elcasey

First, if this needs to be moved to the Sandbox, please do so. I just didn't think this was so full-blown off-topic as to need to be in there, especially since I really only play PRM right now.

I was wondering if there were any Russian speakers involved here on TG? I lived in Moscow in 2005-2006 and while not fluent I'm rather functional in Russian (I swear Russian has more slang than English) and absolutely fell in love with the place. I can't wait to go back...

Needless to say, I have a healthy love of all things Com-Bloc and I have been an AK fanatic since my early teens. I've owned a few over the years, but since I grew up while the 1994 Crime Bill (aka Assault Weapons Ban) was in place there was never a chance to own a Russian AK. I've had an Egyptian in 7.62x39, a Chinese RPK knockoff (semi-auto) in 7.62 and a Romanian AK knockoff in 5.56x45mm. The latter was my favorite. Very controllable in rapid fire, although magazines were neither readily available nor cheap.

I tried to find a gun club or something that would let me shoot some AKs and such while living in Russia, but I was basically told flat-out by a former Army Major that it would "never happen for a foreigner." What the hell happened to the Friendship of the Peoples?!

I also started watching ice hockey there and really fell in love with it after an incredible experience watching the Winter Olympic game versus Canada, which I watched in a basement bar with about 1000 Russians and our table of four foreigners (me, a Swede and two Italian girls). When the Russians won 3-0, chaos erupted and the next thing I know I'm drinking shots with a bunch of Russians (shocking, I know).

But I'm going to the Lightning game in Tampa tonight, so I figured I'd ask about other hockey fans. I'm bored, dammit, my main PC is down at least until tomorrow afternoon....

So chastise me, share your teams and travel/foreign language experience, etc.

__________________

-=Эл Кейси=-
За Родину!

Switch

Da. Myee raditali ud belarus. Ya gavaro nimnooshka ruski.

Switch

hah, just read your tag.

icky

Nice thread.

Go Sens go. It looks like a Sens VS Pens first round in the east is inevitable.

I know a little Russian. He's about 5'6".

__________________
Peace through fear... since 1947!

elcasey

Privet, Switch! Vy chitaete po-russkii? Ochen priyatno, vo vsyakom sluchaye.

Last night's game was my first ever live NHL game and I have to admit that, despite the 2.5 hour drive each way, the crowds and pains in the ass, it was very cool.

The only problem was the legions of obnoxious-as-hell Buffalo Sabres fans. Now, in the past I've been a fairly casual but loyal Buffalo Bills fan...and these Sabres pricks took the cake. Downright disrespectful in many cases and I was really shocked at how well-behaved the Lightning fans remained.

I'm not sure if it's because we Americans have an "orderly nature" or if we've simply been domesticated and fear arrest that badly these days. But I guarantee you that had this hockey game been taking place in Moscow, the stairwells after the game would've turned into slaughterhouses.

Buffalo Sabres fans in Tampa, shame on you. The only thing people hate more than a sore loser is a sore winner (Buffalo won 3-2)!

__________________

-=Эл Кейси=-
За Родину!

icky

Ha! We get so many Toronto fans when they play in Ottawa that it is unbearable. I won't even go to those games anymore if someone offers me free tickets. (even though Ottawa wins 9 of 10 times)

__________________
Peace through fear... since 1947!

Switch

I can read a bit... I'm first gen arrogant american, my parents moved here about 25 years back. I grew up speaking Ringlish.

Fun fact, my gramps was spetsnaz.