Dear Jennifer and students from Mexico,
We are the students of the 9th form school 9, New Tselina, Rostov region, Russia, teacher: Larisa Khrykina. You have suggested a project about your country, we are eager to communicate with you and learn something interesting about Mexico, and we’d like to say some words about our country, too, because we love Russia very much and we consider that it is not simple for foreigners to understand Russian people sometimes, because Russia is a land of paradoxes. Here is our project. Excuse us, if something will be not clear. Ask your questions, and of course, we are looking for your replies.
With best wishes,
students of the 9th form school 9,
New Tselina, Rostov region, Russia,
Teacher: Larisa Khrykina
Mysterious Russia.
Russia is a land of mystery. Behind wonderful buildings and magnificence of the culture life in big cities, you can find a lot of ridiculous things in the country (in the towns and villages).
We can show you some of them. One Russian poet N. Nekrasov said: “One can’t understand Russia with brains, one can’t measure it with usual measures, Russia has a special character, one can only have faith in it.” («Умом Россию не понять, аршином общим не измерить. У ней особенная стать – в Россию можно только верить.»)
Another special trait of Russian character is that first we destroy something than feel sorry for it and start building it again. For example, in the 20th century churches all over the country were destroyed and the priests were killed or banned, then at the end of the 20th century church became very powerful.
There are a lot of sorcerers and medicine men and women in our country. Usually they are elderly people who cure people with their hands, tinctures of medical grasses, exorcisms (they whisper some prayers). Some people are afraid of them, but the majority trusts them better than the traditional medicine, because there are a lot of examples of magical recovery, especially if sick people believe in God. Many people go a church, pray and then recover. We think it is because Russian people are very faithful in their souls, though we don’t often go to church.
One of the real problem of Russia is false medicos, who often spoil people. They make bad exorcisms (as we say black exorcisms). And there are still many sects. But we hope that we will get rid of them soon.
Students of the 9th form school 9,
New Tselina, Russia.
Teacher: Larisa Khrykina