International Day - Russia

Dobro pozhalovat'! Greetings!

Twenty-five seventh graders from Al Razi Preparatory School for Boys received a warm Russian welcome at Planet Georgetown’s third International Day held on February 25th. For three full hours, Al Razi’s students learned about the people and history that make up the vast nation of Russia through games and interactive presentations.

Following a mock review by Planet Georgetown’s very own “Russian Passport Control,” SFS-Qatar students Hanouf Al Buainain (’09), Nadim Rifai (’12), and Basil Makhfuz (’11) helped kick things off with a game of Russian trivia.

Students exercised their minds and English writing skills through lessons on the geography and history of Russia. To follow along with lectures, each student was given a journal to keep as a travelogue, in which they pasted stamps, maps, and photographs. A postcard exercise encouraged students to imagine themselves as tourists writing home to their friends and families about their experiences of life in Russia. Postcards covered a wide range of topics from the below-freezing temperatures of wintery Siberia to the colorful architecture of St. Basil’s Cathedral.

To familiarize the youth with the SFS-Qatar campus, students took a break from their time in the classroom to participate in a scavenger hunt. Several of SFS-Qatar’s faculty and staff got in on the action as teams of students raced against the clock to locate hidden objects while exploring the LAS building and the many programs it hosts.

In the final segment of the afternoon, students were given the chance to the test their creative skills with lacquered art, a centuries-old Russian craft. After a brief lesson on the art form, each student personalized their own wooden box with paint, replicating the elaborate designs of lacquered art.

Participants were awarded certificates before heading home from an action-packed afternoon.

Thanks to Al Razi Preparatory School for Boys and the SFS-Qatar faculty and staff volunteers who helped make International Day Russia a great success!