People don’t expect me to be Russian because I don’t fulfill any of the “traditional characteristics” of a Russian. Well, in reality, not many Russians actually do.
1. I don't eat borscht every day.
This is the one dish that everyone associates with Russian cuisine. When I tell people that I’m Russian, they ask me if I eat borscht. I don’t. I don’t even like borscht because it’s basically beet soup. I do not like beets at all. I am not Dwight K. Schrute from "The Office." He’s the only person who eats beets. Odds are good that he loves borscht and he’s not even Russian. He’s German.
2. I don't worship Dostoevsky.
I’m a huge bookworm, but I’ve never found myself liking Dostoyevsky’s work. Maybe it’s because I was forced to read through his works for my Russian Literature elective in my senior year of high school. Maybe I just dislike the translations. Either way, he’s not my preferred author.
3. I don't drink vodka with every meal.
My family has vodka in the winery. We actually have several bottles of it, but we rarely open them. The only person who really consumed vodka in my family was my grandfather, but the guy was in his late 80's, so he could get away with it. Also, it isn’t uncommon for many Russians to avoid alcohol completely, just like members of other ethnicities.
4. I don't like to cook.
As a Russian woman, I’m asked if I can cook all too often. I can’t, so I don’t. I can make slutty brownies superbly, but that’s it. Unfortunately, I don’t think that really counts as cooking.
5. I don't wear a fur hat.
I don’t wear fur.
6. I don't feel hot all the time.
Most of the time during the winter season in New York, I find myself saying, “I’m not Russian enough to handle this kind of cold.” I get cold quite easily and my ethnicity does not have anything to do with the way that my body reacts to climate and temperatures.
7. I don't have family who run or are involved in the Russian mob.
For the record, mafias exist within every country. They’re not only part of old Mother Russia, I promise.
I love identifying as Russian because I grew up with such a rich culture comprised of beautiful creative endeavors in literature, music, and art. I have been exposed to a complex language that I have maintained complete fluency in since my birth, which, by the way, was in the Motherland.
