Archive for 'Russian life'
Russian Vodka Drinking Etiquette Posted by Jenya on Oct 7, 2015
If you are a type of person who occasionally enjoys drinking adult beverages, read on. Today’s blog is about proper vodka drinking etiquette as I have observed it. Consuming this spirit is definitely a part of Russian culture – for some it is a larger part. It is my hope that you will be entertained…
Yakov Smirnoff: Russian Funny Man! Posted by Jenya on Sep 30, 2015
Yakov Naumovich Pokhis, better known as Yakov Smirnoff, is a comedian born in the Soviet Union in 1951. After emigrating to the United States in 1977, he changed his last name to Smirnoff after the vodka. During the 1980’s and early into the 90’s, Smirnoff saw his brand of humor taking off and resonating with…
The Billion Dollar Spy, Part II Posted by Jenya on Sep 23, 2015
Part II: Adolf Tolkachev had been the most successful spy the CIA ever had in Moscow during the late 1970’s through the mid 1980’s. Tolkachev was an engineer working on new and next-generation radar systems for the military. He was also a father and a husband that put, not only his life on the line…
The Billion Dollar Spy, Part One Posted by Jenya on Sep 22, 2015
Mystery? Intrigue? Danger? All trademarks of the “spy world.” During the Cold War, Russia, as well as most of the rest of Europe, had extensive manpower devoted to intelligence gathering, counterintelligence, and so on. Todays blog will center on a Russian spy of sorts, actually he was an engineer with access to many of the…
Tetris: Not Just For Fun? Posted by Jenya on Aug 26, 2015
Which activity, if performed for three minutes, can reduce your cravings for sex, alcohol, drugs, food, and cigarettes? If you guessed playing Tetris, you’re correct! We’ve all heard about Tetris, many of us have played it, but few know much about it. Today’s post is all about Tetris and its potential benefits. Even if you…
From The Minds Of Russians Posted by Jenya on Aug 12, 2015
Even if you haven’t ever cooled down with Redpop! from Faygo on a hot summer day, you definitely passed by it at your local grocery store about a million times; and if you haven’t yet purchased Lifeway Kefir at your local supermarket, you have probably seen it. Regardless of your involvement with the abovementioned beverages…
Where Do People Speak Russian? Posted by Jenya on Jul 15, 2015
You are learning to speak Russian and that is great! The challenges are many but the “juice will be worth the squeeze.” One question that some people are particularly curious about is this: where will I get a chance to speak it once I am comfortable doing so? Would you spend years of your life…