Elvira Amirkhanova (Russian Lanugage Resident 2007-09)
Where do you live in your home country?
I have been living in Saint Petersburg for last 5 years (I was born in Siberia)
What is your favorite cultural tradition or holiday? Why is it special to you?
My favorite holiday is Russian Christmas, which we celebrate on 6-7 January. Christmas is especially important for me because every year all my family gather together. It is the best time to remember our traditions! My mother and Granny cook their special Christmas goose and everybody enjoy it after a long advent. Nevertheless we don’t spend the whole night inside the house. We go out to sing songs, to go sledging and play snowball fight. It is usually very cold this time and there’s so much snow! We wear warm clothes and don’t sit at one place for a long. Though this frost helps to feel deeply the Christmas atmosphere.
What is your favorite dish?
My favorite dish is pancakes. I cook pancakes very often but I am never bored with them as every time I use different filling. For breakfast I make pancakes with fried forcemeat or curds…This kind of food is nutritious and gives much energy for a day. And when my friends come to visit me I make pancakes with cherry jam or with chocolate and bananas, as they are very good with tea!
What fun activities do you like to engage in?
When I have free time I like to spend it with my friends doing something interesting. Most of all I like outdoor activities: it can be a picnic, a backyard barbeque with funny contests and games, a trip to a soccer or football game or even a fishing trip. Besides I like cultural trips very much: Sunday trip to a picture-gallery, walking-tour in the city center or a trip to a famous operetta-hall.
What do you look forward to the most about being in the U.S. this coming academic year? (Or simply in terms of being at Oldenborg or Pomona College?)
Most of all I am looking forward to the moment when I meet the students at Pomona who are interested in Russian culture. I cannot wait to share my knowledge with them. I have so much to tell them! I would like to know more about their culture and their way of life and traditions.