Hai Thanh and her Russian "babushka" Tamara.
Hai ThanhIn Russia, a babushka is more than just a nice elderly lady. No matter if she is your relative or just a pensioner from the next apartment, she is always ready to share with you her experience and be your life coach. Probably, the best one.
Hai Thanh and her Russian "babushka" Tamara.
Hai ThanhFrench journalist Erwann Peñsec met his Russian babushka Lyudmila when he moved to Moscow: she rented the neighboring room in the communal apartment lived in. “The first thing she asked was if I were married,” he said. “She often repeated that I was ALREADY 25, and it was high time to find a soulmate.”
Young Russians today are in no hurry to start a family:
Vietnamese student Hai Thanh used to learn Russian with babushka Tamara via Skype and recalled that she also asked when she was going to get married - and she was only 28! “I said that I first would finish university, but she said that I should focus on
Erwann's dishes from his Russian babushka.
Erwann Peñsec“In winter, babushka often told me that I need to eat more to survive the Russian climate,” Erwann said. “She knew I was a vegetarian and treated me to special dishes with
Erwann's dishes from Lyudmila.
Erwann PeñsecNevertheless, babushka Lyudmila taught him to cook real pilav, dumplings and even cottage cheese.
UK resident Genevieve Holl-Allen met her babushka
“Thanks to my Russian babushka, I toured Russia,” said Hai Thanh. “She spoke with such warmth of her hometown, where she spent the youth, that I just had to go there. I started with Moscow and St. Petersburg, went to Ulyanovsk, saw the Volga River, and finally got to Yekaterinburg, the city between Europe and Asia. And of course, I went to the Bashkirian town of
Erwann's "babushka" Lyudmila.
Erwann PeñsecTraditionally, Russian grannies help their children by babysitting and helping out with household chores. They devote their time to make the life of new generations better – and you can always rely on them. But sometimes you will be surprised by their advice.
Genevieve recalled that her babushka was “an indispensable
Most Russian grannies are not archetypical old ladies who spend their days knitting socks or darning stockings. They ride snowboards, enjoy dancing, and go on extreme sports. Famous Russian babushka Yelena Yerkhova from Krasnoyarsk adores her Asian trips - even at the age of 91. Valentina Kuleshova from Krasnodar, who is 86, is an Instagram-diva: in her blog, she shares recipes, memories, and life hacks.
Omsk photographer, Igor Gavar, decided to shoot the most stylish grannies and grandpas across Russia, and as a result, established a model agency for seniors called Oldushka. His models believe that life begins when they reach pensionable age. And you?
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