Language

Victory Day in Russia and Other Countries: Vocabulary and History

Victory Day is a holiday of significance in many Eurasian cultures, but particularly stands out in Russia. People pay homage to veterans and remember the sacrifices that were made for the sake of victory in WWII. While Victory Day is deeply ingrained in Russia’s national identity, its observance across Eurasia reveals nuanced changes or adaptations […]

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Judaism in Russia: Моя Россия Blog

Russian Greetings Through the Ages: Vocabulary and History

Recipes

Blini, Mlintsi, Palačinke! Making Slavic “Pancakes”

Blini (блины) are a breakfast favorite in many Eurasian countries. The most basic recipe involves just flour, milk, and eggs. The resulting very thin pancake can be enjoyed in a variety of ways from sweet to savory. Although the recipe is quite simple, they are somewhat labor intensive to make and thus are often associated […]

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Latvian Rye Bread Desserts: Rupjmaizes Kārtojums and Rupjmaizes Zupa

Pierogi: A Flavorful History of the Polish Dumpling

Holidays

Remembrance of WWII and Russian Identity: Student Observations

World War II holds profound significance in modern Russian culture, transcending mere historical events to become a deeply ingrained element of national identity and collective memory. Known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia, it represents a pivotal period of sacrifice, resilience, and victory against Nazi Germany, shaping the ethos of the nation. Victory Day, […]

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Navruz, Nooruz, Nowruz: The Ancient Spring New Year of Central Asia

Maslenitsa, Masliana, Marzanna: Spring Holidays of the Slavs

Talking Phrasebooks

The Talking Uzbek Phrasebook

The Talking Phrasebook Series presents useful phrases and words in side-by-side translation and with audio files specifically geared to help students work on listening skills and pronunciation. Below, you will find several useful phrases and words. To the left is the English and to the far right is the Uzbek translation. Uzbek is currently transitioning […]

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The Talking Buryat Phrasebook

The Talking Kyrgyz Phrasebook