Archive for 'Culture'
What’s Considered a Healthy Diet in Russia Posted by Maria on Feb 12, 2019
With obesity being a worldwide problem, people are talking about the importance of eating healthy. However, it often comes up during cross-cultural encounters that different cultures have different ideas of what makes a healthy diet. Even though it’s impossible to generalize the preferences of an entire country, there are some common themes that come up…
3 Iconic Food Brands from Russia Posted by Maria on Jan 31, 2019
There are certain brands that have widely recognized in Russia, in large part thanks to their clever—or ridiculous—advertising. Of course, this list will vary for different people, but I’d like to share, in no particular order, some famous Russian food brands. Note that when I say “Russian,” I mostly mean “widely known and marketed in…
Why Are (Most) Russians Bad At Speaking Other Languages Posted by Maria on Jan 9, 2019
Several people who visited Russia told me they were surprised to discover that relatively few people spoke or understood English, even in the service industry in large cities. Generally speaking, the educational system and the environment in Russia contribute to this state of affairs. Largely Monolingual In a 2014 survey by the Levada Center pollster…
Poll: Most Russians Miss USSR Posted by Maria on Jan 2, 2019
The Russian pollster Levada Center recently published thought-provoking, if unsettling, findings: Most Russians said they missed the Soviet Union. We will look at the detailed results of this survey and some possible explanations. You can read the pollster’s report in Russian. More People Miss the USSR The main finding of the poll (опро́с), conducted in late…
Readers, Mothers, and Chauvinists: 3 Facts About Russia Posted by Maria on Dec 13, 2018
News from Russia tends to focus on internal troubles and geopolitical ambitions. That may leave learners wondering, beyond the obsession with Putin and vodka clichés, what do I really know about contemporary Russia? This post will explore some surprising, inspiring, and, yes, disturbing facts about Russia. High Literacy Rates According the the CIA World Factbook…
4 Canned Foods Popular in Russia Posted by Maria on Dec 6, 2018
Whether a result of past and present food shortages or a clever way of preserving items, canned foods (консе́рвы) are a staple of the average Russian’s diet. Let us look at four common items you will find in many shopping baskets. Сгущёнка Sweetened condensed milk, officially called сгущённое молоко́ but better known as сгущёнка, is…
Russian News: Crackdown on Musicians Posted by Maria on Nov 29, 2018
If you follow Russian news, you might have heard that several performers have had their concerts canceled lately—for various reasons (or excuses?). Many commentators and the musicians themselves argue that the cancellations were motivated by a sort of “moral panic” over the bad influence of the affected bands on the Russian youth. Let us take…