My friend and student and our member in lingq.com Richard from England made a month ago a big trip to Russia.
He was in different parts of Russia (Moscov, Kazan, Saratov and Vladivostok) and visited a lot of Russian theatres.
In this interview he tells about his ‘cultural experience in Russia.’
As usual he makes it in a very interesting way, that’s why his interview can be exciting for all people who knows English or who studies English.
You can also find here some interesting details of the Russian life.
Usually I don’t translate the interviews, only the articles.
The interview is a conversation that exists at the moment of the speech.
But we (Richard and I) can think about your proposal.
Great! I also just got back from my first trip to Russia. I was first in Moscow for work purposes and then in Nizhny Novgorod to visit my soon-to-be in-laws. It was a very interesting experience. In general, it didn’t feel any different to any other European country. Being in Moscow especially was just like being in any other European city. In Nizhny Novgorod, I got stuffed silly my my mother-in-law who seemed to be trying to drown me in food.
Thank you for this. I wish you much joy in all your connections with Russia! I simply love going there. I have lost count of how many times I have been, but I confess that I have not been to Nizhny Novgorod. I do feel as if I should expand my experience of different cities and places. Yes they love food. One of my friends in Saratov decided to feast me and two of my other Saratov friends in a local restaurant, to celebrate Easter on 1 May this year. I have never seen so much food, a huge variety of dishes, all beautifully presented. We sat talking and eating for five hours.
It’s a new interview with Richard from England where he tells about his impression from Kazan.
I have to say that Kazan is not far eastwards from Moscow, but it’s a very unique city with a real Asian flavor.
And here is the link:
Of course Kazan is very influenced by the Islamic world, but I was reading recently that much of what in Russia is described as “Asian influence” is in fact influence from Africa that came up through Spain and the Mediterranean. Any thoughts on this?
I don’t think so. Of course, we have our national writer Alexander Pushkin whose greit grandfather was from Africa.
But we didn’t have constant connections with Africa as we had such everyday connections with Asia from the East and from the South.
Of course Pushkin is the great example, although he was several generations removed. (I have a Russian-born grandfather and yet I’m not considered, for all intents and purposes, Russian at all). I was referring to influence that goes back to the early days of the Church. Many early aspects of the religion, influenced by Africa, that have disappeared from western practices, remain in Russia and the Orthodox world. Today, apparently, many of these aspects have mistakenly been attributed to Asia. I certainly need to check my sources.
Our Orthodox cfhurch was descended from Byzantium.
Maybe Byzantium had more connections with Aftica that the other Europe, I don’t know.
But in any case our church is more conservative and closer to the prtimary Christianity.
This is a new interview with Richard where he tells about his ‘IMPRESSIONS FROM EKATERINBURG’.
This city is very interesting because it is situated on the border between Europe and Asia and because a huge Yeltsin centre was built there several years ago.
By the way, the local government is in opposition to Putin. It is not so often in Russia.