Archive for 'History'
What It Was Like to Be a 90s Kid In Russia — Part I Posted by Maria on Nov 3, 2014
Read Part II here. As the so-called millenials are coming of age around the world, there are always posts popping up about what it was like growing up in the 90s. I like to compare what things I recognize from my childhood in Russia and what things must be specific to the country the post describes…
Are Russians Educated? Da! Posted by Jenya on Oct 29, 2014
How many of you have gone to college? Finished college? You may be surprised to learn that Russia leads the world in having the highest percentage of college graduates. According to findings by the Organization for Economic and Co-Operative Development, 54 percent of Russians between the ages of 25 and 64 have at least an…
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…
Obesity: It’s Not Just for Westerners Posted by Jenya on Aug 20, 2014
Myself, fatified (courtesy of Fatify app) Recently I read an article in U.S. News about the most obese countries in the world. To my surprise, Russia ranked fourth. In fact, it was not a shock that the U.S. was number one, followed by China and then India; however, Russia was a shock. I remember when…
Do We Really Know the Meaning of Misery? Posted by Jenya on May 20, 2014
As any voracious reader can tell you, once in a great while a book makes its way into your hands that really helps put your life in perspective, to change your thoughts on deep-rooted subjects, to provide you with a renewed appreciation for your life. This happened recently as I read Journey Into The Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginzburg. This is her memoir of…
Russians: American Film Antagonists Posted by Jenya on May 13, 2014
From the time I was old enough to watch TV, I have loved movies: action (боевик), drama (драма), comedy (комедия), horror movie (фильм ужасов) – you name it, I used to like them all. As I got older, one interesting thing became apparent to me: many of the villains in the American movies I liked…
Ten Most Common Russian Abbreviations Posted by Jenya on Apr 30, 2014
Abbreviations are common in any language. Only a few short years ago instant messaging introduced a ton of new abbreviations that a lot of us are still trying to learn. On the other hand, there are examples that have been around for years. The Russian language is no exception. Any native speaker of Russian…