Ever wonder why Russians prefer to drink their beverages without ice?  This humorous article tackles the burning question: Why Do Russians Hate Ice?

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/ice-enough-already/?ref=opinion

http://russian-video-blog.com/7-russian-sayings-to-make-you-fit-in/

Here is an article for the Russia Now section of The Washington Post featuring a new trend happening in Russia.  Single mothers hiring men to pretend to be their child's father!  http://russianow.washingtonpost.com/2011/05/daddy-for-rent-becomes-a-trend-among-the-wealthy.php

Natalya Cody Rapport is part of IAG's family having been adopted in May 2007 from St. Petersburg.  She is featured here wearing the traditional Russian head dress.  For more information on Russian head dresses and their meanings, visit IAG's facebook page.

Many people are interested to know what some typical Russian names are and how they are used in the diminutive form (our version of a "nickname").  Here is a list along with the way in which most Russians would address the boy.

Aleksei  = Alyosha , Lyosha 
Aleksandr  = Sasha , Shurik 
Andrei  = Andryusha 
Anatoli  = Tolya 
Anton  = Antosha
Arkadi = Arkasha 
Artur = Arturchik Artyom = Tyoma
Boris = Borya
Denis = Deniska
Dmitri = Dima
Eduard = Edik
Evgeni = Zhenya
Filipp…

Many people are interested to know what some typical Russian names are and how they are used in the diminutive form (our version of a "nickname").  Here is a list along with the way in which most Russians would address the girl.

Aleksandra  = Sasha , Shura 
Alina = Alinochka
Alisa = Alisochka
Alla = Allochka
Alyona = Alyonushka
Anastasiya = Nastya
Anna = Anya
Antonina = Tonya
Anzhelika = Anzhela, Lika
Dariya = Dasha
Dina = Dinochka Ekaterina = Katya
Elena = Lena
Elizaveta =…