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GEOGRAPHY : RUSSIA
1.What should we knowabout Russia ?
Russia, country that stretches over a vast expanse of eastern Europe and
northern Asia. Once the preeminent republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (U.S.S.R.; commonly known as the Soviet Union), Russia became an
independent country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December
1991.Russia is a land of superlatives. By far the world’s largest country, it
covers nearly twice the territory of Canada, the second largest. It extends across
the whole of northern Asia and the eastern third of Europe, spanning 11 time
zones and incorporating a great range of environments and landforms, from
deserts to semiarid steppes to deep forests and Arctic tundra. Russia contains
Europe’s longest river, the Volga, and its largest lake, Ladoga. Russia also is
home to the world’s deepest lake, Baikal, and the country recorded the world’s
lowest temperature outside the North and South poles.

2.Where is Russia located ?

Located in the continent of EuropeRussia was founded as a distinct and original
nation in 1457. The population of Russia is 138,082,178 (2012) and the nation
has a density of 8 people per square kilometer.Russia shares land borders with
14 countries: Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Poland,
Kazakhstan, Ukraine, North Korea, China, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Georgia.

3.How large / vast is the area ?

At 17,125,200 square kilometres (6,612,100 sq mi), Russia is by a considerable
margin the largest country in the world by area, covering more than one-eighth
of the Earth's inhabited land area, and the ninth most populous, with about
146.79 million people as of 2019, including Crimea.

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4.What is the capital city ?

Moscow is the capital and most populous city of Russia, with 13.2 million
residents within the city limits, 17 million within the urban area and 20 million
within the metropolitan area. Moscow is one of Russia's federal cities.Moscow
is the major political, economic, cultural, and scientific center of Russia and
Eastern Europe, as well as the largest city (both by population and by area)
entirely on the European continent. By broader definitions, Moscow is among
the world's largest cities, being the 14th largest metro area, the 18th largest
agglomeration, the 14th largest urban area, and the 11th largest by population
within city limits worldwide.

5.What is the flag ?

The flag of Russia (Russian Federation) is a tricolour flag consisting of three
equal horizontal fields: white on the top, blue in the middle, and red on the
bottom. The flag was first used as an ensign for Russian merchant ships and
became official as the flag of the Tsardom of Russia in 1696. It remained in use
until the establishment of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
(RSFSR) in 1917.

6.Religion in russia ?
Religion in Russia is diverse with Christianity, especially Eastern Orthodox
Christianity, being the most widely professed faith, but with significant
minorities of irreligious people, Muslims and Pagans. A 1997 law on religion
recognises the right to freedom of conscience and creed to all the citizenry, the
spiritual contribution of Orthodox Christianity to the history of Russia, and
respect to "Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and other religions and
creeds which constitute an inseparable part of the historical heritage of Russia's
peoples

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Sources :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Russia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Russia
https://www.britannica.com/place/Russia
https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/ru.htm

Images :

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CULTURE: THE VENCHANIE

1.What we should know about Russia wedding cukture ?
A traditional Russian wedding can last between two days and one week. The
celebration involves dancing, singing, toasting, and banqueting. The best man
and maid of honor are called Witnesses or "svideteli" in Russian.[1] The
ceremony and the ring exchange take place on the first day of the wedding.
Despite their seemingly unique matrimonial ceremonies, Russian weddings
have adopted some western traditions, including incorporating bridesmaids into
the wedding party.

2.Where and when its celebrated?

The bride and groom have the option to have a traditional ceremony in a church.
In Russian, it is called the venchanie. The wedding ceremony takes place in a
church and is divided into two parts: the Betrothal and the Crowning. The
service traditionally takes place in the morning after the celebration of the
Divine Liturgy, during which the wedding rings were blessed by being placed
on the Holy Table (altar).

3.Who celebrated it?

Once the groom arrives at the bride's home, he must pay a ransom for the bride,
a term known in Russian as "vykup nevesty." This event is meant to be comical
and entertaining. First, the groom brings an offering (often money or jewelry)
for the bride. At this point, the bride's parents bring out a woman or man (the
latter for amusement) who is not the actual bride but is dressed up like one
covered in a veil, so the groom cannot see his or her face. When the groom
realizes that it is not his bride, he asks for his love, but the bride's family will
demand a more significant ransom to be paid. Upon satisfaction with the
ransom given, the bride's family gives away the bride to the groom.

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4.What are the preparation ?

While the betrothal used to be blessed at the beginning of the engagement, it is
now commonly done at the same ceremony as the wedding itself.The bride and
groom stand inside the entrance of the church and the priest blesses them and
gives them lighted candles which they will hold throughout the ceremony. The
deacon leads an ektenia (litany) with special petitions for the couple. The priest
then says two brief prayers for the couple and the rings are blessed and placed
on the couple's right hand.The priest then says a prayer blessing the couple's
betrothal which mentions instances in the Bible where rings are used and relates
those instances to the betrothal.

5.How is it done ?
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Holy Matrimony is considered a Sacred
Mystery and the sign of the marriage is not the exchange of rings (that takes
place at the betrothal) but rather the placing of crowns on the heads of the bride
and groom. For this reason, the ceremony of the wedding is referred to as the
Crowning.The priest leads the couple into the center of the church where they
come to stand on a piece of new, rose-colored fabric, symbolizing their entry
into a new life. The bride and groom each publicly professes that they are
marrying of their own free will and that they have not promised themselves to
another.

6.What is the history ?

F ollowing the traditional ceremony, the couple must have a civil ceremony
called rospis v zagse. This ceremony takes place at the department of public
services, formally known as ZAGS. At ZAGS the couple is greeted by family
members with bread and salt. The ceremony ranges from 15 to 30 minutes and
during this time the rings are exchanged and the couple is pronounced husband
and wife.

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Sources :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_wedding_traditions
http://masterrussian.com/russianculture/russian_wedding.htm
http://masterrussian.com/russianculture/russian_wedding.htm

Images :

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TOURISM : ST. PETERSBURG

1.Where is it located ?
Saint Petersburg is a city found in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is located 59.94
latitude and 30.31 longitude and it is situated at elevation 11 meters above sea
level.Saint Petersburg has a population of 5,028,000 making it the biggest city
in Saint Petersburg. It operates on the EEST time zone.St. Petersburg, Russian
Sankt-Peterburg, formerly (1914–24) Petrograd and (1924–91) Leningrad, city
and port, extreme northwestern Russia. A major historical and cultural centre
and an important port, St. Petersburg lies about 400 miles (640 km) northwest
of Moscow and only about 7° south of the Arctic Circle.

2.What is so interesting about the place / what speciality about the place ?
Undoubtedly St. Petersburg's most famous visitor attraction, and universally
acknowledged as one of the world's greatest treasuries of art and antiquities, the
Hermitage is a name to be conjured with, and reason enough on its own for
many travelers to book a trip to St. Petersburg.St. Petersburg's other
internationally renowned cultural institution, and for some visitors an even
greater draw than the Hermitage, the Mariinsky Theatre has profited in recent
years from the financial and creative turmoils of Moscow's Bolshoi to become
the undisputed preeminent musical theatre in modern Russia.

3.How much is the approximately budget needed to go there ?

₽3,489 ($54) is the average daily price for traveling in Russia. The average price
of meals in Russia for one day is ₽842 ($13). The average price of a hotel in
Russia for a couple is ₽3,913 ($61). Additional pricing is in the table below.
These average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you
plan your own travel budget.It really depends on your personal taste and
traveling style, how much a trip to Russia will cost. The only one set price is
going to be the travel visa. The average trip cost to Russia is around 56€/64$ per
day, but budget travel could only cost around 20€/24$ per day.

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4.What (activity) can we do there?

The Hermitage fully lives up to its sterling reputation. You can be absorbed by
its treasures for days and still come out wanting more. The enormous collection
(over three million items, only a fraction of which are on display in 360 rooms)
almost amounts to a comprehensive history of Western European art. Viewing it
demands a little planning, so choose the areas you’d like to concentrate on
before you arrive.Catherine the Great, one of the greatest art collectors of all
time, began the collection.

5.Where we can stay ?

The Four Seasons Lion Palace sits right behind St Isaac’s Square, with major
landmarks such as the State Hermitage, Mariinsky Theatre, Kazan Cathedral
and Mikhailovsky Castle right on the doorstep. Plentiful bars, shops, sights and
cafés are all also within quick and easy walking distance.The front entrance,
guarded by a couple of restored marble lions originally made by Italian sculptor
Paolo Triscorni and immortalised in Alexander Pushkin’s 1833 poem 'The
Bronze Horseman', makes the grandeur of the establishment clear: the building
was once the former aristocratic mansion of Prince Alexey Lobanov-Rostovsky,
but later served as a cultural house.

Built in high classicist style, it has been restored inside and out by Auguste
Montferrand, complete with a dramatic lobby whose white columns are
matched to Imperial-yellow walls, barrel vault ceilings, and a sweeping granite
staircase.

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Sources :
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/russia/st-
petersburg/hotels/four-seasons-hotel-lion-palace/
https://www.britannica.com/place/St-Petersburg-Russia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petersburg
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/russia/st-petersburg/attractions/state-hermitage-
museum/a/poi-sig/1278294/360547

Images :

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FOOD / BEVERAGE : SOLYANKA

1.What we should know about solyanka ?
Solyanka is a thick, spicy and sour Russian soup that is common in
Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union and certain parts of the
former Eastern Bloc. It was one of the most popular dishes of the former East
Germany. Solyanka is also popular in the former East Germany (the current
German states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-
Anhalt, and Thuringia, along with the eastern half of Berlin), where it is
commonly found in restaurants and available in canned form in grocery stores.
(The German transliteration is Soljanka.) This practice stems from the era when
Soviet troops were stationed in the GDR, and Soljanka was found on the menu
at many East German restaurants. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was
raised in East Germany, is fond of Solyanka.

2.What are the ingredients ?

For meat solyanka, ingredients like beef, ham, sausages, chicken breast
together with cucumber pickles, tomatoes, onions, olives, capers, allspice,
parsley, and dill are all cut fine and mixed in a pot. The broth is added, and
heated for a short time on the stove, without boiling.

Fish solyanka is prepared similarly, but soup vegetables are cooked in the broth.
The meat is replaced with fish such as sturgeon, salmon, and freshwater
crayfish. Finally, some lemon juice is added to the soup.

For mushroom solyanka, cut cabbage is heated in butter together with vinegar,
tomatoes, cucumber pickles, and a little brine. Separately, mushrooms and
onions are heated, and grated lemon zest is added. Cabbage and mushrooms are
added in layers, breadcrumbs and butter are added, and the soup is briefly
baked.

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3.How many variants / types they are ?

There are three basic types of solyanka, with the main ingredient being
either meat, fish, or mushrooms. All of them contain pickled cucumbers with
brine, and often cabbage, salted mushrooms, potatoes, smetana (sour cream),
and dill. The soup is prepared by cooking the cucumbers with brine before
adding the other ingredients to the broth.

4.How to make / cook it or the procedure to prepare it ?

-Peel your pickles and dice into small pieces, keep the skin.
- In a small pot cover pickle peels with your vegetable brine, bring the
mixture to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
-Dice the onion. Squeeze the excess brine from the cabbage and cut into
pieces equal in size to onion.
-In a separate medium-sized pot pour a little bit of oil and add onions,
pickles and cabbage. Cook until they are soft. Add the tomato paste and cook
for 2 minutes. Add the broth, a few peppercorns and a bay leaf. Bring the
mixture to a boil.
- Cut your sausages into small circles and add to the boiling mixture
together with the cooked meat. Bring to a boil again.
-Then add your capers, olives and the hot brine that you strained from the
pickle peels. At this point, if you still feel like the soup needs salt, then this is a
good time to add it.
-Bring the soup to a boil again and turn off the heat. Let sit for 15-20
minutes.
-Serve with some chopped parsley and a lemon wedge on top.

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5.How much is it ?
Solyanka price is around 195,11RUB or in Indonesia it will be around Rp
43.000 well it’s not very expensive enough. Sometimes the price itself can
increased if we request somekind of a addons on it like extra curry or bigger
portion like it. Those things will add around Rp. 5000 if it was in Indonesia.

6.What is the history ?/ where is it originated from ?

Solyanka (also spelled soljanka), which comes from the word for "salt,"
possibly originated in Ukraine in the 17th century and became beloved by
Russians. This is a hearty, thick soup with salty cured meats, sausages, olives,
pickles, sometimes carrots, and dill and sour cream for garnish. Meat Solyanka
is a well known Russian and Ukrainian soup with sour and smoked meaty
flavour. There are meat, fish and vegetable (mushroom) Solyanka but today we
are cooking the meat one. Russian salted cucumbers are always used in
Solyanka and they give the soup that distinctive salty and sour taste. Sometimes
some pickle brine is also added. In meat Solyanka you are supposed to use
several types of meats (at least 3 different types), most of the meats should be
smoked. For meats in Solyanka soup all kinds of smocked supplies are used:
ham, sausages, frankfurters, chicken, bacon.

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Sources :
https://mealz.com/recipes/allasyummyfood-russian-beef-soup-recipe-solyanka-1
https://www.thespruceeats.com/russian-ukrainian-solyanka-soup-recipe-
1135533
https://www.rbth.com/russian_kitchen/2015/10/30/solyanka-the-everything-
and-the-kitchen-sink-soup_535539
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solyanka

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SPORTS : SKIING
1.What should be know about skiing ?
Skiing is a means of transport using skis to glide on snow. Variations of
purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter
sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the
International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Ski Federation
(FIS).

2.How many persons / special equipments are needed to play it ?

Skiing requires specialized type of equipment so that you can effortlessly
go down snowy slopes. It would also require protective clothing to protect the
body from the frigid cold temperatures up high in the snowy mountains. If you
are a recreational skier, it is a good idea to just rent ski equipment from rentals
in many ski resorts. However, if you think that skiing is the sport for you, then
investing in high quality, high performance ski equipment should be a better
idea.You can find most of the ski equipment you will need in specialized sports
stores. The gear you would need are skis, ski boots, goggles, a helmet and ski
poles. Optional gear includes a ski bag, ski carrier, sunglasses and even walkie
talkies in case of emergencies. For clothing, you will need ski gloves or mittens,
base layer, sweater or a fleece jacket, ski jacket and pants. The jacket and pants
should be waterproof and insulated well to keep you warm.

3.What are the rules of the game ?

Alpine,
Also called "downhill skiing", Alpine skiing typically takes place on a piste at a
ski resort. It is characterized by fixed-heel bindings that attach at both the toe
and the heel of the skier's boot. Ski lifts, including chairlifts, bring skiers up the
slope. Backcountry skiing can be accessed by helicopter, snowcat, hiking and
snowmobile. Facilities at resorts can include night skiing, après-ski, and glade
skiing under the supervision of the ski patrol and the ski school. Alpine skiing
branched off from the older Nordic type of skiing around the 1920s when the
advent of ski lifts meant that it was not necessary to walk any longer. Alpine
equipment has specialized to the point where it can now only be used with the
help of lifts.

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Nordic,
The Nordic disciplines include cross-country skiing and ski jumping, which
both use bindings that attach at the toes of the skier's boots but not at the heels.
Cross-country skiing may be practiced on groomed trails or in undeveloped
backcountry areas. Ski jumping is practiced in certain areas that are reserved
exclusively for ski jumping.

Telemark,
Telemark skiing is a ski turning technique and FIS-sanctioned discipline, which
is named after the Telemark region of Norway. It uses equipment similar to
Nordic skiing, where the ski bindings are attached only at the toes of the ski
boots, allowing the skier's heel to be raised throughout the turn.

4.What is the history ?

Skiing has a history of almost five millennia. Although modern skiing has
evolved from beginnings in Scandinavia, it may have been practiced more than
100 centuries ago in what is now China, according to an interpretation of
ancient paintings.The word "ski" is one of a handful of words that Norway has
exported to the international community. It comes from the Old Norse word
"skíð" which means "split piece of wood or firewood".Asymmetrical skis were
used in northern Finland and Sweden until at least the late 19th century. On one
foot, the skier wore a long straight non-arching ski for sliding, and a shorter ski
was worn on the other foot for kicking. The underside of the short ski was either
plain or covered with animal skin to aid this use, while the long ski supporting
the weight of the skier was treated with animal fat in a similar manner to
modern ski waxing. Early skiers used one long pole or spear. The first depiction
of a skier with two ski poles dates to 1741. Troops on continental Europe were
equipped with skis by 1747. Skiing was primarily used for transport until the
mid-19th century, but since then has also become a recreation and sport.Military
ski races were held in Norway during the 18th century, and ski warfare was
studied in the late 18th century. As equipment evolved and ski lifts were
developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, two main genres of
skiing emerged—Alpine (downhill) skiing and Nordic skiing. The main
difference between the two is the type of ski binding (the way in which the ski
boots are attached to the skis).

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Sources :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skiing
https://www.ski-simulator.com/index.php?route=blog/post&post_id=14
https://www.theskibum.com/ski-snow/ski-equipment

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COMMON DISEASE : TUBERCULOSIS

1.What should we know about tuberculosis ?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but they can also damage
other parts of the body.TB spreads through the air when a person with TB of the
lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, or talks. If you have been exposed, you should
go to your doctor for tests. You are more likely to get TB if you have a weak
immune system.

2.What are the symptomps ?

Although your body may harbor the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB),
your immune system usually can prevent you from becoming sick. For this
reason, doctors make a distinction between:

Latent TB. In this condition, you have a TB infection, but the bacteria remain
in your body in an inactive state and cause no symptoms. Latent TB, also called
inactive TB or TB infection, isn't contagious. It can turn into active TB, so
treatment is important for the person with latent TB and to help control the
spread of TB. An estimated 2 billion people have latent TB.

Active TB. This condition makes you sick and in most cases can spread to
others. It can occur in the first few weeks after infection with the TB bacteria, or
it might occur years later.

Signs and symptoms of active TB include:

 Coughing that lasts three or more weeks

 Coughing up blood
 Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing
 Unintentional weight loss
 Fatigue
 Fever
 Night sweats
 Chills
 Loss of appetite

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3.How can people get it ?

TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with
lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person
needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.About one-quarter
of the world's population has latent TB, which means people have been infected
by TB bacteria but are not (yet) ill with the disease and cannot transmit the
disease. People infected with TB bacteria have a 5–15% lifetime risk of falling
ill with TB. Persons with compromised immune systems, such as people living
with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a higher
risk of falling ill.When a person develops active TB disease, the symptoms
(such as cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss) may be mild for many
months. This can lead to delays in seeking care, and results in transmission of
the bacteria to others. People with active TB can infect 5–15 other people
through close contact over the course of a year. Without proper treatment, 45%
of HIV-negative people with TB on average and nearly all HIV-positive people
with TB will die.

4.How to cure it ?

Medications are the cornerstone of tuberculosis treatment. But treating

TB takes much longer than treating other types of bacterial infections. For
active tuberculosis, you must take antibiotics for at least six to nine months. The
exact drugs and length of treatment depend on your age, overall health, possible
drug resistance and the infection's location in the body.

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Sources :
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis/diagnosis-
treatment/drc-20351256
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis/symptoms-
causes/syc-20351250
https://medlineplus.gov/tuberculosis.html

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