[Geno Prussakov]

Dear Friends,

I know, many of you have some relation to Russia and the Russians. I would be happy to hear about those... It'd be interesting to find out how many of us here are of Russian descent (however immediate or remote). Relations like "my Dad fought the Soviets during Cold War" wouldn't count. :joke:

Looking forward to your posts...

Geno

[westgroup]

Geno,

My father's parents were from Russia and they went back there often to visit.
Funny thing when you mention the cold war. When I was in grade school the great threat at the time was that the Russians were going to take us over. We all did the duck and cover thing under our desks and I often had nightmares about being over taken and wanted a secret closet so that I could hide when it happened.

At one trip to my grand parents I found what I believed to be a secret hiding spot in their basement (it was their food pantry..silly me) so anyway, I was practicing my hiding when my brother caught me and asked what I was doing. After explaining, my brother started to laugh.

Here I was in a house full of Russian people, yet with all the propaganda about the Russians invading or bombing us I thought that "Russians" would look different like from another planet or something.

It's amazing how schools can screw up your mind when your a kid.

[Ebudae]

Yes, I believe one part of my family were from Russia. There are clues in my family, a couple of stories, etc..

I don't know a lot though. Maybe someday I can learn more.
It's all very complicated.

[elbowcreek]

I have a friend that had an interesting story about his Russian heritage. I haven't spoken to him for years about this, so it might be a bit rusty. His family was wealthy, and had to flee during the civil war there. Figuring they would return to their estate after it was resolved, they buried the bulk of their wealth out in a field - jewelry, diamonds, money, etc., planning to retrieve them upon their return. But the Reds won, and they never could return to Russia. His parents and grandparents are long dead now, so I suppose unless some farmer somewhere gets to plowing up the right patch of earth, that stuff'll never be found.

I always thought that would make a good basis for a book, some descendant trying to sneak in to retrieve the family jewels.....

[Geno Prussakov]

Wow! I sure did not expect to hear such interesting stories in reply to my "call for Russians". :) Carry on!!

[nish]

so I suppose unless some farmer somewhere gets to plowing up the right patch of earth, that stuff'll never be found.
hmm.. who knows if Geno has found that 'right patch of earth'. :)

[Rexanne]

No Russian ancestors that I know about - pure Italian here but my neighbors are Russian. :-)

[Neil]

in cyprus where i live.
in the old town we have what they call caberet clubs,
they are full of russian girls in short dresses , and none of them are, descent... sorry
decent.... :escape: :rotflol: :rotflol:

[webmarm]

Lithuania and the Ukraine, not Russia, on the maternal side.

Ya nye panamayu Russki izek.

[webworker]

Back when I was a teenager, the girls would always be talking about boys with Russian hands and Roman fingers. :bullwhip:

[C.Whyte]

My girlfriend is 1/2 Russian, does that count? She has a tatoo of the russian word for "love" on her lower back; It looks like "m00b" to me. She is also obsessed with Sun Flowers (I think Russia's national flower?).

Anyways, that's my Russian connection. :usaflag:

[Geno Prussakov]

Neighbours, girlfriends, Lithuanians and caberet girls do not count! :)

Geno

[Geno Prussakov]

My girlfriend is 1/2 Russian, does that count? She has a tatoo of the russian word for "love" on her lower back; It looks like "m00b" to me. She is also obsessed with Sun Flowers (I think Russia's national flower?).

Word "love" on "her lower back" sounds romantic, C.Whyte.

"Love" in Russian is lyuh-bov' (with the last syllable stressed).

Some do say that sunflowers are Russian national flowers. However, most Russians do not know they are and neither do they (we) consider them our national flowers... At any rate, this is for your girlfriend:

http://www.russianlegacy.com/catalog/images/thumbs/paintings/K336.jpg

We do sell Russian paintings (originals of great contemporary Russian artists; one of which you see above) [just a hint for those of you into arts selling]!

Geno

[Neil]

We do sell Russian paintings
i hope you aint stealing them from that museum in st,petersburgh.
i know thats where you office`s are ???
they wont be happy about that......

[Geno Prussakov]

Excuse me?!

Geno

[Neil]

The Ermitaj.
they had some nice paintings in there the last time i visited .
do have any of them for sale lol.lol.

[Geno Prussakov]

The Ermitaj.
they had some nice paintings in there the last time i visited .
do have any of them for sale lol.lol.

I guess, this is arrangeable, Neil. Yet, you must be forgetting that I am in a slightly different business... :yellowlau I am definitely the wrong person to ask.

Geno

[C.Whyte]

At any rate, this is for your girlfriend:

Thanks Geno, I'll show her the post... but she gets pretty upset when I sit here and read posts all night, so I'm not sure how she will take it.

cw

[Geno Prussakov]

...but she gets pretty upset when I sit here and read posts all night...

Same thing here (between me and my wife). They'll never understand us, C.Whyte. Just acknowledge this and forgive her... :)

Geno

[elbowcreek]

My wife used to gripe about the time I spent online, or building web sites.

Then she got the mail one day and saw one of my commission checks ( blast, the secret's out ). She went shopping and insisted that I "Get back to work", hehe.

[Geno Prussakov]

:) :) :)

[webworker]

My father's parents were both from Russia. In fact, my grandmother came to this country as a young girl at the same time as a girlhood friend of hers who was from the same small town near Kiev. They remained friends and stayed in touch on into their 80's; that friendship and common bond of origin stayed with them throughout their lives.

[Ebudae]

Just a thought on how to promote Russian products - we each have our own unique story to tell. I don't know if any of you are into genealogy but you could do a write up about your family. Then have the russian goods along the side.

[elbowcreek]

ebudae....that's a good thought. Hehe, I suppose I could write up my friend's story as a treasure hunt. I know the rough location on the estate where the stuff was buried, but not the locationof the estate itself, lol, I can almost see thousands of Russians digging up their back yard, on the off chance.....lololol.

[Geno Prussakov]

Just a thought on how to promote Russian products - we each have our own unique story to tell. I don't know if any of you are into genealogy but you could do a write up about your family. Then have the russian goods along the side.

I agree. This is 100% an excellent idea, Ebudae. Thank you... Great outcome from a small thread.

Geno