This month I watched a short telenovela called Минус один. Next up? Reading a sample of The Anna Karenina Fix: Life Lessons from Russian Literature. We’re also getting ready to mail a box of souvenirs to some friends in Oregon… … Read More
What’s new this month? On the recommendation of a student, my husband and I watched a kitschy/cute 1964 Soviet film called Морозка. The same student had previously recommended the TV show Достоевский but we couldn’t get into that. Another student … Read More
No time for studying Russian this month, although I’m still keeping track of new words in a notebook. The past week has been full of English tests, sweets from students, and ice-lined eyelashes (-30C was enough for public schools to … Read More
How was your October? This month was a welcome turning point… we’re finally settling into a new routine of where to buy food, how to get around town, and all the little details that come up when you’re in … Read More
Hello, fall! The temperature is dropping already but we got in a few good walks on warm, sunny weekends. I’ve been sharing my fall photos here. Also this month: Chelyabinsk is currently two weeks into a garbage strike (see photos). … Read More
September, where are you? The new job has been a bit tough to settle into and I’m hoping things will go more smoothly next month. On the plus side, I’ve learned a lot of new words like лавка (shop, store) … Read More
It’s August already, wow! This July I listened to song after song in Russian. I went through all 100 songs on this русский рок CD… … and then listened to more Verka Serduchka songs than is probably healthy. I also … Read More
This month we went to visit my husband’s family in Hawaii with a suitcase full of Russian snacks. In previous visits, I set goals like learn 5 new Russian words from listening to people talking. This time I didn’t have … Read More
Here’s something unusual: our local symphony is preparing for a Tchaikovsky v. Drake concert. (The concert’s disclaimer reads Neither Tchaikovsky nor Drake will perform at this concert.) Aside from that info, I don’t have many internet links to share with you … Read More
It’s spring here and everyone seems to be traveling or making travel plans! One friend is headed to Ukraine this summer. I gathered up a bunch of old grivnas to send with her. Don’t you love the colors of these … Read More