Search by tag «Life in Russia» 137 results

• Getting to Know Russian Literature: Soviet Sci-Fi, Part 2

  To be honest, I’m not exactly a fan of the Soviet mid-20th century sci-fi; to me, it seems somewhat lacking in style in comparison to its predecessors, and it was the later works that really made a name for the genre. Then again, it certainly is quite unconventional, and is interesting from many a standpoint other than the literary one.

  24.09.2019

• My Russian Mushroom Picking Adventure

  I certainly enjoy a good sleep-in on the weekend, so when I got a text saying “Let's go mushroom picking on Saturday morning at 7am" I was a little hesitant at first. But after six years in Russia, this is only the second time I’ve received such an offer, so I was definitely up for the challenge.  

  13.08.2019

• 5 Surprises about WCs in St. Petersburg

  Restrooms, toilets, lavatories, loos - public restrooms in St. Petersburg can be a fun adventure, but sometimes, it pays to know before you go. 

  12.08.2019

• Getting to Know Russian Literature: Soviet Sci-Fi, Part 1

  In our previous article about Russian literature, we’ve only slightly touched upon the subject that I find the most interesting: Soviet science fiction. As a fan of science fiction in general, I’ve always thought that, despite its name, the science aspect of the genre is often used as merely a background for exploring various contemporary psychological and social issues, and allows the writers to create the perfect setting in which to share their perception of human nature and our common future. 

  30.07.2019

• Speak Like a Russian: Getting Around

  I’m one of those people who like to explore various places on their own, and I often prompt others to do the same: I believe that going with a guide or pre-planning too much can spoil a good adventure. Still, being adventurous doesn’t mean coming ill-prepared, especially in a different country, where getting lost can become a real problem. So, let’s learn some basic words that will help you in this kind of a situation.

  29.07.2019

• Russian Language and Culture Summer School: Leading the Way to Better Career Prospects

  ITMO University’s Russian Language and Culture Summer School, which took place this July, attracted students from the United States, England, Belgium, Poland, Germany and Taiwan. We caught up with some of them and talked about their experience. 

  25.07.2019

• Speak Like a Russian: Colors

  The words for colors are some of the first we learn in any new language. Simple and easy to remember, they also have connotations that you can use to spruce up your speech; although many of them are similar in most languages, knowing some of the local expressions will sure come in handy!

  08.07.2019

• The Magic of the ‘90s

  From runways to video games, the ‘90s are hot right now. What were they like for us and our families? Were they the “wild” years of the post-Soviet era when money vanished and mafia ruled? Or the times of frizzy hair and first music videos? Or just a childhood when all of this seemed normal? We asked around:

  02.07.2019

• Speak like a Russian: Science Words that Made it into Common Speech

  One thing that I really love about languages is how the meaning of many scientific terms change once regular people start using them. So let’s take a look at a few of them that made it into common Russian!

  24.06.2019

• Speak like a Russian: Speaking of Rain

  Summer has finally come, but you shouldn’t be expecting mild temperatures and lots of sunshine: it is the relentless rains that St. Petersburg is famous for. Much like the Eskimos who have a 100 words for different kinds of snow, we’ve come up with dozens of names for all kinds of rain. How about learning the basic ones?

  03.06.2019