's on the toilet.....' and the chorus, 'it snowed a lot and then you went went went went...' I don't think we're ready just yet to cross the cultural borders between our two nations.....Although I gave 'Spaced' Series One to my boss and she loved it, and rightly observed that Britain is a nation of wasters. Her comment 'Does nobody work in Britain!' was, I guess, a fair comment after watching that particular programme. However, knowing that she has already watched The Office, I would have thought she could see the reason behind people's reluctance to work... links quite well with the whole Business English thing, as she just can't fathom why I detest it so much. It will come, in time, to Russia and then they will understand the horrors that await them in the workplace. Behind every filing cabinet in every office in every company there is a David Brent lurking.....

Other news: well Russia came a measly second in the Eurovision, we was cheated! Weather's ok I guess, not sunny or warm but not raining or cold - nondescript (if that's a word, perhaps it's two words) and I have met a fellow Native English Speaker - although she is not of the British variety, she is an Australian.... I am meeting her for a coffee tomorrow so I'll let you know how it goes!