Mom, stop reading now.


On saturday I was provided the oppurtunity to witness one of the most profound and fundamental aspects of Russian culture: The Really Big Fight. The Really Big Fight, or Otchen Bolshaya Drakka involves twenty or thirty good friends dividing into two groups and having a really big fight. It is a frequent occurence here in Chuvashia and this event seems to have become the unofficial sport of my region. Sadly, it is one of the least frequently witnessed elements of Russian Culture. I was very pleased at being given such a rare oppurtunity, I felt like I was being drawn into the fold, included in an ancient Russian tradition. To be honest, that is exactly what was happening

This fight pitted two classes in school against each other. "11 A" against class "11 V". It lasted about five minutes and left no doubt in anybody's mind that 11 A had won. Afterwards 11A helped all of the losers get up and carried a couple of them home. There was a lot of mutual respect. The classes saw each other in school the next day and there didn't seem to be any hostility, although there was a lot of limping.

Overall it was a scary, yet enlightening day and I am quite glad to have lived it.

If anybody is asking the question: "John, did you participate in this?" I will not answer it, I will merely provide you the tools you need to answer it yourself.
I am here to expierience Russian culture.
Any Russian will tell you that this is one of the most important elements of their culture.
Mom, you should have listened to me.