Archive by Author
Trade Your Life for a Joke? Posted by Jenya on Oct 15, 2014
What does it feel like to be arrested for retelling a joke, or even an anecdote? For those living in Russia during Stalin’s reign, it was a reality. Gulags were home to not just societies most dangerous and, therefore, worthy criminals; professors, doctors, all sorts of educated professionals could also call it home – some…
Who is Cheburashka and How Can He Help You? Posted by Jenya on Oct 7, 2014
Being that most of you are devoting your precious time and energy toward learning to speak Russian, I decided to introduce you to a new tool that may help you, as well as entertain you at the same time. This tool is called Cheburashka. What is Cheburashka you ask? Cheburashka is a fictional character created…
Russian Classics in Movie Format Posted by Jenya on Oct 1, 2014
The world has seen its share of great writers. Some of them happen to be Russian. If you are at the point where you can read great literary works in Russian, pat yourself on the back – you have come a long way! However, if you are not at that point yet, reading the translated…
What Drink Is More Popular in Russia than Vodka? Posted by Jenya on Sep 24, 2014
We all know that the Chinese love to drink tea. So do the Brits. Recent data collected and published by the Euromonitor International, listed the countries that consumed the most tea per person, measured in pounds, and Russia ranked fourth! They stated that the average Russian drinks just over three pounds per year. In comparison…
Meet Your New Friends: Russian Adverbs Posted by Jenya on Sep 23, 2014
The last few mornings have been relatively chilly, at least in the state of Michigan. As I was getting my fall coat out of the closet, it occurred to me that now is the perfect time to do a post on adverbs. “I don’t see the connection,” – you might say. Well, let me explain…
Seven Things about Russia You Didn’t Know Posted by Jenya on Sep 16, 2014
Many of you know so much about Russia! Some of you were fortunate enough to go there, others spent a lot of time reading about it. Whatever the case, I hope the information below fuels your curiosity even more and propels you to dive deeper into the culture and history of this country, a country…
Vladimir Putin: Interesting Facts About the Man Behind the (Iron) Curtain Posted by Jenya on Sep 10, 2014
Though this blog usually centers on Russian culture and the language, certain events have transpired lately that are keeping the Russian president in the spotlight. For those living outside of Russia, he may be seen as a mysterious man, perhaps a hero to some and a villain to others. Your knowledge about him may be…