Belated Introduction.

You know what, I really feel quite rude.

I came across this site, have taken much from it including joining this forum and have asked my questions, but have not once had the decency to introduce myself. For this I apologise.

Well, my name is Johan and I am Australian. I am a beginner in the study of Russian. I have always had a passion for languages and for some reason Russian just felt right to me. I have begun to teach myself since July this year and there is not a day that goes by that I don't listen, read, study or think about Russia and the language.

I'm 24 and in the finance industry, I like to drink, party and have fun, but unbeknownst to most, I'm a nerd at heart!

Huge hello to everyone here and thankyou already for the great help you've been so far.

I'm sure you'll be seeing more of me (not literally).

Hey Johan!

Welcome to the forum. Hope you have a good time here! We all have a passion for languages, I think. Why else would we all be here? How are things in Australia now?

Hey ReDSanchous, thanks for welcome.

Things in Australia are good. Starting to get really warm again and we're not too far into spring yet.

I think I'll be hitting the beach any weekend now!

How about you?

Things in Russia are good as well. It's getting colder and colder. Winter's drawing nearer and nearer. Hope it will be cold soon. When temperatures drop below zero that usually means I can go the skating rink. I'm into hockey, you know :D

I don't think it ever gets to zero degrees here (in Brisbane) let alone below zero!!

I've never seen snow although I have the opportunity to see it in the southern mountain regions or if I take a quick flight to NZ.

I was in China and it got pretty cold but I flew out a few days before it snowed.

I'm now saving my cold northern hemisphere winter experience for Russia. I'd like to say that the first white winter I ever saw was in the country I desperately want to visit - RUSSIA!!

Hello Johan,
I am also teaching myself russian daily. It is hard, sometimes frustrating, but a real challenge. I had the opportunity to visit St-Petersburg for two weeks in August, and next week I am going again for two weeks of intensive language training. In my opinion, it is preferable to know the basic before visiting Russia. First, you will get more out of it, and you will enjoy it much more.
Second, I think that we can pick up a lot of vocabulary and expressions during immersion, but only if we master the basic.
I agree that one must embrace the whole culture, not only the language.
Cheers, and welcome!
Bob

It's a great shame you have never seen snow. I talked to a lot of Saudis while I was in Canada this summer and they also said they'd never seen snow. I usually said to them: Why don't you stay in Toronto till late November/early December? It usually snows a lot at the time. I never heard it snows in New Zeland! Is it true? It's pretty close to Australia and who could say that it sometimes snows there? I think you'll love snow. To be honest, I've never seen a desert. I saw some kind of desert in Kaliningrad in 1997 (I don't know what you call it in English). I've never seen many animals that inhabit in southern regions of the globe. For example, a kangaroo (only at zoo). There are so many things still to be explored!
How many degrees may temperatures in Australia go up to?

Thanks Bob, yeah I'm perservering in the Russian. It is difficult sometimes but for some reason it doesn't feel like a chore to me. Every time I read or hear something and can understand it or I conquer a new challenge, it is so rewarding.

ReDSanchous: Yeah it snows in NZ. In fact, NZ is a great destination for skiing and extreme activities. It can be cheaper for east-coast Aussies to fly to NZ to ski than going to Australian ski destinations.

Today in Brisbane the temperature hit 29 degrees celcius and in 'The Top End' (what we call the Northern Territory or NT, capital city is Darwin) they had a max. temp. of 33 degrees.

From December to February, we can reach temperatures up to and over 35 degrees. Last Christmas we had a 40 degree day, very hot!! In the NT and out west Queensland they get to 40 easily.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

We all have a passion for languages, I think.

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I don't think I have a passion I just hate to see/hear gay translations. And it's fun for me to communicate to other people in English.

Johan, welcome from me too.

What do you mean by 'gay' translations?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by net surfer

I don't think I have a passion I just hate to see/hear gay translations.

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LOLLLLLLLL YES!!!!! Alexei you kick аss!!

dogboy, твоя школа :)

ReDSanchous, translations made by gay translators. I tried to watch "Be cool" the other day. It took me less than a minute to turn it off.

Chil's driving a car. We can see the movies and a poster of "Get lost" (a sequel to "Get Leo").

(Chil) - Sequels. It's the only time I gave in in my life. But sometimes you gotta do it the studio way.
(Tommy) - What are you talking about? "Get lost"?
- Yeah.
- I thought the first one was pretty good.
- "Get Leo"?
- Terrific picture. Terrific! And you know what else? It was good.
- You know what I'm thinking Tommy?
- I'm thinking of getting out of the movie business. Go back to my old job.
- What, being a shylock?
- Yeah.
- Why?
- 'Cause at least they're honest about being dishonest.

(Chil) - Всё должно идти своим чередом. Впервые за всю жизнь я начинаю сдавать. Но время от времени лучше заняться студией.
(Tommy) - О чём ты говоришь, о фильме "Пошёл прочь"?
- Да
- Мне нравится эта картина.
- А поймать Лео?
- Это классный фильм, гениальный. И знаешь что? Она была ничего.
- Знаешь что Томми? Я собираюсь бросить этот бизнес и вернуться к своей прежней работе.
- Что, станешь киллером?
- По крайней мере можно жить честно.

Hi Johan!

Yep, I feel the same about Russian.

Here I am working in Spain, and trying to improve my fluency in Spanish, but I feel little passion for Spanish. My heart is, and has been for a long time, pulled toward Russian. Unexplainable, some friends think I'm nuts, but I think Russian is the language of the soul.
:wink: