Travel Column
Maria Toews
Issue date: 12/10/09 Section: News
November 27, 2009
Russian Oddities:
-Universal Hs are pronounced Gs. For example: Garry Potter and Gitler.
-Only males shake hands, (never females). When a male enters a room, he will shake all the other men's hands, never the female's hands.
-Russians have 3 names. The first name can always be shortened. For example, I am Maria, my short name is Masha. Depending on the meaning connected to 'me', it could be masheee, mashye, etc. It is weird that the endings of names actually change. There's a host of Katyas and Anyas. My endearing name would be Mashinka.
There is no middle name. Only your father's name with an ending. For example, I would be Maria Garoldovna Toews. My brother would be Jason Garoldovich Toews. IF I were a person in authority my inferiors would call me Maria Garoldovna, rather than Miss Toews.
I have taken my Russian exam (easy)and Russia Seminars exam (super hard, and I am not exaggerating.) But that's that. Yesterday the RSP students had American Thanksgiving all day long, and it was lovely. I made cranberry sauce and was quite proud of the chemical experiment that went into it. Today was the closing ceremonies, where the important people and Rector of the university and such spoke to us in Russian and I understood most of it! And tonight is the end party where we will all do Russian dances that we have been training for, and humiliate ourselves. We are also singing and acting out the Sound of Music "So long, Farewell" song, and that pretty much makes my day. Last night I watched the Sound of Music in Russian (except for the songs) with my Russian sister, so I think her life is complete now.
And if you're still interested in the itinerary of my life, next we go to Moscow for 10 days.
Russian Oddities:
-Universal Hs are pronounced Gs. For example: Garry Potter and Gitler.
-Only males shake hands, (never females). When a male enters a room, he will shake all the other men's hands, never the female's hands.
-Russians have 3 names. The first name can always be shortened. For example, I am Maria, my short name is Masha. Depending on the meaning connected to 'me', it could be masheee, mashye, etc. It is weird that the endings of names actually change. There's a host of Katyas and Anyas. My endearing name would be Mashinka.
There is no middle name. Only your father's name with an ending. For example, I would be Maria Garoldovna Toews. My brother would be Jason Garoldovich Toews. IF I were a person in authority my inferiors would call me Maria Garoldovna, rather than Miss Toews.
I have taken my Russian exam (easy)and Russia Seminars exam (super hard, and I am not exaggerating.) But that's that. Yesterday the RSP students had American Thanksgiving all day long, and it was lovely. I made cranberry sauce and was quite proud of the chemical experiment that went into it. Today was the closing ceremonies, where the important people and Rector of the university and such spoke to us in Russian and I understood most of it! And tonight is the end party where we will all do Russian dances that we have been training for, and humiliate ourselves. We are also singing and acting out the Sound of Music "So long, Farewell" song, and that pretty much makes my day. Last night I watched the Sound of Music in Russian (except for the songs) with my Russian sister, so I think her life is complete now.
And if you're still interested in the itinerary of my life, next we go to Moscow for 10 days.
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