Recently, together with the Zlatoust Language School I have visited the Museum of Political History of Russia. This year, the museum (that used to be Museum of the Revolution prior to 1991) is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Since the museum has opened its doors to the public, a lot of changes have happened and Russia has transformed into a new political system. 

The excursion was around the topic of the Russian Revolution, briefly touching on the era of Stalin and Yeltsin- the tour guide has asked us which part of Russian political history we are interested in and has kindly focused the attention on the themes we have mentioned. During the guide around the Russian Revolution period, I was surprised at how detailed yet simple and clear the information presented was. The exhibits and the atmosphere of the museum took you back to one of the most interesting periods of Russian history, giving an insight on the aims and beliefs of different parties in the conflict. It has to be mentioned, that the information we got told wasn’t different to what I have already studied about the revolution, but the details and the layout of the museum have aided the uptake of the content and better understand the sequence of the events. 

Personally, I have found the late 1980s-1990s part of the tour the most interesting. The museum has, in great detail explored not just the conflict between the communists and more liberal politicians, but the general mood in the society at the time, which, I believe is very important when analyzing the causes of any political change. 

Overall, I greatly recommend visiting the Museum of Political History of Russia if you are studying or have a general interest in politics. The excursion will be beneficial in understanding the transformation of the Russian political system from the late 19th century up until present day and I think that it is important to keep in mind how the politics of the largest country in the world operate. 

Anastasija Olesova (The University of Manchester)

Cériann

What is one of the most effective ways of learning a new language? In my opinion, it is having a general conversation with a native. Of course, you have to have a base knowledge to work from, but once you do- the opportunities are endless. 

This week, I had a pleasure of meeting Cériann, a young French who has come to Zlatoust Language School to study Russian. We have met a couple of times to drink tea and enjoy the traditional Russian пышки (pyshki, similar to donuts) and most importantly- talk. Knowing a little bit of French, it was very interesting of having an almost trilingual conversation. Talking in Russian most of the time, we have sometimes switched to English or French to translate specific words or explain more difficult concepts. 

The highlight was seeing a French discovering “Napoleon” in the café’s menu. I’ve remembered this cake since I was a kid (my grandmother used to make it) and have never questioned its French name. After a little research, we have found out that the cake (known as mille-feuille in France) was in fact named after the Emperor Napoleon and the name was given by famous chefs who have prepared the dessert to mark the 100th anniversary from the Russian victory over the French army. 

One of the things that stood out is Cériann’s determination to learn a new (and not an easy) language! Having moved to a new country myself, I can only imagine how challenging it must have been for her to make a decision to move to St. Petersburg for 3 weeks. I was very glad to hear that Cériann really enjoyed her stay and that she believed her language got better. 

I really hope that Cériann will continue to study the language she’s so passionate about and wish her all the best in her new French adventures!

Anastasija Olesova (The University of Manchester)