Passion For Russian

I’m not celebrating anything in particular. I just came across this post card in some old stuff an I always liked it. I actually bought this used at a little book market somewhere in Russia in 2003.

Dec 14

Dec 09

I thought it was weird that they’d have a Carl’s Junior in Russia. I’ve never actually seen one in the States - I think it’s a west coast thing.

Dec 08

Dec 07

Thanks to everyone who entered in my first giveaway! And the lucky winner of “First Thousand Words in Russian” is….Lerussianprincess! So please get a hold of me and let me know how to get you your prize!

I have another cool idea in mind for next month’s giveaway, so be sure to check back in early January!

Dec 02

And here’s a better shot of the Subway Trailor you can just catch a glimpse of in the ‘Watermelon Cage’ post.

Yet another thing in Russia I found odd: a pull-behind trailer that they sell Subway out of it. I guess it makes sense. It’s the kind of thing they might sell hotdogs or ice cream out of here.

And don’t forget! Today is your last chance to enter to win “First 1000 Words in Russian”. Don’t forget to enter. And I’ve already got an exciting prize picked out for next month’s giveaway, so stay tuned for that!

Nov 30

What’s Lezginka? It’s the national dance of the Caucasus region. Each area has it’s own variation. We learned the Kabardinian, as that’s where our young dance-instructor couple (shown here) is from.

The version we learned is the dance of a love story. There are three parts. During the first part, the Kafa*, the woman is very shy, barely making eye contact with the man as he dances around her. The second part is called the Laparisa*. This is where the two start to show off a bit more - especially the man. This was definitely the most fun to dance as it involved some of the quick footwork you’ll see in the video below.

The third part, the Witch* is where the two finally get to be together (after getting the family’s permission, of course). This is the only part of the dance where the couple touches. (*These spellings are my best guesses, as I could not find a reliable source with this information printed, so corrections are welcome!)

And don’t forget: Now through Friday, you can enter to WIN a copy of First 1000 Words in Russian! Click here for details!

Nov 29

Nov 25

Last weekend I had a great time in Vegas with some girlfriends. So of course, I needed to know how to say gamble, which translates as играть в азартные игры.

By the way, this photo is from the “Happy Days” slot machine game. I was very excited to see it because I think this looks exactly like me! (Especially before I lost weight on the ‘Russian diet’, but that’s for another post.)

Nov 24

Nov 23

Мишка Косолапый

Last week I went to my regular Russian conversation Meetup and had a great time. One of our members had just gotten back from Russia and was kind enough to bring us back some Русские Конфеты (Russian candy)!! Not only was it a tasty (and sentimental) treat, it also lead to a mini Russian Lesson. The name of the candy is “Мишка Косолапый”.

I was told by one of our native Russians that the candy is named after a children’s nursery rhyme, and it goes like this:

Мишка косолапый по лесу идёт,
Шишки собирает, песенку поёт.
Шишка отлетела — прямо Мишке в лоб!
Мишка рассердился и ногою — топ!

Here’s my loose translation:
Clumsy Mishka walks around in the forest,
Collecting pine cones and singing little songs.
A pine cone falls and hits Mishka right in the head!
Mishka gets mad and stamps his foot!

[Мишка is a прозвище (nickname) that means bear in nursery rhymes.]

Are there any Russian candies that bring back memories from your travels?

Nov 22

Nov 16

Nov 14

Nov 11

Hey guys, I just came across this and had to share! Someone on Tumblr is doing a Christmas card exchange! You just sign up, agree to send out 10 cards to the addresses you are given, and in return, you’ll get 10 cards from around the world!

This sounds pretty cool to me. I am definitely going to try it out. I’m excited to see where my cards come from!

Only thing is: the deadline is Tuesday November 15th! (Sorry, I just found this or I would have posted it sooner.) Have fun!