We are back from a very long break! We are sorry for being away for so long and hope this episode about very strange Russian idioms will make up for our long absence. When does a lobster whistle on a mountain? Is a toad strangling you? Follow Amie and Ryan as they try (and fail) to decipher the meaning of Russian idioms Try to play along and see if you can guess any of the idioms correctly!

In today's episode, we are joined by Eleanor Huntington to discuss the movie The Death of Stalin, written and directed by Armando Iannucci. Eleanor is a host of the Podcast Good Film Hunting. Check it out on iTunes or wherever Podcasts are heard https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/good-film-hunting/id1140180259?mt=2

In today's episode we explore Russian curse words and common slang. Say them along with us but be careful with repeating them on the streets!

Learn which one of the Russian sweets, according to Ryan, looks like a bread loaf that survived nuclear annihilation, and why Red October and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is the next movie cross-over that we can't wait to see made. Tundra Vodka and Bitters- http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2016/11/18/tundra-vodkas-and-bittersHalva- http://www.wikiwand.com/en/HalvaTalkysh Kaleve image- https://es.postila.io/post/42610220Red October Candy Factory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasny_O...

In this episode of The Russian Pod- Stories from Russia, hosts dive into a strange world of Russian folktales. It's a world where children turn into animals, pikes can grant you unlimited wishes, and you pick your wife by shooting her with an arrow.

Is beef tongue still meat? How about chicken stomachs? (some Russians have interesting thoughts on that). What is the best time to announce to the nation that they have to work for 8 years longer before retiring? (hint: during a game with Saudi Arabia) Can you catch herpes from wind? (Russians say Yes!). Tune in and learn about the recent trip to Russia that brought some interesting questions and revelations.

Recent trip to Russia during the World Cup, revisiting Russian hospitals, and trying to be vegan in the land of meat

Have you ever tried Steak tartare? Do you know that it's named after nomadic Turkic-speaking people? After various groups of these Turkic nomads became part of the armies of the Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan in the early 13th century, a fusion of Mongol and Turkic elements took place, and the Mongol invaders of Russia and Hungary became known to Europeans as Tatars (or Tartars). Tatars live mainly in Russia and other Post-Soviet countries. Our co-host, Leysan, is tatar, and wants to tell you...

While we work on the next episode, we wanted to share a segment called Tea Time where Ryan and Leysan taste Russian dishes. This is actually the earliest recording we have done so this takes us back down memory lane before we were vegan. Today on the menu we have a Russian salad "Herring Under Fur Coat" and a drink called "Tarhun". Find out what the "fur" is made out of and how to pronounce "Tarhun". Feel free to go ahead and make your own salad by following the link to Lea's cooking blog at ...

In Russia, getting pooped on by a bird is a sign of good luck. Also, Russian unmarried people should never sit at the corner of the table.

Listen to this episode to learn about all the weird Russian superstitions that almost everyone in Russia follows without question.