Introduction - Why Russia?

Volkhov River, with Yuriev Monastery in distance - Novgorod, Russia, USSR

I did not speak any Russian before this trip. After almost a month in the Soviet Union, I had learned just six words:

"da" (да) – yes

"nyet" (нет) – no

"spasibo" (спасибо) – thank you

"pozhalujsta" (пожалуйста) – please, or you’re welcome

"restoran" (ресторан) – restaurant

         "borsch" (борщ) - beet soup

Hey, I was only 17. I had other things on my mind.

Looking back on the trip, though, I felt that I wanted to learn a bit more of the language someday. Well, “someday” finally arrived a few years ago. Studying the Russian language since then has been great fun, and it has renewed my interest in these travels of so many years before.

So, that’s how I got to this point.

Thanks for reading this far. If you stick around, I hope that you enjoy the trip.

(Click the "Notes" link in the sidebar for more on the role of the Russian language in the Soviet Union and its use today in the former Soviet republics.)