I love the Russian language.
It wasn’t always this way.
It was compulsory. Perhaps that is why we didn’t like it. Collectively, we didn’t like it.
Now, it is no longer compulsory. And there is no longer a collective. But perhaps that is not the only reason why I love this language.
Socialism, Mandatory!
I began my elementary school education during the era of socialism, and I nearly finished it under that same system in Hungary.
The “liberating” Soviet army entered the country and ended up staying a bit longer after the war had concluded—for about 44 years, to be precise. There were certain aspects of life back then that—looking back—seem rather strange. There were segregated districts where soldiers from a foreign nation, along with their families, lived. There were barracks surrounded by barbed wire and signs reading “No Photography.” In some places, there were even signs bearing a skull and crossbones, warning us not to get any closer.
And then there was a cultural peculiarity: the study of Russian as a foreign language was mandatory. I studied it for four or five years. In the end, I didn’t know a single word—much like almost all of us. We harbored such a deep-seated aversion toward the language that it could only manifest as total rejection. I actually enjoyed learning—but even I didn’t like Russian.
Learning Again
After college—at the age of 18, while at my first job—I decided on my own initiative that I wanted to learn. I made several attempts, driven entirely by my own desire. Eventually, a few years ago, I spent three years studying using Duolingo. Then I realized that I couldn’t actually speak the language. Duolingo simply lacks a focus on speaking.
And yet, it would have come in so handy over the past few months. I visited a city in Vietnam where everything was written in Russian, and every second person I met was Russian. For that matter, on Tinder, for months now, I’ve only seen two types of female profiles: Asian or Russian. I even went on a date with a Russian woman.
But it’s not for its practical utility that I love this language.
Melodic
I like its vibe. Sometimes I listen to people speaking this language. Occasionally, I watch clips from films or videos just to hear it.
But what I like most are the songs.
Because I enjoy it so much, I decided to create subtitles for a video. I recommend giving it a listen—even if you can’t understand the original lyrics.
Buy me a coffee?
If you enjoyed this story, you can buy me a coffee. You don’t have to – but it means a lot and I always turn it into a new adventure.
Buy a coffee for Steve
Linktree
Short introduction