Cross-Cultural Blog

Good morning, day, afternoon, evening or night to everyone. My name is Katya. I’m 19 years-old. I’ve already been studying English for 15 years (OMG) and I’m really fond of foreign languages, that is why, actually, I want to become a translator/interpreter and so here I am…

So, I’m a third year student of the Far Eastern State University of the Humanities. I never thought over my future profession, when I was a child, because the fact is that I always knew whom I want to be. Undoubtedly I always dreamt of speaking with people of different culture and being able to understand their own way of vision of the outward things

Concerning my hobbies, I have a few. I’m crazy about music, photography, movie making and dancing. But frankly speaking, in most of these spheres I’m merely a beginner. I have recently started to play a guitar. I like to take photographs of the surroundings. I made several shorts, devoted to my group mates. I have been attending the choreographic school for 9 years, so one could say I’m a good ballet dancer. Besides I like many other things to do like going to the picnic with my parents and friends, watching the stars at night, listening to the rain, walking barefoot on the sea-sand, admiring the sunrise and sunset, smiling and crying, cheering and saddening, loving and hating, forgiving, dreaming and simply living in this world.

Hi. My name is Ilya; I am from Russia Khabarovsk city too. I study at the Far Eastern Humanitarian University as a translator; I study English and French "un peu". I'm glad to have a possibility to communicate and share views with different people especially from other countries that motivates even to a more efficient dialogue. Few words about myself: I love nature and its beautiful views, and also classical conservative music. There is a three-coloured cat red-black-and-white in my house. I am keen on volleyball, basketball and sometimes football; know a thing or two about PCs and like seat on the emerald grass in crimson twilight, hearing the purling of the cyan river and patting my cat (you may ask questions if you want to more about me).

Spheres of dialogue and researches in which I’m interested in - first of all political and only then economic changes in the US, changes on legislative level and in religious sphere (in particular so-called "blue laws"); changes of the constitution for the purpose of discreditation of personal freedom among the American people (if these cases exist - your point of view). Open for dialogue, ready to discuss any themes, thank you for your attention.

Hello. My name is Alyona. I am 19. As all other members of the group I am a future interpreter. In addition to English I also study Chinese. It is a very interesting language as well as a very difficult one. So communication with people from other countries is essential in my future job. That’s why it is extremely important to have a good understanding of their culture. And that’s why I am here.

Studying takes plenty of my time, and sometimes it’s difficult to find time for entertaining, but when I manage to find it, I usually spend it on walks with my friends. I also enjoy going to discos, skating, listening to my favorite music and going to cinema. Films are my favorite time spending. Actually I like different genres of movies but thrillers, melodramas, documentaries and psychological dramas are my favorite. Nicolas Cage is the actor whom I really adore, his acting is really gripping.

As for the music, now I am really keen on trance. Armin Van Buuren and Tiesto are the djs whom I adore. I have heard they are famous throughout the world. Have you heard of them?
I hope that you’ll find our post interesting. Looking forward to hearing from you all...

Hi, I’m Alyona. I was born in Russia, Khabarovsk and have been living there for my whole life. I like my city very much; it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I study at the university to become an interpreter, now I’m a third year student. I like my future profession because studying languages is interesting for me; I like to communicate with people from different cultures and try to find similar interests. I have been studying English for 8 years and also 2 years ago I started learning Chinese. But besides my studying I have a lot of different interest: music, watching films, making videos and, of course, just have fun with my friends. But also I like such things as walking in the rain, sometimes I try to write poems, of course it depends on my mood. I have recently started playing the guitar, because my desire to music increases with every day.

Hello! My name is Aleksandra. Writing about oneself, perhaps, is the most difficult topic for me. It has always been some kind of contradictory item. It seems that you know everything about yourself and have so much to say but at the same time you don’t know what to start from and will it be suitable or not. So… I’ll just try to create the whole picture of myself from different angles, some kind of virtual image… Fortunately you can look at my photo and have some associations.

I’m 20 years old teen and I’m trying to find my place in the world that’s why, perhaps, I have quite enough preoccupations. It’s some kind of game for me; actually I call it “juggling with hobbies”. I’m engaged in one activity for two months for example and than pass on to another one. It makes me never have a tedious time. And now I’m going to make a list of my interests hoping it will somehow uncover my complicated identity…First of all I’m just crazy about cult and independent films (they’re also called underground films if I’m not mistaken, in the Russian culture all these films fall under the class of so called “drugoe kino”). It’s my present hobby; I try to watch this kind of films as much as possible. The point is that they are heavy with serious content and everyone can understand them in their own way, find their own sense and some new sensations and it’s lustrous I should say. My favorites are “Arizona dream”, “American beauty” and almost all films by Jim Jarmusch. He’s magnificent director and the king of anthology films. I have the collection of films of the kind, film which leave deep and lasting impression, of course it’s rather small cause I’m only novice at the independent movie sphere but I’m going to learn more! My next preoccupation is drawing. When inspiration visits me I ink it on the paper, so the wall in my room is hung with different pictures and photos, I really proud of it. Also communication with new people is included in my hobby list. It’s very cool and funny to get acquainted with new interesting people, it makes my life bright and positive, just smile and talk and it’s wonderful. So as far as everyone’s understood I’m open for chart! I really appreciate the possibility to communicate with teens from other countries; it’s cool and we can learn more about each other cultures. So let’s break the barriers!

The Talk Show Phenomenon – “What Are They Talking About?”

Our post is devoted to talk-shows and sit-comes and about the role they play in people’s life. We want to speculate on this question because of the different attitude of Russian people to these shows. In the world of entertainment, TV talk shows have undoubtedly flooded every inch of space on daytime television. Daytime talk programs are popular with audiences for their democratic, unpredictable nature, with producers for their low cost, and with stations for their high ratings. Some people say that sit-comes and talk-shows help them to cope with stress and tension of everyday life, but others find them stupid and even aggressive. This is because of the different character of these shows. Some of them are really harmless and funny, but others can really do harm to people. They often happen to throw mud at people and what’s more people very often become addicted to them. One must remember talk shows only have things to ‘talk’ about that society creates

Many Russian people have got acquainted with new type of entertainment events of the American TV in the mid 80-ies - a talk show. Generally accepted "father" of this phenomenon Phil Donahue has spent some joint broadcasts with the Soviet TV. Frankness of interlocutors, sitting in the hall audience, was absolutely unusual for that time and remembering. Already by early 90-ies such as talk shows took over the day all the major television channels, pressing old attachment of housewives - «soap operas», such long-playing series with quite predicted happy end

Nowadays talk shows or chat shows are television or radio programs where one person or group of people come together to discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host. Sometimes, talk shows feature a panel of guests, usually consisting of a group of people who have great experience in relation to whatever issue is being discussed on the show for that episode. Call-in shows enjoy wide popularity now. They take live phone calls from callers listening at home, in their cars

Vladimir Pozner claims to be a founder of Russian talk shows. In his opinion a talk show is one of the most democratic forms of television which allows people to participate in a television broadcast. He says that even interactive television can not replace talk shows. Nowadays this view seems to be too optimistic. First of all this is because of the fact that many Russian talk shows are devoid of any social significance. Until 1990s people participating at talk shows could speculate on social and political issues, but in the period from 1991 to 1993 many foreign genres of talk shows started to appear on Russian TV screens. New genres of talk shows like quiz shows, reality shows, were met with enthusiasm by Russians at first. It was something new for the Russian public. But then this talk shows became omnipresent, every Russian TV channel broadcasted at least one quiz show or reality show. And for Russian TV viewers it became less significant. Talk shows started to fall from favour. And directors of TV channels started to wash dirty linen in public at talk shows to make them more popular. Nowadays Russian talk shows reveal dirty sides of people’s life. Many people mistakably think that talk shows can give them popularity. But is popularity something that can be gained by throwing mud at people?

Another drawback of present day talk shows is that people really become addicted to them, and can’t do without watching their favorite talk shows.

Psychologists believe that talk shows and reality shows can seriously undermine the mental health of the viewer. According to the research, 200 thousand people, who watch talk shows, suffer from mental disorders. They are all after a time complained of constant stress, depression and «lack of optimism». In this case, psychiatrists give only one piece of advice - watch less television and not to spend long hours in front of TV screens. However, they’re very popular among TV channels. Their audience is about 5 million people only in one country

Moreover, we have some questions for you to discuss, concerning this theme

What is a talk show for you?
What the most popular talk shows do you know?
Who usually watch talk shows in your country?
Is that true that many Americans get easily accustomed to them?
What makes people get into the habit of watching such shows?
Do you find talk shows pernicious?
What makes a talk show a “talk show” in your opinion?
Are there any rules talk shows follow?
Do you know any Russian talk shows?

We are really looking forward to hearing from you!