Teaing like Russians

Many Americans comment on how much in-your-face PDA (public display of affection) there is in Russia. My cousin said that Russia is “just the worst country to be single in,” because every day you ride the train and watch couples hug and kiss, kiss a LOT. But the confusion doesn't end there. After spending time in Russia, I get awkward even when somebody goes for the simple greeting kiss. Inside, I’m wondering just how many times I’m supposed to kiss their cheeks. In America, one peck is more than enough. But then French people kiss your cheek twice; would they think that I’m insinuating something if I go for the third one by habit? Because the standard Russian greeting kiss is the triple kiss, in which you kiss the other person three times, alternating cheeks. Traditionally, this symbolizes the Trinity, so many Russians unknowingly, greet each other in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit daily. But what is Russia’s kiss culture history? Here’s a little bit...

Are you a budding writer? Tortured with a lack of organization? Do you struggle with creating a clear, coherent outline?Never fear, you may share something with one of the greatest Russian writers ever, Feodor Dostoevsky. The beloved author of psychological thrillers like Crime and Punishment and Brothers Karamazov also wrote manuscripts for his novels that look like mazes or treasure hunt maps, filled with pictures and cyphers. They are beautiful and bizarre. I was introduced to the phenomenon when I visited the museum of Dostoevsky in Moscow. The tiny, empty apartment is guarded by a bitter young woman, an aspiring writer who barely survives on her pitiful salary--but refuses to leave her Dostoevsky haunt. After I listened to her story, she showed me Dostoevsky’s draft of the “Grand Inquisitor”, the world famous mini-story in Brothers Karamazov. Here it is: How did he ever make any sense of that chaos? Moreover, how did he use it to create one...