<p>:D I'm just wondering. I have some random questions about Russia.</p>
<p>Дайте, пожалуйста, кофе с молоком и с сахаром</p>
<p>Ask for it on the Amherst thread and I might give, not here, this is serious! :p</p>
<p>Я понимаю</p>
<p>десять</p>
<p>I’m glad.
10char</p>
<p>Ая эм рашан. хаха</p>
<p>Oh. My. God.</p>
<p>Quasi, you’re officially obsessed :D.</p>
<p>You knew that already. :D</p>
<p>But nobody replied. 
Except for one person and then he/she disappeared.</p>
<p>One more here :D</p>
<p>Yaaaaaay. Where in Russia are you from?</p>
<p>Sorry to disappoint you, but I was born in Kyrgyzstan and only visited Russia. Nevertheless, I am Russian and can try to answer your questions )</p>
<p>Oh, okay. I was mostly just curious about Russian culture. Food, books, movies (and where/if I can access some, haha.) I’ve read a lot of Russian classics, but I don’t know anything about what goes on there NOW. Apart from whatever political news we get in the papers.</p>
<p>Also, what’s it like in Kyrgyzstan? :)</p>
<p>That’s a heavy load :D</p>
<p>Since you’re not being very specific and one can never finish speaking on this subject, I’ll choose my own track–direct me to a particular subject if you wish.</p>
<p>Some acclaimed modern pieces of literature (library.ru gives a good review of both classic and modern Russian literature and the actual texts) include:
- Erast Fandorin series by Boris Akunin
- Poetry by Bella Akhmadulina (“Друзей моих прекрасные черты”)
- Omon Ra by Victor Pelevin (pelevin.nov.ru – his novels in Russian)
- Children of the Arbat by Anatoly Rybakov</p>
<p>Personally, I read few (if any) modern books. Of the classic Russian literature, the following changed my view of the world:
Михаил Булгаков “Мастер и Маргарита”
Лев Толстой “Война и мир”
Михаил Лермонтов “Герой нашего времени”
Александр Фадеев “Молодая гвардия”
Михаил Шолохов “Тихий Дон”
Поэзия Александра Блока</p>
<p>I’ll have to elaborate on other parts of your questions later </p>
<p>P.S. It is so good to meet people interested in your culture :)</p>
<p>Sorry to ruin your thread again, but I recently read a book by a BBC documentary maker who travelled from Murmansk to Vladivostok for a documentary he was making; its called Russia: A Journey to the Heart of a Land and its People by Jonathan Dimbleby; its rather corny maybe, but gives an interesting view on Russia and Russian mentality after the wall fell. It is sort of the journal he kept while making the movie.</p>
<p>Kittykat, thanks, that sounds great!!! :D</p>
<p>gloomatmidnight, that’s amazing! I’m definitely going to read those. I’ve read War and Peace, but haven’t even heard of the last couple of books. Thank you thank you thank you. :D</p>
<p>Looking forward to more elaboration, haha.</p>
<p>GuiltyBystander, I am intrigued too! Hope Ill have time to get to that book this coming semester.
QuasiProfound, Glad you liked it ;)</p>
<p>So here come a few popular movies, some of which even deal with the view people from other countries get of Russia (and these movies are stunning IMAO :D):
- The Barber of Siberia.
My absolute favorite. Although kind of idealistic, it is also keen and beautiful and may reveal a lot about Russia to strangers. - Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession.
Ivan Vasilievich is Czar Ivan IV the Terrible. This is a 1973 comedy dearly loved in Russiano sarcasm here. - Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears.
This is an Oscar-winning story of three provincial girls coming to Moscow to try their luck. - An Ordinary Miracle.
A musical fairy tale. - 12
This 2007 movie about justice in Russia is actually a remake of an American movie named Twelve Angry Men, but still worth seeing.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I have no idea where you can get DVDs with English or Indian (!) subtitles.</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - stupid russian high school student](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpg_jR-hkHI]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpg_jR-hkHI)</p>
<p>^^ ahahah</p>
<p>Aww, I’m disappointed. When I first saw the thread I was actually so happy somebody else from Russia was applying (we’re kinda underrepresented) and all I get is a stupid russian hs student. Oh well.</p>
<p>About Kyrgyzstan: it’s small and poor, but it’s very beautiful and very proud of its nomadic culture. In everyday life, though, we speak mostly Russian, watch Russian television and read Russian newspapers.</p>
<p>I am from Russia, born here, brough up here. You can PM me and ask any questions, if you want.</p>