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In St. Petersburg: Friday, November 21st, 2008, 12:51 am (GMT+3) Weather Temperature: -1° C (30° F) • Feels like: -1° C • (30° F) • Flurries • Humidity: 92% • Barometer: 28.81" Hg (731 mmHg) • Wind: N 1 mph • Sunrise: 9:12 AM • Sunset: 4:17 PM •

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Dear Sir or Madam,

Have you ever seen a big city where crowds of people walk on the streets all night long, party because it is fun, but partly because they do not know it is night yet? Well, it is Saint Petersburg during the "white nights". It feels a little strange that the sun is always out. But once you get used to it, everything is so charming and romantic that it's had to find time for anything else apart from walking around the city. But Peter hasn't forgotten you! Of course, he is here with his latest stories of the month. 

Russian Lessons from Peter
Or how not to get lost in St.Petersburg:

Remember, last time you left me in the restaurant. When I finally learned to ask other people go out for a meal and all. And I was so happy because the hardest mission of actually asking them was already complete. You know, I thought that once I was in the restaurant, everything would be so easy. In reality it was much much harder. Just imagine this, I spent half of the evening trying to make an order. 

Yes, it turned out to be that difficult. I have tried almost everything like speaking English with the waitress, telling her random words in Russian, pointing out random items in the menu. Nothing worked. All I needed to do was to order in Russian. But.. I didn't know how. Finally, all the staff felt bad for me and they brought some food of their choice. Strange choice, I should say... and it definitely wasn't the best evening in my life, that's for sure. That's why today I will teach you, to order in Russian, in case you pick a place like the one I went to. 

When you just sit down in a restaurant and find nobody is rushing to you with a menu, ask the nearest waiter "Daite menju, pazhaluista" (which means "Could you bring the menu, please?"). When you are done with choosing and ready to order, you can say either "Prinisite, pazhaluista... (+ the chosen menu item)" which stands for the English "Could you please bring..." or "Ja budu... (+ the chosen menu item)", stands for the English "I will have...". 

Of course, this is not all the vocabulary that you may need at a restaurant. But at least you'll be set with ordering till our next meeting :-)

More Russian lessons in our future Newsletters!


What's new in Educacentre

NEW!!! "Luxury Russian!" 

Remember about a year ago I told you of the opening of the Royal Radisson SAS hotel, right on the Nevsky prospect? The one where you could feel like a tsar? Well, the guys in EducaCentre thought it would be nice to have a chance to learn the language of tsars while staying in the royal interiors. Therefore I'm proud to introduce special "Luxury Russian course". Exclusively for EducaCentre students! It includes one week stay in the Radisson SAS hotel with breakfast each day, 20 individual Russian lessons in EducaCentre, full visa support and airport transfers. Available from July 15th, only US$1890 for the whole package. Write to EducaCentre at rus@educacentre.net to get details of your tailor-made Luxury Russian course !

*****

Funny Squash Tournament of EducaCentre, July 6th. 

Learning is fun! That is EducaCentre's philosophy. To make learning Russian and English more enjoyable, all students of EducaCentre are invited to compete in the "funny" Squash Tournament on July 6th at recently opened Hypersquash club. There is no need to be a professional athlete, just make sure you hit the ball, not your partner. A funny prize is waiting for the winner of the Tournament. And a big party for all the participants (with the purpose of learning the language, of course).  

*****

Last call for July 1st starters!

It's getting very close now, but still possible. Any level, for any length of time, from one week up to one year. An Absolute Beginner group is starting as well so do not worry if your Russian is even worse than mine. It is not for long! Just e-mail rus@educacentre.net and join EducaCentre!  


This month in Saint Petersburg and Russia

If you think that the only two cinema festivals are the Oscars and Cannes, it is not quite true. You can watch different movies compete in almost every big city. But St.Petersburg went even further than that. From June 23rd through June 29th you can watch all the movies that won different cinema festivals this year. How is it possible you ask? Easy, they are all on display in the contest of "Xth International cinema festival «Festival of Festivals 2002". I am just only worried if I am fast enough to run between the cinema theatres of St.Petes...

*****

Drinking in Russia. You must have heard of it so many times! At least I did before I came here. I though that vodka was like their only food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Well, not quite. In fact, most Russians never drink vodka. But they are definitely good specialists on alcohol. I think there will be much to learn at the "Petersburg Fair on wines and vodkas" on June 26th — 29th, at the IX International specialized exhibition on wines, liqueurs, vodkas; technologies, raw components, and equipment. I am only hoping for a good tasting to accompany the fair. 

*****

Is there anything in common between Russia and Brazil? What do you think? Not much? Well, definitely not their football skills. I would say it's the carnival spirit of those two countries. For the 8th time now, Tsarskoe Selo (Town Pushkin) is inviting everyone for the International Tsarskoselskiy Carnival. I'm glad my friends and I kept our Simpsons outfits. No need to worry about carnival costumes. On June 29th and 30th there will be no Peter in St.Petes, there will be the Simpsons in Tsarskoe Selo ;-)

*****

The deeper we get into the "White nights", the more I get this feeling that this time of festivals for everything and everyone. I've already seen the ballet festival and bikers get together. It's the jazz time now. 9th International jazz festival «White Night’s Swing» from June 12th through June 14th is something that I could never miss. Do not forget to stop by the Jazz Philharmonic Hall or Mikhaylovsky Garden if you are one of jazz lover like myself!

The X-files, aliens, different planets and civilizations... When I was a kid, I thought I saw a spaceship once. Until my dad told me it was just a full moon. There is so much interesting and unknown in this area though. At least I can now see on "The Spacefolk" exposition that is dedicated to human contacts with extraterrestrial civilizations, UFO, anomalous phenomena, with an installation as a focus — 3 group effigies of spacemen. A colored panel, photographs, drawings, documents and publications related to exploring alien civilizations, portraits of the most outstanding UFOlogists are also on display. Through the end of July in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

*****

St.Pete is a "sea" city. I can really feel it now, during the summer. Who is they seem to love everything connected with water. Especially sailing and sports. Both of those will be combined in the International Baltic Regatta on July 8th - July 15th this year. For the whole week the athletes from all over the world will be competing on rivers and channels of Saint Petersburg (in front of the Peter and Paul Fortress). The competition is organized by the Central Yachting Club of St.Petersburg. 

*****

And for the whole summer, from June 3rd through August 31st, the 11th Summer Ballet Season will bring some of the best Russian ballet performances to the Alexandrinsky Theatre. So if you haven't seen 
"Swan Lake" yet, good chance to do so!

*****

!!! See you next month with my new stories !!!

This is a monthly newsletter from your friendly travel company EducaCentre/ Russian St.Petersburg Tours. Please, contact us if you have any questions about our offers and news. We love hearing from you!!! If you do not wish to receive our newsletter, please, fill in our unsubscription form.

Our best wishes for this month.  

Peter
EducaCentre/Russian St.Petersburg Tours Team

e-mail : travel@educacentre.net
Web : www.educacentre.net
Phone +7-812-974-0373  Fax +7-812-974-0373
22 Sinopskaya emb., St. Petersburg 191167, Russia


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