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2001
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2002
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2002
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2003
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Oops:)
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Away
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2004 |
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Dear Sir or Madam,
 Sunny
greetings from St Petersburg. You'd think that since it is in the north,
summers are mild and not very hot here. Perfect for winter lovers like
myself? No? Well, that's what I thought before July came. It's been so hot
and sunny here that sometime I feel like I am spending my summer in the
French Riviera, not in one the most northern cities in Europe. It's
perfect for sun tanning though. You'll be jealous my dear friends when you see my dark
brown skin after a couple of days on the Peter and Paul's beach. Anyways,
let's start with our traditional Russian
lessons.
Russian Lessons from Peter
Or how not to get lost in St.Petersburg:
You know, guys, restaurants have become an important part
of my life after I learned to ask people out and even order food and
drinks there. As you can imagine, I was mainly going out with Russian
people. I mean real Russian people. For this reason my evenings out involved
heavy Russian-style
drinking. That's how I figured out the importance of knowing all the
drinking vocabulary.
Two most favorite drinks in Russia are vodka and beer, and
you definitely need to know those two words in Russian if you come here.
It's quite easy to learn Russian word for "vodka" because
it is exactly the same: "vodka". And Russian word
for beer is "pivo" (pronounced as "peevo").
Those two drinks are consumed in big quantities daily.
Russians usually start with beer on a subway and finishing with vodka once
they get home. Yes, yes, that's right. They drink vodka and beer together.
There is even a famous Russian expression: "Pivo bez vodky,
dengy na veter" which can be translated as "Drinking beer without vodka is like throwing your money into the wind".
Needless to say that all of this drinking is usually
followed by a terrible hangover: "pokhmelye"
or "sushnyak" in Russian. God, every hangover morning I promise to myself:
"Never again I am drinking with my Russian friends". Oh well, let's get back to our lesson. "Pokhmelie"
is usually cured with a special drink, "rassol", -
pickle juice. But if there is no "rassol"
available, Russians treat it with the same thing that caused all the
trouble. I mean vodka. And this, in turn, can lead to a long-term drinking,
referred to as "zapoi" in Russian.
By the way, one of my Russian friends explained to me
that if your hangover has a serious impact on your productivity the next day, you will
be qualified as a person who is justifiably "tired" or "very tired", depending on your
physical condition. You will then have a legal right to complain about it to coworkers, customers and business partners,
and receive loads of advice and dozens of stories, covering the wild and wacky adventures of drunken adults
in ways and circumstances you would never
imagine. All these talks will thereby make you feel like a very social
person.
To learn more about alcohol in Russia, check out www.freshspb.ru/food/alcohol.html
More Russian lessons in our future Newsletters!
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What's
new in Educacentre
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HOT!!!
Survival Russian Course! If YOU speak no Russian at
all, just like myself when I first showed up in St.Pete, but
do not have the freedom of staying here as much as you wish, this is
something for you! With EducaCentre Survival Russian course
you will learn how to make yourself understood even if people around
you speak only one language, Russian! The emphasis of everyday
spoken Russian will teach you to hold conversations in bars,
restaurants, public transport, shops and many other social
situations. Two week package with host family accommodation,
visa support, and airport transfers USD 790 only!
Interested? Ask Slava at rus@educacentre.net
or find out further details at www.educacentre.net
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*****
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NEW!!! EducaCentre joins Language Studies
International!
Starting July 2002, EducaCentre has become an
affiliate school of the Language Studies International Group that
offers language courses worldwide. LSI group started over 30 years
ago as a large English language courses provider in the UK and since
then they have expanded their operations in over than 20 countries.
EducaCentre now is happy to be a part of an International Language
Studies family providing high-quality Russian language teaching.
Further details at www.LSI-learnlanguages.com
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*****
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ISIC for all EducaCentre
students!
In case you don't know what it is, ISIC stands
for International Student Identification Card. Yes, valid worldwide.
In any town of any country. Pretty cool. I just got one lately and
thought it would be interesting for you to know. If you are a student
in EducaCentre you can also get an ISIC card that will be valid
through the end of this calendar year. If you have more questions,
please, ask Anastasia or Kate at inter@educacentre.net
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This month in
Saint Petersburg and Russia
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Coming soon! The Russian Navy Day will be celebrated on the
last Sunday of this month, July 28th. Be prepared for a
huge celebration with a Russian ship parade, street concerts around
the city (mainly navy bands), tons of ice-cream and beer, and, of
course, crowds of celebrating seamen.
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Although it's not as busy in St.Pete now, the Festivals time is not over yet! From July 1st through July 21st, the 3rd International Music
Festival "Fountain Music" is being held in Peterhof,
one the reserve side of Peterhof Museum. Even if you are not the biggest fan of
classical music, the place itself is worth visiting. Magnificent Palaces,
Fountains, Park ... the great overview of imperial Russian glory.
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*****
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The Hermitage museum is featuring
the Mexican Antiquities exhibition through the end of
summer.
The exhibition comprises some 270 items from the collection of National Museum for Anthropology and some other Mexican museums.
The artworks of different Mexican cultures, from the I millennium BC till the XV
century are on a display. Among the exhibits you'll find a unique little bell shaped as a
warrior-eagle. It may seem strange to go for Mexican art to
St.Pete, I know. But if you do not plan a trip over to Mexico in the
near future, you'll see at least something. Might save you a trip,
who knows :-)
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*****
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Mexican Antiquities is cool, of course. But I am
more into the modern art. And since I am now in Russia, I prefer
modern Russian art. That's why I could not miss the exhibition on Works by Petersburg’s
Artists that is on display at Gorod Gallery. Over 200 artworks of painting and graphics by contemporary St.Petersburg
artists are waiting for you through the end of August.
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Summer is not a theatre season in Russia? That's
what it used to be! The Mariinsky Theatre decided to
break this tradition with their premiere of "Turandot", Giacomo
Puccini's last
opera, on July 25th and 27th. As they say in
reviews, prepare for a drama that features a strange mixture of Oriental
splendor and bloodthirsty cruelty, reality and fantasy. Don't know
what it is going to be in reality but will find it out very soon. On
the 25th, to be more particular.
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Here it comes.
Master Rally 2002 "Along the roads of Sovereign Russia".
This is going to be BIG. It starts on August 1st in Saint
Petersburg and after the start the participants will go towards the banks of great
Russian river Volga. Then to the boundless semi-desert spaces and sandy ranges of the
Prikaspiiskaya lowland. After that Kalmykia will meet
them with the motley grass of the steppes. Rivers of champagne from the famous
Abrau-Durso cellars await those who will manage to reach the finish at the
banks of the Russian Riviera...
Too bad, I won't be able to see the whole thing from 1st to 11th August
but at least I will catch a start on August 1st here...
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This is something pretty unusual for Russia
because they are not that much into horses, you know. I am
really excited about the International Horseracing Cup CDI***(B)
to be held on July 26th-28th in KSK Komarovo. I wish I could participate, but I guess
I am getting a little old for that... Just watching this time.
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*****
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There is still more than a month to go but I wanted
to let you know well in advance. August 28th through September
1st, Exhibition Centre Lenexpo at Gavan will be
featuring the XI World agricultural fair "Russian Farmer".
More like the biggest Russian village celebration than just a fair.
Will tell you more about this one next month!
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!!! See you next month with my new stories !!! |
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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.
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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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Reg. No. MBT #001743