Dear Colleagues,  

Isn’t it better to state that the school year starts next week rather than to say that the summer vacations end next week? :-)

In the last Umbrella Newsletter we tried to encourage you to start and end the new academic year with a Dream. This academic year will be filled with lots of unforgettable events and celebrations of many anniversaries (our office is going to celebrate its 15th anniversary!). MSU is preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Prof. Svetlana G. Ter-Minasova’s creative work as well as the 20th anniversary of her unique Department. While re-reading this summer Svetlana Grigoryevna’s book “War and Peace of the Languages and Cultures” (Moscow, 2007) I was amazed by the visionary truth of her words: “Teachers of foreign languages, translators and interpreters are those who bring peoples together, helping them find a common language (both in the direct and metaphorical sense of this word), they are missionaries and peace-keepers who fearlessly and selflessly open new ways of peace and friendship through jungles of another language and culture. This is true and I have been living through my whole life feeling proud of my profession, my choice and my colleagues” (Chapter 9, page 28) (translated by EL).

Thinking about how important and multi-faceted the role of English teachers is nowadays we would like to wish you new discoveries, great students, success in your projects and hope you share Svetlana Grigoryevna’s feelings about the profession, choice and colleagues in the new academic year!