Language

Advanced Russian Language Test

SRAS has developed the test below to help you gauge your Russian language skills! Anyone interested in gaining more knowledge should check out the the resources under “language” on our main menu including especially our Resources for Students of Russian and the Russian Talking Phrasebook. You can also sign up to study Russian online or […]

Read more

Free Online TORFL Practice Test: Reading Comprehension

Free Online TORFL Practice Test: Grammar and Vocabulary

Recipes

Halva, Halwa, Helva: A Hundred Sweets from Dozens of Cultures

Halva, the rich dessert well-loved across many cultures, is so densely filling it almost manages to feel like a meal – and not an entirely unhealthy one at that. There are more than one hundred varieties of halva, an ancient dish whose base can be flour, ground seeds or nuts, or fruit, depending on where […]

Read more

The SRAS Guide to Fermented Milk

Oromo, Orama, Khanum: A Turkic Pumpkin Delight

National Narratives

Georgia’s Story of Identity: Heroes, Memory, and Meaning

What shapes Georgian national identity? The answer is complex and personal, but one key element is the Georgian national narrative. This includes the heroes and pivotal events taught in schools, the places central to the nation’s collective memory, and the language and beliefs that frame its worldview. A national narrative goes beyond history: it is […]

Read more

Poland’s Story of Identity: Heroes, Memory, and Meaning

Serbia’s Story of Identity: Heroes, Memory, and Meaning

Holidays

A History of Russian Holiday Ornaments

I originally titled this piece “Ghosts of Holidays Past,” way back in 2006. It was an early project I completed for SRAS, written after just three years with the company. Looking back nearly twenty years later, I can see the youthfulness in my writing. While the boundless optimism of that period has been tempered by […]

Read more

New Year Holiday Celebrations: Vocabulary and History

Latvia’s Līgo: A Midsummer Tradition That Outlived Empires