Thread: Kaliningrad

Hi,

I am thinking of studying Russian in Kaliningrad. This is due to the following assumptions:

1.) It appears that it will be cheaper to study in Kaliningrad rather than Russia proper.

2.) The region seems more stable and less plagued, if you will, by crime.

3.) Kaliningrad offers easier access to Germany, Poland and even Scandanavia for travel excursions while studying Russian.

PLEASE! In your responses, please at LEAST read the aforementioned assumptions and keep them in mind when you answer. Otherwise, you might run the risk of being a complete waste of time for both me and others who choose to read this post.

HAHAHAHA!

Kaliningrad is bleak. A forgotten Russian outpost. It has the higest HIV infection rate in Europe (even higher than Russia proper). You are making a quite insulting suggestion that the rest of Russia is plauged by crimw.

I think you are basing your assumptions on the fact that it is seprate from the rest of Russian, and because it is surrounded by Poland and Lithuania (both of which are memeber of the European Union).

And more stable? Why? The people live in a not very ncie place and can see how much better the lives are of those over the border in Poland and Lithuanian.

"A large part of the population lives in poverty (a bigger percentage than the Russian average). The former largest employer in the area, the military, has suspended most of its activities. An HIV-epidemic is getting bigger and bigger, particularly among drug-addicts and the homeless. Also, the military activities of the last 50 years have left enormous amounts of toxic waste, making large areas unlivable.

Instead of being an area with great potential, which could be fulfilled through cooperation with its neighbors, Kaliningrad is a headache for Poland and Lithuania, and the rest of the EU, with a high crime rate, much organized crime and huge social problems."

Less plagued by crime? Ha-ha, last time I went there I thought Кёниг was Chav Central compared to, say St Petersburg or Moscow.

Well, I guess I wont be going to Kaliningrad. Thanks.

I'll second everything Taty has said. Heavy pollution, crime, HIV, drug usage, the air and water is bad. Isolated from the "Motherland", you have to have a special Visa to travel through Poland or Lithuania to get to the "mainland". All of the run down, heavily polluting autos from Europe end up in Kaliningrad. The young people are isolated from "Russia", and are more likely to have visited Germany or other parts of Europe than to have visited Moscow... Don't go.....

Places like that tend to be rubbish.

USA has Alaska - cold, nothing much there
UK has Northern Ireland - Shit hole
Russia has Kaliningrad - Shit hole

What does Australia have?

Originally Posted by Rtyom

What does Australia have?

Australia doesn't have it. It is.

Originally Posted by Gerty

Originally Posted by Rtyom

What does Australia have?

Australia doesn't have it. It is.

Australia has Tasmania, if you insist (heaps of Pacific islands could also be used), much colder there and the state is separate from the mainland. Another analog: Perth for Australia is like Vladivostok for Russia - too far away from everything.

Originally Posted by Анатолий

[ Another analog: Perth for Australia is like Vladivostok for Russia - too far away from everything.

Too far away from what? You mean all the social climbing pompous snobs in Melbourne who are so busy arguing with the social climbing pompous snobs in Sydney, over who has the most trendiest pubs and eateries to be seen at?
Everybody knows that if you want to see a city full of Real home grown Aussies, you might have to go as far as Perth.

Originally Posted by DDT

Originally Posted by Анатолий

[ Another analog: Perth for Australia is like Vladivostok for Russia - too far away from everything.

Too far away from what? You mean all the social climbing pompous snobs in Melbourne who are so busy arguing with the social climbing pompous snobs in Sydney, over who has the most trendiest pubs and eateries to be seen at?
Everybody knows that if you want to see a city full of Real home grown Aussies, you might have to go as far as Perth.

That's not the topic we are discussing, aren't we? I don't feel arrogant to Perth, it's just too far away for the majority of 20 mln Australians. Perth's population is about 1.5 mln with about half a million scattered in the whole of Western Australia - 1/3 of Australia's territory. Real cowboys and real Aussies are in Darwin - Top End, no speed limit, not in Perth. Perth is highly urbanised like the rest of big Australian cities with lots of immigrants.

Canada has Newfoundland!!!

Actually Andrei, I re-read your post, and it sounded like you said:" I would really go out with this girl, but to save money and problems, I will take out her little sister instead."
Doesn't it?

Originally Posted by Андрей

Well, I guess I wont be going to Kaliningrad. Thanks.

It's worth speaking to native Kalininigrad citizens. There's a lot of b... on this forum (like anywhere else, BTW).

Originally Posted by Анатолий

Real cowboys and real Aussies are in Darwin - Top End, no speed limit,.

You mean "jackaroos" not "cowboys" . There aren't any cowboy jobs in the whole of Australia. Jackaroos don't even carry a rope on their saddles. There is not even a place to hang a rope on an Aussie stock saddle. And jackaroos have to do "rozin jaw" work (farmer type stuff) aswell. So don't pretend that Australia has real cowboys, when what Australia really has are scruffy larrikins in need of a haircut with the sleeves ripped off their shirts and no sense of tradition.

Actually Andrei, I re-read your post, and it sounded like you said:" I would really go out with this girl, but to save money and problems, I will take out her little sister instead."
Doesn't it?

Да я, признаться, это делать не прочь. Thanks for making my post sound much more reasonable. Too bad the little sister turned out to have syphallis on her snatch and herpes on her butt. Oh well, what can you do?

Oh, and to all those people making comparisons of prostranstvas, thanks for more digression.

Cheers, Andrei,
Welcome to a large group of people who share interest in the russian language and culture.
I am sure you'll love it!

Originally Posted by DDT

Too far away from what? You mean all the social climbing pompous snobs in Melbourne who are so busy arguing with the social climbing pompous snobs in Sydney, over who has the most trendiest pubs and eateries to be seen at?
Everybody knows that if you want to see a city full of Real home grown Aussies, you might have to go as far as Perth.

There are pompous snobs in Australia? God, human nature is here to stay.