Expand Your Palette – in Russian Posted by Maria on Sep 22, 2014
Colors are one of the first things you learn in any language. However, as you talk to native speakers or read authentic literature, you will start noticing that they are they are more diverse than the basic colors of the rainbow you learned. The Basics Colors of the rainbow go like this: красный оранжевый жёлтый…
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…
Russian Tour Operators Going Out Of Business Posted by Maria on Sep 15, 2014
Those of you who follow Russian news might have heard that several travel agencies (туроператоры, турагентства) have gone out of business (разорились). A few have gone bankrupt (объявили о банкротстве) while others have suspended operations (приостановили деятельность). As you know from a previous post, Russian tourists love traveling abroad, so people who had paid the…
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…
Personal Safety in Russia Posted by Maria on Sep 8, 2014
Personal safety is a subject that is important not just from a cultural standpoint but also in terms of navigating a different society and avoiding harm. There are many things that are shared among cultures in terms of what they view as reasonable precautions — not talking to strangers for children, not sharing your credit…
Common Russian Medicines Posted by Maria on Sep 4, 2014
If you are traveling to Russia or staying in the country for a longer period of time, chances are you might need to run to the pharmacy (аптека) at some point. I would like to give an overview of Russian medicines (лекарства) and their uses. This post is for reference only and is not meant…
Fast Food: Can Russians Afford It? Posted by Jenya on Sep 3, 2014
When I was growing up, I had heard of McDonald’s but had never been to one. When I first returned to Russia back in 2006, I was greatly surprised at the number of fast food restaurants that could be found. You may expect to see them in a large city like Moscow – they have…