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Toasts
aka ‘How to drink Vodka like a Russian.’ In Russia, the traditional process for drinking vodka is as follows: The vodka should be stored in the freezer prior to serving Before drinking, everybody should stand Make a toast – it should be to something positive, and to something that is happening/has happened Shot the vodka […]
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Just too close
(the themesong for today’s post – if you, like me, consider dubstep ‘music’). “You shouldn’t drink with Russians,” said one of my adult students a few days ago. “They can’t stop, and it will be dangerous for you.” “They can’t stop drinking, or can’t stop themselves?” I asked. “Both. Actually, this is a big problem […]
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On the same page
“When was the last time you helped somebody?”, asked one of the Volunteer Managers for the Sochi Winter Olympics earlier today. I asked him to clarify whether he meant at work, in general, or just on the street, and gave him an example of each. I then railed (railing is kind of my thing nowadays) about […]
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A winter sport
Russians are a rather peculiar and unexpected people. Today in class I had a girl say that she’d been in Latvia for the past few days, but that she didn’t like Latvians. I asked her why, and she said that she found them rude, unsmiling and unfriendly. I said that that was very unlike Russian people […]
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It’s a Hostel Life
So, as it turns out, I’m still homeless! As such, I’ve moved hostels, and am here for tonight too—then this hostel’s booked out as well. I have no particular dramas with living in a hostel, I’ve actually done it on a frighteningly regular basis. Of course, the fact that six young children just moved into […]