Storytelling and Cultures

July 11, 2009

Russia

Russian Flag Meaning:It is said by some people that the design of the Russian flag is based on the flag of the Netherlands. The Russian flag has also inspired the flags of many Slavic nations of Europe, and the colors are often referred to as the pan-Slavic colors. They have come to represent Slavic independence and unity. There is no official meaning of to the Russian flag but some Russians believe the following: In Russia the white symbolizes generosity and frankness; blue stands for loyalty, honesty and wisdom; red means courage, magnanimity and love. Many people also believe red represents Russian people, blue represents the Ukrainians, and white represents the Belo Russians. 

Coat of arms

to know more  go to - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Russia

http://flagspot.net/flags/ru).html

The White House, the seat of the Russian Government

Entrance to the Kremlin - Senate, part of the Moscow Kremlin and the working residence of the Russian president

Russia is officially know both as Russian and the russian Federation. It is a country in northern Eurasia (Europe and Asia together). It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. Russia shares land borders with the following countries (from northwest to southeast): Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States.

Russia is by far the largest cocuntry in the world covering more then an 8th of the Earth's land area with 142 million people, it is the 9th largest by population. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe spanning 11 time zones, and incorporating a wide

range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources, and is considered an energy superpower. It has the wrold's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's unfrozen fresh water. The country contain 23 World Heritage sites ansd 40 UNESCO Biosphere reserves.

Russian pine and fur tree forests can be seen everywhere throughout the vast territories.

same forest in the winter

There are different types of landscapes on the Russian vast territory

This sort of a landscape can be found in some areas as well

Russia is washed by lots of seas and some oceans.

there are some warm places at the seaside too

Russia is well-known for birches. Birch is considered to be the symbol of Russia. There are lots of lyrical songs about birches, Russia, peoples’ feelings.

A young girl is also often associated with a birch tree, a tree is often compared with a girl too. We have different pet names for birches used

in songs, poems, etc.

Languages

Religion

Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism are Russia's traditional

religions

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, reconstructed from 1990-2000

Russia has a free education system guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution У 551 and has a literacy rate of 99.4%. Entry to higher education is highly competitive. The Russian Constitution grants a universal right to higher education free of charge through competitive entry. The Government allocates funding to pay the tuition fees within an established quota, or number of students for each state institution. This is considered crucial because it provides access to higher education to all skilled students. In

addition, students are paid a small stipend and provided with free housing.

Education

Moscow State University

Health careState Minister of Health is visiting a local hospital

She is donating blood to sick people

sport

science

next time

Music

Yury Bashmet

Mstislav Rastropovic

Dmitry Khvorostovsky

Lubov Kazarnovskaya

Piotr Tchaikovsky

my younger sonat hisgraduationparty

favourite past time, playing the guitar, entertaining friends / family

at 'Grushinsky' Festival near the city of Samara on the Volga river - amateur singers,  poets, musicians

a 'teenage musician' - my elder son playing for friends, family

Russian ballet the Kirov Ballet company (now known as the Mariinsky Ballet) and the Bolshoy company are two world-renowned Russian ballet companies that tour the world.

Matilde Kshesinskaya

Anna Pavlova

'The Dying Swan' her masterpiece

Sergey Diagilev, the founder of  'Ballets Russes'

Vaclav Nizhinskythe scene from 'The Firebird'

Mikhail Baryshnikov

Rudolf Nuriev

George Balanchin

UlianaLopatkina

DianaVishneva

Maya Plisetzkaya

the Financial Times: "She was, and still is, a star, ballet's monstre sacre, the final statement about theatrical glamour, a flaring, flaming beacon in a world of dimly twinkling talents, a beauty in the world of prettiness."

Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasilyev, the starry duet

the Bolshoy Theatre soloists

My school -two waltzes at the graduation party concert

Literature

Leo Tolstoy

Anton Chekhov

Fedor Dostoevsky

Aleksander Pushkin

Fine Art

Cinema

SergeyEizenshtein

Theatre

theatre festival at my school this year

Moscow

places of interest

Moscow subway

Moscow parks

Obninskmy home town'the City of Science"

Obninskbird'sview

an old corner

winter slalom

'Wulruses' clubmembers

once upon a timethe city fountain

'street racing'

the Protva river

Obninsk Blue Grass band

the youngergeneration

my students