Course on Russian Cities

[Lena]

Dear Ben!

First - I really find this course extremely interesting and important.

And I tried to place myself in the place of a student - what he would
like to learn about the towns and cities of another country?
It is really a nice idea about using films though I do not think you'd
find many devoted to certain towns. There are though quite a number
where the action takes place in the province so one can get acquainted
with that through such films. The recent which came to my mind - and
which I like - is "The Italian", about a boy and his life in a
children's home in some provincial town (released 2005 or 2006).

Besides, you can use songs - quite many in the Soviet time were about
our towns.
For instance, Bryansk has its own "unofficial" anthem - "Shumel surovo
Bryansky les", and there are many songs of the Great Patriotic War
time.

Another thing is that certain towns and cities have quite constant
associations here, I mean one says the name and at once in your mind
there appears the thing which belongs to this place. I will try to
give some examples. Starting with my home town:

Bryansk - Tyutchev's place of birth (though I doubt now many from
other places know about that but still),partisans, Bryanski les
Kursk - Kurskaya duga
Kransoyarsk - Krasnoyarskaya powerstation
Ivanovo - women town
etc

And also one more funny thing. There existed here (now only some are
known, perhaps in villages more) folksays about the people of every
town. For instance:
Bryanski volk
Moskvichi - S moskalem druzhi, a kamen za pazukhoi derzhi.
Tulyaki - Blokhu na zep prikovali
etc

(is it Ok that I transliterate Russian?)

This you can find in a nice book by I.P.Sakharov.

Besides, you can find the names of Russian towns and cities mentioned
in the proverbs - quite a lot I should say. This also creates a very
vivid picture of a town or city and its people.

As I am from Bryansk I would like to share with you the Websites where
you have have the views of the town and some information about it

Bryansk. Official Website
http://www.admin.bryansk.ru/main.shtml


(Russian Wikipedia)
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%80%D1%8F%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA


Daily on-lime paper "Bryansk.RU"
http://www.briansk.ru/


http://brnk.ru/


Hope perhaps it can help.


Sincerely,
Nikolaenko Elena

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