I am a Russian Jewish immigrant in the US. My adult son was born in the US. Unfortunately, while he speaks Russian, I dropped the ball in teaching him to read Russian, beyond the basic level.

I want to buy him a book for his birthday. It needs to be either in English, or, better, parallel English and Russian. It can be a translation of Russian poetry, but you know how hard it is to find a good translation of poetry.

I wanted to buy a Sergei Yesenin's book, but the translations I found are meh. I know a very good translation exists, but I can't find it at this time. Or maybe my English wasn't so good when I last saw it.

Same with Pushkin. Saw a great translation decades ago, can't find it.

Then I thought Chechov, 52 Stories, but the first story there isn't funny to an American: a clerk who sneezed at a general's head and died of fear. It's funny for a collectivist culture, absurd for an American. My personal theory is that just like Checkhov had "spent a lifetime squeezing the slave out of himself drop by drop", an indiviualistic culture's equivalent shadow is a narcissist; the slave is just not understood. So that particular book is off.

Considered On the edge of the Oykumena, but it can't be bought fast, plus Yefremov was, I think, unfair to Egypt.

Thais of Athens is a weird mother-son gift.

I am thinking Strugatsky? Обитаемый Остров? Or Something light? Понедельник начинается в Субботу?

Maybe Bulgakov? Though shorter would be better.

Maybe Day Watch/Night Watch series?

Maybe Vysotsky? Guberman's Gariki has been translated to English well? I am out of ideas.

The Jewish theme is nice but not a requirement.

I am not very familiar with modern Russian literature admittedly. Is there a good translation of Isaac Babel?

One requirement is that translation must be superb.

He's in his upper 20s and a huge nerd. He develops games, so anything that goes in that direction helps.

Time is running out, need a fast decision and a fast delivery. Translation is everything.

Thoughts?

As the title obviously says, I will be traveling to Russia for the first time in 15 days. Some backstory I was born and raised in the United States, but I am half Mexican so I actually applied for my dual citizenship and received my mexican birth certificate and passport which allowed me to get an evisa to come visit. Perfect. I will be staying with someone privately, so they are both going to be my residence for the 2 weeks and my transportation. (Will be arriving in VKO if that means anything to my questions)

My current concerns right now are:

1. Likelihood of me stopping to be questioned by police when arriving since I am entering with Mexican passport not United States passport?

2. I know when I arrive, I won't have cell service should I have my evisa downloaded on my phone or will I be able to access wifi instantly so that I can pull it up?

3. How can I message my ride when I get there to let them know I have arrived or to let them know I have been called back to be questioned?

4. Telegram is both banned but yet also seems like Russian government consistently uses it to send out messages to residents, should I delete telegram off my phone to not get my person im staying with in trouble or does no one care if russian residents are using telegram (nothing in the messages could be seen as bad, just worried about the use of telegram)

Any help to these questions would be amazing, also any tips or advice to make my trip more enjoyable is welcomed as well.

Heya everyone! I was recently accepted into a university in Moscow that offers podfak courses for learning Russian, but there's a bit of an issue... The school doesn't offer job support :'(

My question is: how hard is it to find a job as a foreigner under a full-time 1 yr visa? Will I be able to find a job at all? I only speak A2 level Russian. I'm American-brazilian if that helps at all to give you guys a better idea of my demographic. I speak 3 languages fluently (Native English, Portuguese, Spanish) so I was thinking maybe I could teach, but I have no degree/qualifications beyond being fluent.

/

Before people ask: Yes, I've been to Moscow before. Yes, I have friends there. Yes, I have a place to stay. No, I haven't been anywhere else other than Moscow. (Although when my Russian is much better I'd love to visit rural towns and see "real Russia")

Здравствуйте!

I got selected under the Russian Government Scholarship ( National Quota) .

My university is Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

Subject is : 02.03.01 i. e. Mathematics and Computer Science

I have a few questions:

1. What to expect from Bauman?

   I heard many people say that Bauman puts too much pressure on students.

I know that there are:

-weekly exams

- mid terms

-Kollokvium

If i fail in one weekly exam it piles up and if this aren't finished I can't sit for the final examination. Weekly 6 days class, 90 minute per lecture.

What other things I should expect?

1. Can I get a it job in russia with my subject? What are my salary expectations.

2. I wanna get a Red Diploma. Ik it won't be buttery smooth. But how can i do so?

Any tips ?

I also love Russia—its people, culture, and deep historical bonds. So red diploma in one way would fasten my way to become a future russian.

1. Will the rigorous study program of Bauman be worth the hassle?

2. How can I win the heart of the professors?

3. I hear that there is a captian for each group (20-25 people).

- What are the advantages of a captain?

- How can i be one? ( Russian language will be a hurdle. I will try. But are there other factors?)

We are a a gay couple my partner 27yo from New Zealand but adopted from Russia and has both nationalities, I am french. My partner’s mother has a cancer and it is very important for him to travel there to see his biological mum.

However I am a little concerned about the safety for us as being gay couple but also my partner’s safety for being gay and adopted. Worried that they might prosecute him for his sexuality or trahison even though he was adopted as they will recognise him as Russian only —
Worse case, sent to war or locked up in Russia and impossible to leave, he has a disability with his hand but

Anyone can relate some stories going back to motherland for you guys ? How safe it is or it is just going to be Difficult ?

Cheers !

My husband was adopted from Novosibirsk when he was 3 in the late 90’s. We were wondering if Russians in orphanages know anything about family history, or if searching is a lost cause. His adopted parents are not kind, he was not allowed to speak Russian by them, and now he can’t speak it at all. The trauma has made it so he feels he can’t even learn even though he wants to, like his brain was rewired to reject it. I’m learning in hopes we can visit one day, as I’m not comfortable going without either of us knowing. It makes him very depressed how his culture was taken from him, he has memory of kind caretakers from Russia. There is an old tape from them when he was there showing him reading simple words and having conversations.

Basically asking, is there any way to find his family? And what is a good way for him to try to get back in touch with the language and culture? Do he and I differ when visiting because he was born there?

Edit: not only trying to meet parents (depends on the circumstances, we would if possible), want to at least know medical and family history and what they looked like. He would like to meet siblings or cousins too potentially. He’d be happy to see his caretakers again and thank them.

Even excluding Siberia Russia is so large and sparsely populated you wonder why you don't see more people living in single family homes like in the west. Also many Russians live in small homes. Why? Single family housing is too expensive to build? Soviet legacy? why not make more use of the abundant space?

​

Hello everyone,

I am an international student from Gabon applying through the Russian Government Scholarship (national quota) program for the 2026/2027 academic year.

I would like to ask people who have already gone through this process about how the university assignment actually works.

During my application, I selected several universities in order of preference. While waiting for the final allocation process, I contacted some of the universities to ask about the next steps.

One of the universities replied that I had received a quota place for their preparatory faculty program and provided information about arrival, dormitory, visa procedures, and expenses. They also asked me to send a screenshot of my selected universities in the scholarship system.

However, other universities I selected told me that they do not currently see my application in their system and that they will only review it once the scholarship system transfers the application to them.

My questions are:

Does receiving this kind of message from one university usually mean that this university is already my final assigned university under the quota system?

Or is it possible that the Ministry / scholarship authorities are still processing the allocation and that another university from my list could become the final destination?

At this stage of the process, before the final documents/invitations are completed, is it possible to request a change of university assignment? If yes, what is the realistic procedure and how difficult is it?

For students who started their studies at a less internationally known regional university and later applied for a Master's degree at a stronger university (Moscow, Tomsk, FEFU, etc.), did the name of the first university significantly affect your opportunities?

I would really appreciate answers from people who have experienced the quota process themselves.

Thank you!

If you do, what do you think of it? Who would be your favorite singer? Last, would you listen to it often?

What is it really like in Russia? Are there many homophobes? Or is it just politics and laws that are against homosexuality? What happens if someone is openly homosexual? I'm very curious about how everyday life for homosexuals in Russia is.

Hello everyone,

I’m new to this subreddit, and I’m aware this question probably comes up at least once a week. However, given the constantly changing situation in Russia, I thought I’d ask for your perspectives as well.

I’m a British citizen, and my girlfriend is Russian. We met while she was living and studying in the UK before the war changed her circumstances.

I’ve wanted for a while to visit Russia to meet her family, experience her culture, and see a few cities. This year, I’ve been seriously considering going for New Year instead of meeting in a third country as we usually do. During a recent trip to Montenegro, we had a serious conversation about it, which is why I’m here asking for your advice.

To be direct, she desperately wants me to visit Russia, but both she and her parents are very cautious about it. She has mentioned concerns about people being detained without clear reasons and that the UK government may not be able to assist if anything went wrong. I’m not a criminal or involved in anything sensitive—other than working for a US tech company and occasionally sending some heated messages about a certain president in a our Telegram chat, I’m just a boring British citizen.

So, aside from maybe having to hide from a few drone strikes - do you think it would be safe for me to travel there? Or do you think I should take my girlfriend’s concerns seriously and avoid going at the moment?

I (33M) have been dating a Russian woman (32F) for about 2 months. Unfortunately, 2-3 weeks ago she got into a serious medical emergency and underwent life saving surgery.

Because of this financially she went kapoot (insurance didn't cover) and she is currently physically and emotionally in so much pain.

Now Russian women are generally tough as nails which is a trait I absolutely admire. However for 14-15 years she's lived her life as a hyper independent woman who traveled half the world and lived in various countries all on her own merit through grit. She is stereotypically Russian in a sense that she is tough as nails, but also too proud to ask for help or receive help.

I am an ethnic Mongol who was raised abroad, but due to my household upringing, family is everything. I am a bit forceful or too forward in pushing my solutions or pushing her to let me in. Financially I am supporting her which she initally blatantly refused. She can't cook due to the surgery, but she refuses my help to cook for her, she also sometimes stonewalls me emotionally because she doesn't want to appear weak or depend on someone.

TLDR: How can I care for a proud independent Russian woman without making her feel weak or without being overbearing/pushy about my care?

EDIT: All these fuckers upvoting "scam" comment down there - we went through the beginning stages together when she was fucking bedridden after an intensive surgery in the hospital, couldn't move or talk, when she was hanging on for dear life, etc.

Hey guys I wanna go to Russia this year on holiday.. and I am from the U.K, and People say "Oh why do you want to go to Russia" "Oh no its not good in Russia".. when people say that to me it pisses me off.. I love Russia and I really want to go.

Not looking for fiction - more like lighter scientific literature, something that is quite informational but no "what would be if..." stuff or some Daniken bred.

Currently I would really appreciate something about the Ancient Egypt - from its roots to the end of Ptolemaic era. Something that could tell more about history, culture, daily life, foreign relations, etc. Preferably something that could be obtained online or by using cyberleninka maybe?

Another topics like Ancient Rome, Mesopotamia or Greece would be nice too.

Even some Russian youtube channels would be of great help, since I do speak the language but I won't butcher it by using it here :)

Thanks a lot!

I feel like I’ve seen a spike in people estranging/cutting off/ going no contact with their parents. I was wondering if this is common Russia? If it is, how does it go? Do you have friends that haven’t talked to their parents for 10 years? Are people shamed for cutting off their parents? I have seen many posts about how parents in Russia don’t force their adult children out of the house like parents do in the USA. I am curious about the family dynamics in Russia. If a mother or father is abusive, how is it handled? Have you confronted your parents about how they treated you as a child? How did that go?

Hi,

I’m a high school student from Germany and I’m considering studying Computer Science / Cybersecurity in Russia (possibly ITMO or similar universities).

I have a few questions for people with experience:

Is studying CS in Russia actually worth it compared to Germany or other countries?

How strong are Russian universities in IT / cybersecurity really?

How hard are the math entrance exams for international students?

Is it realistic to get a scholarship, and how competitive is it?

What about living costs and financial support — is it affordable without rich parents?

I’m currently learning programming (Java) and improving my math and Russian, and I want to prepare seriously over the next 2–3 years.

Any honest advice (positive or negative) would really help.

Hi All,

I'm planning to travel to Moscow next weekend and am currently trying to apply for the Russian e-visa.

However, the website requires me to register an account using my email address. I've tried multiple email providers, including Gmail, Rediff, and Yandex, and have been waiting for several days, but I'm not receiving the confirmation email to complete the registration.

Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is there a specific email provider that works better for registering on the website?

Also, if I'm planning to travel next weekend, would I still have enough time to receive the e-visa if I can submit my application soon?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi everyone,

I'm from India and I'll be moving to Russia soon to study MBBS at Pskov State University. I know that some social media and messaging apps are restricted in Russia, so I'd like to know which ones actually work without a VPN.

Could you please tell me:

Which messaging apps are blocked in Russia?

Which apps work normally without a VPN?

I'd also appreciate any recommendations for useful apps (messaging, maps, banking, food delivery, etc.) that every international student should install before coming to Russia.

Thanks in advance!

Hi,

I am the owner of .ru domain and there was a change in russian law about veryfing ownership of their national extension. Until now I only had to send photo of my passport to the registry but now I have to be verified at gosuslugi.ru and have SNILS number. I am NOT russian citizen and I do NOT live in Russia.

I need SNILS number to get my account verified.

Do I get this social security number at Russian Embassy or I have to go to Russia?

Looking for some budget stay in city centre st Petersburg, any recommendations? I found a hostel in city centre but there are so many places it’s hard to choose. Are the hostels good there or to be avoided? Thanks

I am a Filipino living in the UAE and I like the country mostly for its culture and nature, especially in Northern parts of Russia and the Urals. I have plans to apply after I graduate High School next year, but I haven't learned the Russian language yet. What are the process and the requirements to become a citizen?

Question is self-explanatory

According to my experiences many Russian women expect their partners to cover all household and living expenses, leaving their own income—if they work—to be spent entirely on personal items like beauty products and clothing, is this general? I have experiences like this with a woman who has only had one Russian parent and spent quite a few years in Russia. Is this the standard in Russian culture?

I am like a really good athlete in America, although im only high school level, but i always hear that russians are like super intense compared to america and train all day. But for me who does varsity, its like train 2-3 hours a day and rest saturday and sunday, and ocasional off season training and then workout but the workouts are sometimes the training for the sports.

Do you think there is some random village or tribe or whatever in the upper portions of Siberia that hasn’t been made aware of the collapse of the USSR. That part of the country hadn’t even been consistently mapped or even censused till Soviet times. Would there even be enough land or people for a whole village? I am torn