Archive for 'Traditions'
A Russian Facebook: вконтакте.ру Posted by josefina on Dec 2, 2008
When learning a foreign language communication is crucial. Without anyone to talk to while studying a new foreign language your vocabulary, your phrases are all bound to die (as goes for your native language too, when there’s no one around to talk to in it) sooner or later. If left unused, that is! I tell…
While In Russia Beware of… Windows? Posted by josefina on Nov 21, 2008
In the world of silly/strange/solicitous statistics, apparently, Russia is – rather unexpectedly, I must admit – the leader when it comes to the number of people that fall out of windows on a daily basis. In Russia 17 people fall out of windows daily. I had almost forgot how to smile, let alone laugh, at…
The «Русский Паспорт» vs. My Swedish Passport Posted by josefina on Nov 14, 2008
Some things happen for a reason. Other things happen for other reasons. Yesterday my wallet, my cell phone and my friend’s memory card (that she naively enough trusted me with) were stolen «среди белого дня» [‘in bright daylight’] from my backpack during lunch break at the university. Yes, I can think of funnier things to…
Is The Russian Tradition «идти в гости» Dying? Posted by josefina on Aug 29, 2008
My last post may or may not have been a little too optimistic [the comparative got me carried away there for a moment], something I intend to make up for today with a more serious post on a gloomier subject. As I have to read my favorite Russian paper online these days, I stumbled on…
The Difference Between Being «Русский» And Being A «Россиянин» Posted by josefina on Jul 3, 2008
In the light of the discussion that arised around my last post, I thought I might take today to clear a few things up as well as explain some linguistic peculiarities. After four years in Russia I’ve seen and heard a great deal of things, not all of them have made me happy and proud…
Russian Reading Tip: “The Icon And The Axe” Posted by josefina on Jun 14, 2008
One of you readers commented a couple of posts ago that one of the most helpful works when it comes to trying to understand Russia is Orlando Figes’ “Natasha’s Dance: A Cultural History of Russia” (1998). Clearly, I cannot argue with this, as I have not yet had the pleasure to read it, but I…
Yet Another Public Holiday: С Восьмым Марта! Posted by josefina on Mar 8, 2008
The 8th of March is International Women’s Day, which in Russian translates into Междонародный женский день, or, even better – выходной день [public holiday]. Since the 8th of March this year falls on a Saturday, the Russian Federation has decided to solve this situation in two ways – one way for those not working or…