Victoria Philippova from Russia

I want to tell you about Siberia. Sometimes people have asked me about it, and I understand why. It is an interesting and beautiful place.

Siberia is a huge territory in Russia. It is more than half of Russia and is 4,000 miles wide. Western Siberia stretches from the Ural Mountains to the Yenisey River. Eastern Siberia extends from there to the Pacific coast. Most of this area is a forest with animals and birds.

For me, the best place in Siberia is Lake Baical. It is the largest lake in the world. It is more than 2,000 feet deep and the water is absolutely clean.

In the autumn, the forests in Siberia are full of mushrooms and berries. Many people like picking mushrooms, but that is not as simple as you might think. Old people who used to live in the villages knew places where you could pick lots of mushrooms. Some mushrooms grow in colonies. If you find one, you only need to look around because nearby you'll find more of them.

However, when picking mushrooms, it is important not to choose the wrong kind. You have to be careful because some mushrooms are poisonous even though they look good. The smell can help you choose them, because good mushrooms smell very aromatic.

Photo from Victoria Philippova Sometimes, I went into the country in winter with my friends on a snowmobile.

Siberian people are very friendly and hospitable. If someone invites you home for dinner, you'll soon be full. You should try everything the host is having.

If someone wants to visit Siberia, it is not a problem, but you must speak Russian. If not, your trip could be very difficult. Usually Siberian people have a special version of the Russian language. Sometimes they use old words. It is a beautiful and melodic language.

The Russian language doesn't have dialects, but it has accents. For example, the people from Siberia speak quickly, and the people from Western Russia speak slowly and expansively (especially in St. Petersburg). But we can understand each other.

The climate there depends on the territory. Some places have very comfortable climates with hot summers and cold winters. In my opinion, the best season is spring, when nature wakes up after a long winter. It is the time for blossoms and love. Birds come back from other warm countries. Trees become dressed in green foliage. The sun becomes warm and the days are longer. The mood is wonderful and people smile a lot. It is an amazing time.

Photo from Victoria Philippova Noses freeze and cheeks sting, but people continue to enjoy these times.

In winter, you have opportunity for sports. The most popular sport in winter in Russia is cross-country skiing. During weekends, many people go into the country and ski. Noses freeze and cheeks sting, but people continue to enjoy these times.

Sometimes, I went into the country in winter with my friends on a snowmobile. The temperature was very cold; about -35 degrees C (That is -21 F.) is not unusual there, but we really enjoyed those times. After we returned, we had cups of hot tea to keep away the flu.

If you have the opportunity to go to Siberia, you should go. You will never forget it. 

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