Being Russian

[beingrussian]

Last sunday of Maslenitsa. Goodbye, winter!

As I wrote before, on last Sunday of Pancake Week we have festives with folk dancing and singing. Here you can see artists in traditional ctothings. They performed folk song, and people danced right on the square. 

And this is the figure of Maslenitsa (or Winter). 

And we burn it! Is represents the burning of the winter, like: ok, it’s time for you to go! Burn!

I know, it looks kind of scary... But it’s a lot of fun!

[beingrussian]

Maslenitsa (pancake week)

Today we celebrated Maslenitsa in my family. 

Maslenitsa (or Pancake week) is a traditional Russian celebration in honour of coming Spring. It is celebrated in the end of Febrary or in the beginning of March (different time every year): we bake pancakes (they symbolise the Sun, as they are round and yellow), visit our family and friends, and on Sunday the festivals are held - with traditional dancing, singing, games, competitions, burning the figure of Maslenitsa (symbol of winter) and lots of pancakes of course!  (For more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslenitsa)

In my family we usually go to visit my grandparents on Pancake Week, as my Granny bakes the most delisious and traditional pancakes you can ever imagine! 

We are bringing table from kitchen to living room, putting the plate with pancakes in the middle of it, and every single filling around - caviar, sausage, salmon, cheese, meat or sour-cream for  “nourishing” pancakes and honey, condensed milk or jam for “sweet” ones. 

Nobody gets off the table, until ALL of the pancakes are eaten. Me and Mom try not to eat the whole day before coming to Granny’s house lol

And here is my Granny demonstrating her amazing pancakes: we call them “lace” (P.S. She’s hidin’ her face cause she don’t wanna be on the internet:) 

[beingrussian]

Feed the birds

As we have really cold winters, and everything is covered with snow, birds in the woods have nothing to eat, so they’re coming closer to humans and stays in out cities in towns for all winter season. 

It is very typical in Russia to feed birds. You can find  birdfeeders everywhere - almost near every house and in every park there are several. 

They can be made of everything - plastic bottles, cartons, boxes - whatever. 

I’ve made mine birdfeeder also and put in on the tree opposite my window, so that I can watch the birds - they are so cute! 

[beingrussian]

Christmas mood in Febrary

Here in Russia we celebrate New Year for months! No joking: Chrismas light and trees are setting on nearly in November and stays until Febrary. A great illustration is Christmas Fair on Red Square. 

I had not enough time during Christmas holidays to get there, but today I finally did it! And got my piece of Christmas mood in Febrary: 

[beingrussian]

Just a few words about poetry...

Winter morning

Cold frost and sunshine: day of wonder! But you, my friend, are still in slumber — Wake up, my beauty, time belies: You dormant eyes, I beg you, broaden Toward the northerly Aurora, As though a northern star arise! (c)

Alexandr Pushkin

[beingrussian]

Traditional breakfast: pancakes with caviar

#about_food

I woke up this morning, and find out that mom made pancakes. And, as we had some caviar left in the fridge since NY celebrations, I thought it was time for a very Russian breakfast - pancakes with caviar.

Well, pancakes with caviar is really famous russian food. And it’s not delicacy at all: it’s kind of typical for Russians,cause caviar is not expensive here.

For example, my mom and me buy it once in 2 month or even more often) A true russian thing is to have pancakes with caviar +black tea with sugar. It tastes delicios!

Pancakes can be served really different, but I personally prefer “rolls”, like that:

[dyadyavasya]

Метель встречает #russia #leningradregion #Vsevolozhsk #city #street #streetphoto #photorussia #streetsituation #streetphotography #railroad #railstation #people #snow #winter #snowstorm #train #rzd #россия #всеволожск #город #станция #поезд #ржд #люди #жанр #снег #зима #снегопад #vsevnet

[beingrussian]

A few words about Russian Climate and weather

First of all: Russia is big. Really Big! I mean, it’s not a huge place covered with ice and snow 365 days a year. Our climate is really different: we do have places where 0 C in summer is heat, but we also have places on south, where it’s about +3 C in winter.  I live in Moscow Region (as you can see on the map, Moscow is located in Europian part of Russia), and we have kind of soft climate: from about +20-25 C in Summer to -20 C in winter. And a really beautiful changing of seasons!  Sooo... We really need big wardrobe here: living in Moscow you need to have everything from summer tops and dresses to sweaters and winter coats.  And one more thing... We DO talk a lot about weather. I mean A LOT! Half of russian internet jokes are about weather... Why?  Just for example. Yesterday morning it was -8. Yesterday evening it was -17. Yesterday night it was -25. Today morning it was -21. Today afternoon it was -12. Right now it’s -4. Tommorrow it may be 0. We have a weather carousel! 

[beingrussian]

Hello, World!

Hey everyone!

My name is Valerija (But I guess Valerie will be easier for all of you). I’m 21, and I’m about to graduate from university this year.

I’m a typical russian girl, but I was lucky enough to make some friends in USA (US), Spain, Ireland and some other countries.

While talking to my friends, I realised, how little we know about each other - but the thing was that we here in Russia seem to know more about you - people from US and Europe, because your movies and books are popular here.

And it seems like many people from Europe and US have absolutely no idea about what it is like - being Russian?

Soo... my friends encouraged me to start this lifestyle blog to show all of you the life of a typical Russian in early 20′s. Hope, it will be interesting!

Just to make sure: I’m not gonna write about politics and so on. I’m not about discussing Putin and his government. I wanna show you just a normal everyday life: weather, nature, traditional food, culture, some funny stuff and so on.

P.S. I want to apologies for my English, as I can make really stupid mistakes sometimes.

P.S.2 Feel free to ask questions! Even if I won’t know the answer, I’ll do my best to find it asking my friends and reletives here :) So, let’s start!