I am Russian. Ask me anything.

[Anonymous]

American universities have quotas for ethnic groups too. It is harder to get into harvard if you are asian. Harvard used to accept only a limited number of jews. Jews are not able to join all country clubs and some areas used to have laws about selling homes to them. That does not even compare with what it was like to be black in america. In nc black women were sterilized, and the state has refused to pay compensation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What Russian food do you think would be the most unpalatable to an American? Be brutally honest.

Never thought of this actually... Maybe "rassolnik"? the soup which has meat broth, pearl barley, potatoes, carrots, onions, and - ugh - pickles? I hate it

Oh come on . There must be something more pagan than that. I'm talking about what villagers eat at a rustic feast. Tell us. Something akin to the Scots with their heinous tripe.

I'm not OP, but I know a food like that - kholodets. It is cold jellied meat dish, usually made by boiling pig's head and feet. If you can get over the jiggling and some crunchy bits it is actually not that bad.

and if you put some mustard on it - yummy

Herg. Holodets is basically "meat jello", no? If you've got a Polish or German grandmother you've seen this. I have.

Fromage de tete, the French would say.

[Anonymous]

What do you think of Marjorie Merriweather Post buying up all that Russian art in bulk and bringing it over here. Do you think it would have survived if she didn't.

[Anonymous]

I know a few (may be 5) Russian immigrant families. They are all obsessed with getting their children to walk at 10months, and read at 12 months. Is this normal for Russians?

[Anonymous]

What is your educational background?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your educational background?

BAs in psychology and linguistics, MSc in Management

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you think of Marjorie Merriweather Post buying up all that Russian art in bulk and bringing it over here. Do you think it would have survived if she didn't.

Let me confess I had to google her
I think saving Russian art was not her top priority, I am sure she got a great deal (Russian authorities of different times are notorious for selling or leasing Russian stuff ridiculously cheap). I am not sure about whether it would have survived... Stalin's government did have respect for art and went to great lengths trying to save it (Leningrad siege, major museums masked to prevent bombings, etc), but it was sure a hazardous time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a few (may be 5) Russian immigrant families. They are all obsessed with getting their children to walk at 10months, and read at 12 months. Is this normal for Russians?

Don't forget potty training by 12 months. I had to lie to my relatives in Russia that my kid was fully potty trained. She wasn't until 2.5yo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a few (may be 5) Russian immigrant families. They are all obsessed with getting their children to walk at 10months, and read at 12 months. Is this normal for Russians?

I am sure you are a bit exaggerating but overall Russians (just like Americans) have their own "obsessions" in child rearing A PP mentioned potty training. However, Russians are much more relaxed about sleep (like falling asleep on their own and sleeping through the night) and about table manners and kids eating "by themselves".
It is interesting to compare child rearing in different cultures - sometimes it helps to put things in perspective and be more relaxed as a parent. I think worries like "help, my kid is not potty trained at 12 mo" and "help, my child does not fall asleep on their own at 12 mo" are pretty similar.

[Anonymous]

Why don't you floss more?

I have to say, I have noticed that the majority of Russians I've met here and seen in Russia have shockingly bad teeth, and early. There's one Russian family in my kid's preschool and it came up in a playdate that the mom thought it was overboard to brush baby's and toddler's teeth. Very unfortunate decision on her part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you floss more?

I have to say, I have noticed that the majority of Russians I've met here and seen in Russia have shockingly bad teeth, and early. There's one Russian family in my kid's preschool and it came up in a playdate that the mom thought it was overboard to brush baby's and toddler's teeth. Very unfortunate decision on her part.

I think we weren't really taught how to take care of our bodies and minds as we grew up. I think things will change for some younger people, those from more educated and advanced households. Unfortunately for the rest it's getting only worse.
As for baby teeth, all moms I know do brush, at least toddler teeth. But I am sure many people don't, and I am sure there are plenty poorer and less educated folks here who don't, either.

[Anonymous]

Were you and DH raised in middle or upper middle class homes? What did your parents do for a living? What about DH's family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Were you and DH raised in middle or upper middle class homes? What did your parents do for a living? What about DH's family?

Don't forget we were both raised under the soviets, there was no such thing as class basically there were blue collar job families (working class), collective farmers (lived in the countryside), white collar families (plus academia and arts people), and party elite.
We are both from white collar families, our parents are an engineer, a physics teacher, and geologists.
My family was not very well off, his did much better. But we grew up in similar types of housing, for example.
After perestroika my family became outright poor, his again did better because his parents were able to change careers eventually, but they also went through a rough patch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Were you and DH raised in middle or upper middle class homes? What did your parents do for a living? What about DH's family?

Don't forget we were both raised under the soviets, there was no such thing as class basically there were blue collar job families (working class), collective farmers (lived in the countryside), white collar families (plus academia and arts people), and party elite.
We are both from white collar families, our parents are an engineer, a physics teacher, and geologists.
My family was not very well off, his did much better. But we grew up in similar types of housing, for example.
After perestroika my family became outright poor, his again did better because his parents were able to change careers eventually, but they also went through a rough patch.

Just like here in the US!

--German OP from other thread.

[Anonymous]

I understand that you were raised to floss, but by now you should know better. Why not adopt better habits? Are you teaching your kids to floss?