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Yes, sure Russians were so peaceful "assimilating" other countries. That's why your average citizen from Estonia, Latvia (ethnic Latvians), Lithuania, Ukraine (esp. Western Ukraine), Moldova (esp. Romanian-Moldovans), and other former Soviet Union countries don't want to be associated with Russia in any conceivable way.
When I talked about assimilation I mean central Russia. No one will deny that Russia conquered the neighboring countries. While all fought, we just did it a little better.
Oh, that's interesting. So that's where Russia's Germans came from? Cool. So they were there long before the world wars. Thanx for that bit of info. (C-d can be so educational! )
Yes, the Germans who joined Russian academia were mostly Baltic Germans, who were there long before world wars.
Now Volga Germans could have been from lands of Baden Wurttemberg for all I know)))
-We spent a lot of money on the Olympics.
- Well, at least it will be normal?
- No, we steal more than half.
- Ok, there are rumors that Vancouver was worse.
Your humor is lost on me.
How was Vancouver "worse?"
( I do know that these Olympic games are not popular among general Russian population to say the least.)
Your humor is lost on me.
How was Vancouver "worse?"
Sorry, my English is not very good. "Vancouver worse" = "In preparation for the Olympics in Vancouver stole more." Humor that people react easy, trying to find a positive and does nothing. Self-irony.
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Originally Posted by erasure
( I do know that these Olympic games are not popular among general Russian population to say the least.)
Oh, that's interesting. So that's where Russia's Germans came from? Cool. So they were there long before the world wars. Thanx for that bit of info. (C-d can be so educational! )
It's true. Germanic and Slavic tribes lived near a thousand years. In Russia, a lot of Germans. My two best friends have German roots.
I do not mind being called Eastern European, but when somebody does that, it is a signal form me the person is probably uneducated. But on the other hand I do not try convince people they are wrong.
If you think about that, there is no reason for my country to be called Eastern European and let´s say Austria to be called Western European. If you know history and I believe you do, you know what I mean :-)
Americans aren’t very good with European history, especially pre-20th century. To the average American, Eastern Europe means the former Warsaw Pact countries.
Sorry, my English is not very good. "Vancouver worse" = "In preparation for the Olympics in Vancouver stole more." Humor that people react easy, trying to find a positive and does nothing. Self-irony.
Often it's not so much the knowledge of language, but the understanding of what's funny in one country/place and what can be understood by others without any additional explanations and what's not.
"Sense of humor" is a very tricky thing when it comes to different cultures/countries.
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Yes, it is too expensive.
"Too expensive" doesn't quite describe it; everyone knows that it's Putin's playground; his and his cronies from "Ozero" co-op - Rottenberg et al.
Besides, the connotation of "Eastern Europe" being poor and backwards goes to much earlier times than Soviet era, and Baltic countries were one of those countries, not producing ( culturally speaking) any gems, and being poor and constantly on and off under German oppression.
But perhaps we need to point out that when Peter's ancestors made their appearance in the 20th they made a touchy situation even worse. I thought they 'took advantage'. The proverbial 'bear' in the china shop. I'd say the Soviet presence did much harm, much harm to the development of those countries. Frankly, they were hated and no one except those who were in love with the hammer and sickle and loved Ladas at the same time were glad to see them go and bid them goodbye with please 'close the door after you'. The error the Soviets made was unfortunately not being 'lovable' to their subjects.
I am American born and raised, but 100% Polish origin on both parents' sides, with me being only second generation American on my Moms side. (My grandparents were displaced people during WWII, and my Mom was born en route to the states). Later other family joined us in the US later in the early 80s from Poland.
I grew up around a lot of Polish pride, and I still never forget where my family comes from. Yet, as I started becoming more aware of the rest of European culture, I simply became more intrigued with OTHER European cultures west of the Iron Curtain.
And when later there were opportunities to travel to Europe, I generally chose the opportunities to travel to western Europe. I still want to go see Poland, but its less high on my list. (I've been to Austria, France, a small amount in Germany and Italy, and Spain, rest of Italy, and the UK are on my list before Poland or anywhere else in eastern Europe).
I mean its not like there's any shame, I still have a strong personal nostalgic affinity for things Polish because I grew up around Polish people and customs in the US, I just came to the realization, that nowhere in Eastern Europe is a "hub" for anything. The culture is less removed from "peasant" ideals. More conservative family life, the % of the countries is more rural, although there are more extensive pristine forested areas I think overall in eastern Europe. I view it as a bit of a backwater. Kind of like the US South, decades ago, when there was a clear economic divide (which is not true anymore in the US).
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(C-d can be so educational! 
)
"Vancouver worse" = "In preparation for the Olympics in Vancouver stole more." Humor that people react easy, trying to find a positive and does nothing. Self-irony.
