How Russians Think

[mendeleyev]

About Fashion:

For centuries Russia lived according to old traditions while the rest of Europe was swept away by wave after wave of modern ideas.  It is notable that an isolated Russia missed both the "Enlightenment" period and the "Reformation."

One could think of the Russian expression which became popular under Mikhail Gorbachev which was "we wanted for the best but it turned out as usual."

Interestingly, that sounds very close to one of the themes the opposition used in the most recent presidential election:  "It will be bananas but in the end we'll get what we deserve."

The evolution of fashion began however under Peter the Great and also Catherine the Great.  Influenced by the Dutch tailors, Peter demanded that his court appear in Dutch suits.  Catherine drug Russian women of Royalty kicking and screaming into the modern age of resplendent and exaggerated European fashion.

But for the average older Russian, Professor Pavlovskaya notes that "they still prefer dark or grey, colourless clothing which are very practical and easy to clean."  The younger generation is another matter altogether and the fall of the Soviet system ushered in the freedom for young Russians to plunge headlong into modern Euro fashion. 


Getting dressed up:

For just about any reason, a Russian will wish to 'dress up.'  Just because older Russians dress conservatively doesn't mean they wish to look boorish.  To the opposite, whether old or young, Russians dress in their best for visits from relatives, going to meet someone, hosting friends, to a restaurant or church.

Anywhere in public, even just to empty the trash, is a reason especially for RW to look their best.  We've also seen/heard the RW who dressed to kill for the smallest of events.  Its part of their culture. 

To do otherwise seems to the Russian mindset as a sign of disrespect. 

Crossing the ocean to a westerner is seen as a 'vacation' and fitting to "dress down."  Russians don't understand this and think we have no sense of pride, or worse think we don't respect and look down on them. 

Dr Pavlovskaya says that Russians reason that if we looked forward to meeting them it would just make sense that we'd want to put our best foot forward and dress up for the occasion.

[mendeleyev]

Thanks Christian!  I am also grateful for your help getting the thread about learning beginning Russian jumpstarted again.   

It is gratifying to know that the thread is useful.  I've enjoyed reading Professor Pavlovakaya's book, "Culture Shock" especially as she is one of the professors who directs the program our youngest daughter studies at Moscow State University.  Although I know her on only the most "in passing" level, it makes her book seem to come alive.

[mendeleyev]

When I was in Kiev a year ago with my then UA girlfriend she couldn't believe it when I took out the trash from our apartment.

Catman, thanks for your observation!  There may be a historically cultural reason behind her positive reaction.

We've mentioned that communal living was practiced for centuries among the serfs (largest segment of the population in pre-Soviet Russia).  Communal living continued as an even more organized practice under Communism.  In both situations the living arrangements and responsibilities were divided among the occupants of a home/building/farm/factory, etc.

In Soviet times and even continuing today in many apartments, the organization of each building was a local "Soviet" (committee) and jobs were assigned according to need and ability.  While fancy new apartments are often administered by property managers, most older buildings today still have some sort of on-site communal director who is typically a middle aged to older man whose job is to make sure the lifts work, maintenance is done, mediate disputes among neighbors, etc. 

In Soviet times the principle was that those able to work outside were expected to contribute to the soviet workforce.  Those unable, such as the elderly, still needed to justify their pensions by some sort of contributions to the community inside the building.  The title to their apartment was/is often tied to this job.

Thus was born the "garbage lady," a job almost always assigned to older women.  Running down most apartment stairwells is a large round metal chute.  Each floor has a metal opening.  These are garbage chutes and trash is thrown into the metal door and it falls down to the bottom floor via the chute.

Someone has to clear the garbage at the bottom, carry all the garbage from the chute to the nearest collection container, and make sure the chute stays clean and free of obstructions.  The job of a garbage lady was/is viewed as something very dirty (it is!), undignified, and often dreaded by old pensioner ladies who fear they may be called on as the next garbage lady.  For apartments whose chutes no longer work properly the job is even more dirty.

The taking of trash outside is often viewed as demeaning and most RW take on this responsibility rather than allow their man to be seen in the community as if he is a garbage lady.  As you were a guest, many elderly women would have been horrified at the prospect of a guest taking out the garbage.

Your act of cheerfully volunteering to take out the trash perhaps gave your lady the idea that you don't want her to be seen as a garbage lady, and that you will do the right things for her welfare no matter what others may think.

Its a dirty job.  But you stepped up and did very well!   


Someone has to take the garbage from here.....




........to here:

[Olga_Mouse]

Thus was born the "garbage lady," a job almost always assigned to older women.  Running down most apartment stairwells is a large round metal chute.  Each floor has a metal opening.  These are garbage chutes and trash is thrown into the metal door and it falls down to the bottom floor via the chute.

Mendeleyev, are you sure you're not mixing things up?

As long as I remember myself, the only duty divided between the inhabitants was washing the staircase once a week (provided there are 4 apartments on the floor, each family was responsible for it approximately once a month).

 Уборщицы, as well as дворники, have always been paid by ЖЭК \ ДЭЗ \ etc.

And, though the salaries were really low, they had very good prospects of getting an apartment (or at least the room) from the state - that's why the competition for these jobs was quite high... Now, as the apartments are not "distributed" anymore, those positions are usually taken by Uzbeks \ Tajiks \ etc.

 

[mendeleyev]

Olga, I had forgotten about the floor washing.  Thanks!   

You are right that many of the Uzbeks\Tajiks, etc, want those jobs and it seems that many are employed by property managers now.

You are also quite correct in that the status and duties are rapidly changing.  Our apartment in North Central moscow was build in the early 60s and we still have an older man/resident who handles the local administration and 4-5 elderly women residents who rotate the garbage duties.  I imagine that they are paid for those duties.  But across the main street in the new style apartments those kind of things are done/coordinated by professional management.

I don't know the age of Catman's lady, but chances are that she could understand there was a time when such a task was considered demeaning and very dirty. 

[Olga_Mouse]

Olga, I had forgotten about the floor washing. 

...maybe 'cause you're not doing it yourself?  :

You are right that many of the Uzbeks\Tajiks, etc, want those jobs and it seems that many are employed by property managers now.

Sure - as they accept lower wages than spoiled natural born Muscovites   

You are also quite correct in that the status and duties are rapidly changing.  Our apartment in North Central Moscow was build in the early 60s and we still have an older man/resident who handles the local administration and 4-5 elderly women residents who rotate the garbage duties.  I imagine that they are paid for those duties.  But across the main street in the new style apartments those kind of things are done/coordinated by professional management.

I don't know the age of Catman's lady, but chances are that she could understand there was a time when such a task was considered demeaning and very dirty. 

You know Mendeleyev, the whole concept of inhabitants being responsible for the garbage evacuation is completely foreign to me!
And I don't really think it depends on the date of apartment block's construction... I've lived in a house built in 1946, then in another one - built in 1983; now I live in one built in 1962 - all in different areas of Moscow! - and everywhere it has been & is the responsibility of дворник \ дворничиха or уборщица!

[mendeleyev]

It was foreign to me too until a few years ago.     True that the positions you mention of landscaper, cleaner, etc, can be people who do so for multiple apartments.  I certainly would not discount your experience as a Russian citizen but neither can I discount the numerous times of sitting on a bench outside with my MIL and listening to her explanations of how things worked during Soviet times versus how things work today while we watched the ladies doing their duties.  These ladies live in our house by the way and are not of foreign ethnicity.

Ogla you also bring up another important concept that most westerners, especially Americans, don't think of and that is the idea of illegal immigration in Russia.

As you indicated in a previous post many of the more 'undesirable' jobs are performed by foreigners from former Soviet republics.  I've been told that Moscow swells from it's 8-10 million population to as high as 12 million in summer.  Do you think this is accurate?

[mendeleyev]

Social Entertaining:

Centuries of communal life where families sat down with each other and enjoyed meals and various events has led to a robust appetite for entertaining and celebrations.

While Westerners like to celebrate special dates such as birthdays and anniversaries at restaurants and places away from home, Russians think that there's no place like home for the important events of life.  As Professor Pavlovskaya writes, "the table is set and people celebrate, dance and indulge in one of their favourite pasttimes--singing songs.  This surprising tradition is still very much alive."

I had seen this in my childhood since my parents were of recent European arrival to America.  However that had stopped by my early 20s (I'm over 50 now) so you can imagine my surprise upon discovering that Russians, of all ages from young to old, like to sing around the table!

As the professor says, Russians "sing all sorts of songs, from old romances to traditional ethnic songs to Soviet ballads.  But the most popular songs are those about love...."

One popular song is Boris Mokrousov's song "The Military Driver's Song" which was a popular song from the early 1940s and celebrates the drivers who kept Russia's military moving during the war.  Just watch:

Of course many homes have a piano or perhaps one of your guests plays the balalaika.  This is Russia! 

This home version of an old Russian favourite is quite beautiful!

It's difficult to catch the flavour of the real Russia in a one or two week visit, especially if you've made the mistake of whisking a lady off to your apartment away from her family--and away from the possibilities of seeing Russian life as it really happens.

Try spending as much extended time as possible in her environment.  But be forewarned, at some point YOU will be expected to sing some popular folk songs from your culture too!

Two songs you're likely to hear are "Katushka" and "Kalinka."  Type either one in a popular song engine like YouTube and watch literally hundreds of versions pop up!

[mendeleyev]

Wedding Practices/Traditions/Etiquette:

Here at RUA we have a complete thread on Russian weddings:
http://ruadventures.com/forum/index.php?topic=1725.0

[mendeleyev]

Dining Etiquette:


When you are invited to a Russian's house:
Bring a gift to the family who invites you to their home for dinner. A bottle of wine, cake, box of candy or bouquet of flowers are traditional. A small gift for the child is always appropriate.
Remove your outdoor shoes. You will be given slippers to wear. It is impolite to walk in a Russian home only in socks or in bare feet.
Dress nicely in clothes you might wear to the office. Dressing well shows respect for your hosts.
Expect to be treated with honour and respect.
Offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after a meal is served. You will be turned down out of politeness. Asking 'are you sure?' allows the hostess to accept your offer.
 

Table manners:
If from the USA, dont be shocked when seeing that the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.  This is European Continential style.  Unless you are at a very formal function, you may hold utensils like you do back home.
The oldest or most honoured guest is served first.
Do not begin eating until the host/hostess invites you to start.
Do not rest your elbows on the table, although your hands should be visible at all times.
You will often be urged to take second helpings.
It is polite to use bread to soak up gravy or sauce.
Men pour drinks for women seated next to them.
Leaving a small amount of food on your plate indicates that your hosts have provided ample hospitality.
It is improper to look into another's plate or saucer.
Remember to say "Thanks, everything was very tasty" to the one who made the dish upon leaving the table.  If a translator is present the phrase "very tasty" is probably better to use than "delicious."  Very tasty in Russian sounds something like "oh-chen koos-nah." 
Small food should not be cut.
Do not cross your legs with the ankle on the knee or put your feet on the furniture. It's impolite to show people the soles of your shoes.


Leaving the table:
Do not get up until you are invited to leave the table. At formal dinners, the guest of honour is the first to get up from the table.  If you are the guest of honour the hostess will suggest when to leave the table--in most cases it will be a couple of hours, or more, from the moment you sat down.  Tea and conversation is done at the table after the meal.


Toasts:
There will be toasts.  Your host/hostess will begin.  Avoid drinking vodka before a toast has been made. Keep your glass raised throughout the toast and then clink glasses with others before taking the shot of vodka. In Russia, vodka is served straight and taken as a shot.
It is impolite for you to fail to offer a toast honouring your host/hostess and thanking them for the gracious invitation into their home.
As the meal and the toasts continue, at some point offer a second toast of greetings from your family and friends in America/UK/Canada/etc  and good health from your family to the host/hostess and this Russian family.
DO take bites of food in between sipping vodka. To not do so is bad form.  And it will help absorb the alcohol.




Notes:
You'll be provided slippers but it's okay to take your own.  I carry mine often (size 11) in a cloth bag that also holds a camera, etc.  It's perfectly normal.

Re:  very tasty.  There is a small and rapid "va" sound at the start of koos-nah but it happens so quickly that unless you've practiced it you're better off just going with the 'oh-chen koos-nah' and it will be pleasantly understood (Эта очень вкусна).  To really please your hostess you can say "spa-cee-ba, Eh-ta oh-chen koos-nah" which means "thank you, it is very tasty."  To practice and then say this phrase in Russian is perhaps the highest compliment you can offer the hostess during the evening.

Re: gifts.  It's proper to bring a gift for your lady but it's very important to remember that her mother is the hostess (even if she doesn't live there or if your lady owns the apartment).  Its not just that your lady has an 'extended family,' this is an 'extended home.'  Do not forget a gift of flowers or some wine or chocolate for the hostess.

Re: flowers.  Yellow flowers, unless specifically requested by your lady, are not a good choice.  It could be misunderstood as a sign that you desire friendship instead of romance.  Yellow in a bouquet is okay as long as there are plenty of other colours present and the yellow is not the dominate colour.

[mendeleyev]

About Death and Funerals:

Death is a sobering thought and Russians, so accustomed to hardship, have found ways to find ways to celebrate the passing of a loved one.

One thing is for certain, after the funeral there will be one heck of a feast!

The story is told of an elderly Ukrainian man who lay dying in his bed. While suffering the agonies of impending death, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favourite Ukrainian perogies with fried onions wafting up the stairs.

He gathered his remaining strength, and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom and, with even greater effort, gripping the railing with both hands, he crawled downstairs.

With laboured breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Where, if not for death's agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven, for there, spread out upon waxed paper on the kitchen table was literally hundreds of his favourite perogies. Was it heaven?

Or was it one final act of heroic love from his Ukrainian wife of sixty years, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?

Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself towards the table, landing on his knees in a crumpled posture on the floor. His parched lips parted, with visions of the wondrous taste of the perogies, seemingly bringing him back to life. The aged and withered man trembled at the sight of the perogies on the table and reached out for just one more taste before departing this life.......

...........when he was suddenly smacked with a wooden spoon by his wife.

"Keep your hands off!" she said. "They're for the funeral."

[mendeleyev]

More about funerals:

And there of course there's the story of two life-long neighbors Alexi and Oleg.  They had attended school together, served in the Army together, and had lived in the same apartment building for over 30 years.

One day Oleg died of old age.

The next evening after dinner as Alexi's wife was washing dishes she asked if he planned to attend Oleg's funeral.

He grunted in reply, "well it's obvious that he won't be attending my funeral.....so why should I bother attending his?" 

[mendeleyev]

And the religious side of funerals:

Russia: Bells and Black Bread (by Journalist Bill Moyers, PBS)

In Russia, Russian Orthodox church bells ring one note to call worshippers to service, a low-to-high note sequence for baptisms, and a high-to-low note series for funerals.

Funerals are generally held on the third day after someone dies. On that day, family and friends gather for a special memorial dinner.

Then, on the ninth day, when the soul is believed to leave the body, a special church service and dinner are held.

On the fortieth day, the soul is said to depart for the other world, and a service and dinner party are again held. At each party, a glass of vodka covered by a piece of black bread is left for the deceased, in a reversal of the traditional Russian custom of breaking black bread when meeting someone for the first time. Though traditionally, the body lays uncovered in state for the three days until burial, cremations are becoming more popular as a less expensive alternative.

[mendeleyev]

Orthodox Funerals:

(From the Ukrainian Orthodox Church)

The entire Orthodox Christian Church follows the custom of praying intensely for the repose of the soul of one departed for forty days following his or her death.

Special Canons and prayers are said immediately following death and requiem services are held for three days and until the day of the funeral which is ideally on the third day following death to signify the Resurrection of Christ on the third day.

Divine Liturgy is celebrated on the third day, the day of the funeral for the repose of the soul and it is customary to invite those attending to a common agape or luncheon afterwards.

Traditionally, the psalms are read by someone during the sobre mood that should permeate the agape with a picture of the person who has reposed flanked by lit candles.

Psalm 118/119 is especially read since it is a hymn in honour of the Law of God which only Christ perfectly kept. By reading it, we are praying that the person who has died live in Christ Who is our Perfection and justification before God.

Today, the Churches of Ukraine and Russia have forbidden the use of alcoholic beverages for such funeral luncheons - I understand that since the temptation to unseemly drunkenness is so great, the entire tradition of a funeral luncheon was also ordered dropped, even by the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.

Family members dedicate themselves to reading the Psalms and other requiem prayers for the forty days, as much as they can. The name of the reposed is commemorated daily for forty days in Church at the Divine Liturgy.

On the ninth day, a Divine Liturgy is attended by the family and friends in honour of the nine choirs of Holy Angels, the guardians of the soul in its immediate wanderings after death.

The fortieth day, according to the visions of St Macarius of Alexandria on which the Church bases this tradition, is the day when the soul is assigned a place by God Himself until the Second Coming of Christ, either in the forecourt of Heaven or of Hell.

But nothing is permanent until the Second Coming of our Lord and our prayer and the prayer of the Church can help bring the soul closer to God and Christ. This is why we pray for the souls of our reposed family and friends throughout our lives and why the Church prays so assiduously for them as well.

On this day, a special Divine Liturgy is served as on the day of the funeral and the attendants are invited to partake of an agape as well.

Sometimes such an agape will indeed take place at the cemetery and food items will be placed in the ground of the grave itself as if to bring the reposed, who is alive in Christ as we firmly hope, to join us in our meal of gladness and joy that proclaims our faith in eternal life.

This custom is also followed at Easter time when people gather at cemeteries (ie. the Christian name for "gravesite" which simply means "sleeping place") and share a common agape-meal where they will often push a blessed Paschal Egg into the ground of the graves of their loved ones and will even say to them, facing the graves, "Christ is Risen!"

During the three "Holy Suppers" of the Nativity Season, a special place at the table is left empty for the reposed, who we believe join us in spirit at those times, with a candle tied with a black ribbon.

From the earliest days, Christians also followed, and many Orthodox Christians still do, especially in monasteries, the Apostolic custom of leaving an empty place at their daily supper table for Christ and His Mother by means of a special bread called a "Panaghia" or "All Holy" which is cut cross-wise and shared with wine, calling to mind the Holy Eucharist.

The tradition of pouring wine onto a gravesite, like the bread and the egg, has a religious, Eucharistic symbolic meaning.

[mendeleyev]

Funeral photos:

After the body has been in the home for 3 days it is taken to the church.  In cities often a regular city bus is paid to become a funeral hurse for the day.  In villages the coffin is carried by hand or by animal.


Family, friends and neighbors form a procession.


Once at the church everyone files past the coffin, kisses the deceased on the forehead (see note), and says goodbye to the deceased.  Here the priest kisses the forehead.


Unlike in western countries, Russians openly cry and mourn the passing of the dead.


From the church the body is taken to the cemetery.


Note:  Re Kissing foreheads.  You should refrain from kissing your lady on the head or forehead.  This is reserved for funerals and many Russians believe it bad luck to kiss the living on the head.

[Jared2151]

Mendeleyev,

   Once again, you have provided us with your keen insight into Russian culture.  I always look forward to your posts and the wealth of information that they provide.  Thank you !

[Jared2151]

Oh, I almost forgot ...

Re: trash

Wouldn't it be more practical to design the chute so that it emptied into a portable dumpster ?  It would certainly cut down on the 'clutter'.

[mendeleyev]

Thank you Jared and I also acknowledge our native Russians on this board who often interact with our posts.  They are the most valuable part of our community.

And of course much credit must be given to Dr. Anna Pavlovskaya, Professor at Moscow State University and author of "Culture Shock, a Survival Guide to Russian Customs and Etiquette." I may not copy every word of her book for these posts, but her work is most certainly the inspiration behind this thread and when reading her excellent book one will see that these posts generally follow her themes page by page.

[mendeleyev]

Jared, Re:  Trash collection, in many of the new and very attractive apartments going up such ideas have been incorporated.

Why the Russians didn't do so back then, when the idea/technology was already used in places like New York City and Chicago in large apartments, is difficult to pin down.  Perhap the rush of housing the bulk of which was overseen by Secretary Khrushchev, didn't leave time for such improvements? 

On the other hand this also points out one of the fundamental differences in Russian thinking verse the West.  Russia during those days made many accomplishments in areas of technology but those were kept secret and reserved almost totally for military production.  Soviet government didn't trust it's own citizens and held most scientific discoveries as state secrets.

In the West however, advances in military technology, and many new inventions were the result of military scientific advancements, were quickly assimilated into living improvements for the general populations. 


This beautiful new apartment house in Ukraine has something new--see the sign on the side of the building?  That is a layout of the floor plans available inside.  Marketing of this type wasn't often thought to be important a few years ago.


Note about terminology:  In places like America we often interchange the words for 'home' and 'house' for one and the same idea.  We say "come eat at my home," or "come eat at my house" meaning the same thing.  When your lady speaks to you about her 'home' (дом) generally she is speaking of her individual apartment building and when she usings the English word "house" she is usually referring to the apartment building in which her home is located.

So the photo above is of an apartment house.  The individual homes are located inside the house. 

Listen carefully because being instructed to "meet me at my house" for a walk in the park is not necessarily permission for you to assume entrance into her apartment when you go to meet her.  OTOH......


корпус ("kor-pus") is the most often used Russian term for 'house' or building.  This is house 52/building 52.

[Olga_Mouse]

 
(Attachment Link)

корпус ("kor-pus") is the most often used Russian term for 'house' or building. 

This is house 52/building 52.

Sorry Mendeleyev, you're wrong again!

What's pictured can be ANY house number - but "korpus" 52!

One "house" can have many "korpuses", in our chaotic urban planning...   

Check Moscow maps on www.rambler.ru, for example...

Example 1.

Akademika Anohina street.

House number 26 - korpus 3 (there are 4 separate buildings nearby, all having as a postal address house number 26 - but korpuses 1, 2, 3, 4).

Otkrytoe chausse

Here it's even more complicated:  a house number 24... has korpuses (AGAIN, ALL OF THEM SEPARATE BUILDINGS!) 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5A, 5Б, 5В, 5Г... and so on up till 42. There's the whole block of different korpuses of house Nr.24, actually - 3 tram stops long (quite a nonsence, IMO...)

In most of those "korpuses" (apart from those who are shops) there are apartments with the same numbers (1,2,3, etc...).

APART of that, you can meet the word СТРОЕНИЕ (building) as well; it's mainly used for the little street kiosks, that have been required to get some "official" address for registration.

[mendeleyev]

Again???  My dear Olga I've not yet admitted to a first!   

Its nice that you are here to keep me "straight!"  So, forgive me Olga for not being more clear but the post wasn't trying to teach directions or addresses.  I was pointing out to Americans in particular that what a Russian thinks of in terms of the term "house" is different from say an American use of the term. 

I understand exactly what you are saying regarding an address.  If I were to give you my address for example it might look something like this:  Mendeleyevskaya Avenue, 23-7-311.  You would understand that finding 23 first, and only then 7 (the "korpus"), would both be necessary before proceeding up the lift to apartment #311.  However my dear friend, this was NOT the concept I was explaining.

My point was to simplify the difference in a Western man's mind of the differences between the terms "house" and "home" which don't mean the same in Russian (but often are interchangable in English).    But even so, thou protesteth too much because if I invited you to my apartment, you'd be lost unless I gave you the "korpus" number, now wouldn't you?

СТРОЕНИЕ is fine.  And what about the use of здание? 

[mendeleyev]

Timing:

"Timing is everything" or so they say.  In Russian the term for "now" is сейчас (ce-chas).  That literally means "this hour" and one will often find that it indeed does take an hour (and often longer) for "now" to happen.

I can remember being told that we needed to leave for an appointment or some event and in those early days of marriage I'd ask a silly question like, "when do we need to leave?"  The answer was always сейчас (now) but in reality it meant.....well I'm not sure what it meant.  We'd leave when the ladies were ready to go.  I just needed to be ready when they were ready.


Bathing with Golf balls:

There was a time in Russia when many bathrooms didn't have plugs for tubs or sinks.  My first apartment (you've probably already figured this out) was near the Mendeleyeevskaya Metro and lets just say that it was not in the same league as say, a Hilton hotel.   That is an understatement by the way.

The bathroom (split like most) had a small water closet for the toilet from one hall door and next to it was the door for the bath.  A long flex hose served to bring water to the tub/shower.  To have a shower you simply held the hose above you and let the water fall.  Neither tub nor sink had a plug.

The kitchen sink really wasn't a kitchen sink.  It was an extra large and very deep, metal laundry tub with separate faucets for hot and cold.  It had no plug either.

One day my friend from the Netherlands Embassy not so far away came over to inspect my living quarters.  He knew what it meant to move from a Western country to Russia and was an invaluble friend and advisor.  Before leaving after a meal that evening he announced that the next time I stopped by the Dutch Embassy he'd have a couple of golf balls for me.

Golf balls?  I don't golf.

Well, did you know that a golf ball will fit most any drain outlet?  Nestled down on the drain, the golf ball's perfect form assures a good fit and makes a better water plug than even most water plugs!

Just before we pull the plug on this story, there's good news and there's bad news.

The good news is that today there are plenty of water plugs to be found in Russia.

The bad news is that even today for a foreigner to live in Russia, one still needs to have a good set of balls.   

[Olga_Mouse]

Again???  My dear Olga I've not yet admitted to a first!   

So Bulgaria still has "oceanside" on your map?   

Its nice that you are here to keep me "straight!"  So, forgive me Olga for not being more clear but the post wasn't trying to teach directions or addresses.  I was pointing out to Americans in particular that what a Russian thinks of in terms of the term "house" is different from say an American use of the term. 

Completetely agree with that I was objecting ONLY the picture & accompanying phrase that I quoted in my previous message "This is house 52/ building 52", while in reality what is featured there is a KORPUS 52 of some unknown HOUSE number.

I understand exactly what you are saying regarding an address.  If I were to give you my address for example it might look something like this:  Mendeleyevskaya Avenue, 23-7-311.  You would understand that finding 23 first, and only then 7 (the "korpus"), would both be necessary before proceeding up the lift to apartment #311.  However my dear friend, this was NOT the concept I was explaining.

Again, I wasn't willing to say anything agaisnt the "concept" you've been explaining 

My point was to simplify the difference in a Western man's mind of the differences between the terms "house" and "home" which don't mean the same in Russian (but often are interchangable in English).    But even so, thou protesteth too much because if I invited you to my apartment, you'd be lost unless I gave you the "korpus" number, now wouldn't you?

Indeed - so why not let the readers know about it, instead of posting a picture with KORPUS number and calling it a HOUSE number? 

СТРОЕНИЕ is fine.  And what about the use of здание? 

From all the different terms (house, korpus, stroenie) this term is semantically the most similar to the English word "building"; however it is used in Russian language mainly for architectural descriptions or some kind of "trip reports"    Never met it in the postal addresses. Have you?

[Rasputin]

Timing is everything" or so they say.  In Russian the term for "now" is сейчас (ce-chas). 

One quick comment, to add to what you have said, in spoken Russian, people usually won't say "сейчас" rather they will use the more colloquial "щас."

[mendeleyev]

Never met it in the postal addresses. Have you?

I haven't seen it used in any "trip reports."  Have you?  But to answer specifically if writing an address typically I'd abbreviate д. for дом and корп. for корпус.

So Bulgaria still has "oceanside" on your map?

  Soon as I purchase a Bulgarian map I'll let you know.  Wait, are you telling me that Mr Putin has drained the Black Sea to get at all that oil?  That dirty rascal!  Or maybe he wanted to show people that he can still walk on water now that Medvedev has his job?!   

Not sure what this has to do with this topic unless you are referring to another thread.  Yes I'd consider the Black Sea to fit the term "ocean."  Olga, in English the terms "sea" and "ocean" are often interchanged very comfortably.  You like for things to be very precise and I understand that, but the use of "oceanside" can be used in any description of a sea or ocean.  Obviously a lake, such as Lake Pomorie in Bulgaria, would not fit.  But the Black Sea and "oceanside" go together just fine in English.

Fits term "oceanside" just fine, even if it's just little Pomorie on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast.  Perhaps our Brit friends might use the term "seaside" but that is not as common in American English.