Tradition and Change

in Russian Life

- Kacha, Nattanai, Bohua P.8 -

A More Open Society

The region's people especially in larger
cities have begun to enjoy more social a
nd cultural opportunities.
Large cities, such as Moscow and St.
Petersburg, now resemble major cities in t
he West.

A More Open Society

City dwellers can read books,
magazines, and newspapers from all
over the world.
They are able to keep up with new
movies, music, and clothing trends.
They can also experience a wide
variety of foods and cuisines.

A More Open Society

Many natives traditions survived in
spite of the changes
For example, many cuisines are now
available in Russian cities, many Rus
sians still favor their traditional foods
.

A More Open Society

Many of the foods, such as rye bread,
reflect the large crops of grain
produced on the region's steppes. It i
s cooked and eaten with butter.
Even Russia's national drink, vodka,
is made form rye or wheat grains.

Dachas and Banyas

Only a quarter of Russia's population
lives in rural areas.
Nearly 30 percent of the population
own homes in the country, where the
y spend weekends and vacations.

Dachas and Banyas

These homes, called dachas, are
usually small, plain houses and often
have gardens in which to grow veget
ables.
One of the customs that Russians
enjoy both in the countryside and the
cities is visiting a banya

Dachas and Banyas

A banya is a bathhouse in which
Russians perform a cleaning ritual th
at combines a dry sauna, steam bath
, and often a plunge into ice-cold wat
er.
The ice bath is followed by hot tea,
and the process is repeated.

Dachas and Banyas

A visit to the banya can sometimes
last for two to three hours.
The preservation of such customs
and traditions by the Russian people
has played an important role since th
e fall of the soviet Union.


(Thank you for listening)