Windows2Russia in English

Россия крупным планом — пилотный эпизод | Специальные гости: Саша митс Раша, Якоб Пиннекер, Мария Бутина Russia Up Close - Pilot Episode | Special Guests: Sasha Meets Russia, Jakob Pinneker, Maria Butina https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29X2vEq_nMY Источник: @russiaupclose

“First you must become a Siberian — then you can be anything else”: An American shares his story of moving to Slyudyanka Daniel Castle is an American who moved to Slyudyanka (Irkutsk Region) in 2022. He had long been fascinated by Siberia, and despite the logistical challenges caused by the launch of the special military operation and the cancellation of international flights, he managed to come to Russia. Moscow didn’t appeal to him — it was too noisy and overwhelming — but in Slyudyanka, he finally felt at home. According to Daniel, in a small town, nationality doesn’t matter as much as the willingness to become part of the local community — “first you are a Siberian, then anything else.” He notes that there is less social division in Russia than in the U.S., and that people treat him with respect. While he did once face a misunderstanding when he was mistaken for a spy, overall he feels safe and considers Russians to be open and kind-hearted people. He has embraced Russian culture, especially the national cuisine — he fell in love with borscht, though he remains indifferent to fish and caviar. He also actively helps tourists from different countries discover Lake Baikal, and believes Russia is nothing like the negative stereotypes often promoted in the West. He has no intention of returning to the U.S. More in the article

Ровно три года назад я переехала в Москву — лучшее решение в моей жизни! Я приехала, никого не зная, а всего за три года обрела здесь друзей, новые возможности и свой путь. Всегда следуйте за своим сердцем! 🇷🇺 Exactly three years ago today I moved to Moscow, best decision I ever made! I arrived knowing no one, but in just three years I’ve built an amazing community and found endless opportunities. Always follow your heart! 🇷🇺

So, the New York Times decided to publish a recipe for Medovik, the classic Russian honey cake. 🍯 Cue the outrage. Suddenly, Twitter (or X) was flooded with Ukrainians having meltdowns over… a dessert. Apparently, honey, flour, and sour cream are now weapons of “Russian propaganda.” Newsflash: Medovik was, is, and will always be Russian. The fact that even a cake can trigger people the moment “Russia” is mentioned is honestly hilarious. Anyway, here’s the Medovik I baked, because unlike politics, it actually tastes good. And to the perpetually offended, I say: let them eat (Russian) cake. 🍰 New York Times вдруг публикует рецепт медовика. 🍯 И тут понеслось. В Twitter (или уже X) началась истерика — украинцы дружно возмущаются… десертом. Оказывается, мёд, мука и сметана теперь тоже могут считаться «оружием русской пропаганды». Медовик был, есть и всегда будет русским. То, что даже торт может кого-то возмущать только потому, что в названии есть слово «Русский», это смешно, но не удивительно. В общем, вот мой медовик. А тем, кого это задевает, я скажу одно: пусть едят (русский) торт 🍰

This morning, while thinking about the best ways to teach French, I remembered my Russian teacher in Montpellier 🤔 Back then, I decided to attend a few evening group classes to improve my Russian. I quickly realized that group lessons weren’t the best fit for me because my needs were very different from those of the other students (they knew grammar by heart but barely spoke and had trouble understanding spoken language, whereas for me it was the opposite) 😅 Despite this, those classes still remain a very warm memory for me, and it’s all thanks to my teacher, Victoria. She was kind, patient, and always encouraged us, treating us to tea and Russian sweets. She cared for me like a member of her own family, and for the rare letters I’ve sent her over the past few years, she always replied with the same kindness 🌸 She was the first person to help me feel just how warm a Russian soul can be 🔥 https://t.me/GabrielleDuvoisinMoscow Subscribe to the channel: @windows2russiaenglish

Kaliningrad, once known as Königsberg, the Prussian city of philosophers, cathedrals, and amber. After World War II, it became Russia’s westernmost outpost, home to Russia’s largest Baltic fleet. I visited also the town of Svetlogorsk, a former German resort town of villas and sea air. Today, it’s still a place where history lingers with every wave. 🌊 Калининград, некогда известный как Кёнигсберг, прусский город философов, соборов и янтаря. После Второй мировой войны он стал самой западной точкой России и здесь крупнейший Балтийского флот страны. Я также посетила город Светлогорск — бывший немецкий курорт с виллами и морским воздухом. Сегодня это по-прежнему место, где история ощущается с каждой волной. ⭐️

🎶 Chechen Culture: What's Hidden from Tourists The full episode about my incredible journey through the Chechen Republic is available on all platforms. I’d be very grateful for your comments and support! 👇🏻 YOUTUBE|VK|RUTUBE https://t.me/Lorenzobagnati Subscribe to the channel: @windows2russiaenglish

Пересекаю одну из самых длинных и мощных рек в мире — Енисей! Красота здесь дух захватывает 🌊 Crossing one of the longest and largest rivers in the world — the Yenisei! The views here are breathtaking 💙

❗️🇨🇭🇷🇺No more strength to live in Switzerland: why citizens of a supposedly prosperous country decided to move to Russia. Swiss citizen Lyudmila Hauser has lived in this country since 1988. She left the USSR, but, importantly, from Donbass. She married a local resident in Switzerland, was not a social activist, did not participate in any groups, simply raised twin children and took care of the family hearth. And then events happened that turned her ideas about democracy upside down - the Kiev authorities began to physically destroy her relatives in Ukraine. And so after 2014, Lyudmila took up public activities - surrounded herself with like-minded people of different nationalities, began to collect humanitarian aid for the residents of Donbass. At first, her husband did not understand why she was doing this. Moreover, the Russian language was alien to him. “He was in love with me.  I am a Russian wife, exotic for him and his family. At first, he even forbade us to speak Russian with the children. We had a Russian nanny, and he also did not want the children to speak Russian with her. But then there was a coup in Ukraine, and my husband began to notice that my family was in grief, in tragedy, and here in Switzerland they say something completely different. Plus this gender policy that they began to tell children at school. My daughter comes home from class and says: "Mom, I want to become a lesbian." And she is 9 years old. My son came home after class in tears: "They showed me something, it was unpleasant." And he did not want to talk to me. I had to explain to them what traditional values ​​are and what perversions are," Lyudmila Hauser told the story of her family.  As a result, her husband began to support Lyudmila in everything, even arranged lunches and dinners, set the table when his wife gathered like-minded people at home and thought out the next humanitarian aid collection, routes for its delivery to Donbass. And now he really wants to move to Russia with his wife and children. Now the Hauser family is filling out documents for the move, and Lyudmila came to the place to figure out what is needed and what is still missing in order to become full-fledged residents with her children and Swiss husband, and then citizens of the Russian Federation. You can watch the interview at this link. Subscribe to the channel @alekseystefanov

Zvenigorod Today I visited the beautiful Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery in Zvenigorod together with TV crew. This place is wonderful — at once quiet and peaceful, yet full of life: swallows circle over the rooftops, and the most beautiful flowers bloom between the churches 🌺 I learned a very interesting story about Eugène de Beauharnais, the French officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. According to the story we heard today, when he arrived in Zvenigorod with his troops, the soldiers began to plunder the town. That night Eugène had a dream in which a monk appeared to him and asked him not to let the city be looted. The monk also promised that if he stopped the destruction, Eugène would return safely to France, and his descendants would one day come back to Russia. The next day, upon entering the church, Eugène immediately recognized the monk from his dream on an icon. He asked and was told it was Saint Savva of Storozhi. Eugène chose to follow the monk’s request, and indeed he returned safely to France. His son Maximilian later married the daughter of Tsar Nicholas I and lived an active and fruitful life in St. Petersburg, founding, for example, a hospital 🏥 Russian history seems to be full of French connections.😮 https://t.me/GabrielleDuvoisinMoscow

"Paradise for migrants, hell for Germans". Businessman from Germany moves to Nizhny Novgorod German resident Burkhard Wagner decided to move to the Nizhny Novgorod region due to bureaucratic difficulties and restrictions in the European Union. "Doing business in the European Union is very difficult. 20% of the time you do your actual work, and 80% of the time you deal with bureaucracy," he says. In Germany, his auto repair shop was shut down, and in order to continue working, he would have to start all over again. Wagner first arrived in Russia on May 31 in a motorhome. The trip took three days. Despite the difficulties at the border and in Moscow, he was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness and order: "It used to be thought that Germany was clean, and Russia was dirty. But when I came here and saw everything with my own eyes, my opinion completely changed." The man plans to settle in one of the small towns in the Nizhny Novgorod region, where other immigrants from Germany already live. Here he wants to open his own car service. Wagner also notes that in Germany migrants receive excessive social benefits, leaving the local population at a disadvantage. The man plans to learn Russian and fully assimilate. "Only here do I see the opportunity to work and live peacefully without pressure from the state," he emphasizes. For him, moving to Russia is a chance to start a new life. Read more in the article

From Portugal to St. Petersburg: A Love Story Sacramento de Almeida Joel Pedro was born and raised in Portugal but found his true home in Russia. Having obtained a temporary residence visa for Saint Petersburg, he is now fulfilling a dream that began many years ago. He met his future wife eleven years ago at language courses. Despite the great geographical distance between them, their mutual feelings were so strong that Joel decided to radically change his life. The relocation became possible thanks to a humanitarian decree signed by President Vladimir Putin in 2024, which allows foreign citizens who share traditional Russian values to receive assistance with resettlement. After obtaining temporary registration, Joel actively prepares to become a full-fledged Russian citizen and start working as a bus driver. This story is a vivid example of how human dreams can come true despite borders and stereotypes. Despite challenges, this Portuguese immigrant boldly chooses a new home, filling himself with confidence and pride over a fresh beginning in the cultural environment of St. Petersburg. More in the article.