The history of “housing issue” The “housing issue” – “кварти´рный вопро´с” – has been bothering Russians for quite a time. In Soviet times, it was impossible to simply buy an apartment, and even renting was only semi-legal: All property belonged to the state and was distributed, i.e. actually rented, to the population. But people were thro... Read More

Taxi service in Russia There are many taxi companies in Russia, and while going around town, it’s always handy to have the telephone numbers of a couple of them so that one doesn’t get stuck somewhere in the middle of the night, with no buses or subway stations around. A taxi will bring you anywhere you want, and they’re especially convenient to use if you want to go somewhere to... Read More

Russian bribe culture When talking about any Russian authority – be it customs, police, any other kind of bureaucratic institutions, or even hospitals, the topic of bribes arises almost immediately. Unfortunate, but true: Russian society is based on bribing, the tradition of which goes far back into history. Somehow, the culture of honesty in business and especially in the public sector never to... Read More

Lucky foreigners As a newcomer to any Russian social gathering, you already have one trump in your hands without having done anything special: You are a foreigner. A Russian girl’s fascination with foreign guys acquired mythological qualities not only in Russia, but way beyond its borders. Which doesn’t mean that this stereotype is completely untrue. Many Russian women do indeed seem t... Read More

Shopping in Russia Grocery shopping in today’s Russia is uncomplicated: The Soviet scarcity of everyday products is in the past, and nobody remembers those huge lines for sugar or shoes anymore. Nowadays, the food shortages are gone, there are plenty of different shops everywhere, and their opening-times are often very generous. It’s possible to find stores that are open 24/7, and alm... Read More

Advantages of the subway Everyone loves the Moscow subway (Moscow Metro), and there’s a reason for that. It is fast and reliable, its structure is clear-cut, and many of its stations look like palaces or museum halls. Traffic jams are left behind on the surface, trains come every two minutes, and it’s hard to get lost because there are so many direction signs: Just follow the color of... Read More

This post is prepared by Ruspod, a podcast hub specializing in teaching Russian through audio podcasts, text lessons, and exercises. Visit Ruspod for free and premium podcasts. Russian militia aka police “My militia is watching over me” – “Моя́ мили́ция меня́ бережёт.” Maybe once, these lines of the Russian poet Mayakovsky, proud of the newly fou... Read More

If you like зимние виды спорта (winter sports), then you are already looking forward to the next year’s Winter Olympics. As you know, the Games will take place in the Russian курортный город (resort town) of Сочи (Sochi) on the shores of Чёрное море (the Black Sea). Each Олимпиада (the Olympics) has its own талисман (mascot). It so hap... Read More

Russian eateries in Russia Nowadays, Russian cities are filled with various restaurants, from sushi bars to French cuisine at its best, so it’s no wonder that a truly Russian food is sometimes hard to find among the diversity and multitude of choices. And once you find a Russian restaurant the second difficulty is looming: What do the names of these foods mean? This post is prepared by Rusp... Read More