Language

Resources for Students of Russian

This extensive list of web resources to assist students learning the Russian language was developed by SRAS and is now hosted on Folkways, part of the SRAS Family of Sites! Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, we will earn an affiliate commission if you […]

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Resources for Students of Ukrainian

15 Russian Tongue Twisters

Recipes

Tarkhun, Tarkhuna: Georgia’s All-Natural Tarragon Soda

Tarkhun is a carbonated soft drink invented in Georgia. Although it was later popularized throughout the USSR, its fame seems to have largely stopped at the borders of the Communist bloc. Derived from a syrup made from tarragon leaves, it has a distinctive taste reminiscent of licorice and sweet basil that most people either love […]

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Satsivi: Georgian Poultry in Nut Sauce

Mchadi: The Other Georgia’s Corn Bread

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 […]

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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 […]

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New Year Holiday Celebrations: Vocabulary and History

Latvia’s Līgo: A Midsummer Tradition That Outlived Empires