`Am not too fond of the USA' - Vaitsekhovskaya's interview with Leonova

[quiqie]

I thought it's always about how life in the US is easier but in terms of culture she preferred Russia?

Once you boil it down to a PC version, yes, it is.

[allezfred]

Salad for breakfast sounds

[MacMadame]

Liked the interview. Given that all that Leonova said was that she was uncomfortable with everything, I don't see the big deal.

She sounded homesick. Poor baby. It must be hard to have to live somewhere for your job that you wouldn't pick to live voluntarily.

[Vagabond]

She sounded homesick. Poor baby. It must be hard to have to live somewhere for your job that you wouldn't pick to live voluntarily.

There are lots of young people who pursue sports at the elite level precisely so that they can travel the world, meet people from different backgrounds, and experience different cultures. Sometimes that means being in London for the Olympics, sometimes it means training in New Jersey, and sometimes that means going to a competition somewhere like Kosice, Slovakia or Kent, Washington. You can either relish the opportunities (and even go out on your own without being glued to your teammates), or you can waste them. But the chance to see the world may not come so easily ever again. The least she could do is try to appreciate her opportunities and the places she visits.

[lauravvv]

I find it interesting that she dumped Aranjuez because it was too much "like a funeral", so went back to Adagio for Strings?!

Read it more carefully:

First we changed the music to Aranjues - I skated to it in Russian nationals, then we tried to find something more dramatic. It didn't work either - sounded like a funeral.

She didn't say that about Aranjuez, but about another music that they tried before reverting back to the last year's program.

[RickInSanJose]

Perhaps this is a translation issue as much as anything. In my own experience, I've found that there can be hazards in attempting to translate English into Russian. Many years ago, I was taking a beginning Russian class, and I got the bright idea of writing a fan letter to Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut in Russian.

What I intended to say was:

"Dear Olga. Congratulations on your recent victory. I saw you on television recently, and really enjoyed your performance."

Only after sending my letter, however, did I find out that what I had actually written was this:

"Dear Olga. Congratulations on your recent spoilage. I saw you on top of my television set recently, and really enjoyed your performance."

So I would imagine that similar difficulties may exist in translating Russian into English.

[Zemgirl]

Salad for breakfast sounds

In a good way or a bad way?

There are lots of young people who pursue sports at the elite level precisely so that they can travel the world, meet people from different backgrounds, and experience different cultures. Sometimes that means being in London for the Olympics, sometimes it means training in New Jersey, and sometimes that means going to a competition somewhere like Kosice, Slovakia or Kent, Washington. You can either relish the opportunities (and even go out on your own without being glued to your teammates), or you can waste them. But the chance to see the world may not come so easily ever again. The least she could do is try to appreciate her opportunities and the places she visits.

Not everyone enjoys traveling, and lots of young people pursue sports for other reasons - such as being good at what they do and enjoying their chosen sport. I would imagine some skaters love to skate and compete but would prefer to do so closer to home. I don't think it's fair to expect all skaters to appreciate the opportunity to travel and experience new cultures, just like not all business travelers or academics going to conferences enjoy every trip they take. Leonova's choice was to become a skater, not a frequent flyer. Obviously at that level the travel is part of the job description, but it doesn't mean that it's pleasure rather than business for her, or that she's obliged to appreciate every place she visits as part of her career.

[milanessa]

I thought the infamous cheeseburger quote was about Sarah Hughes?

Nope, it was Irina, bless her heart.

[milanessa]

Salad for breakfast sounds

Tell Mr. Fred. Isn't he the cook?

[MacMadame]

There are lots of young people who pursue sports at the elite level precisely so that they can travel the world, meet people from different backgrounds, and experience different cultures.

And some ... do not.

I don't think it's fair to expect all skaters to appreciate the opportunity to travel and experience new cultures,

Besides... New Jersey? Not the place I'd pick to go have exciting adventures learning new cultures. In fact, I got out of there as fast as I could and I am from the East Coast and the US and didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

[pingu]

Salad for breakfast sounds

Shame on you

[Kwantumleap]

At least the sentiment is mutual.

[Vagabond]

And some ... do not.

Besides... New Jersey? Not the place I'd pick to go have exciting adventures learning new cultures. In fact, I got out of there as fast as I could and I am from the East Coast and the US and didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

As I said, even if she doesn't like traveling, she doesn't have to moan about the food at the Olympics and being stuck ninety minutes from the beach. There are lots of skaters who would gladly make do, given the opportunity.

[aftershocks]

Perhaps this is a translation issue as much as anything. In my own experience, I've found that there can be hazards in attempting to translate English into Russian. Many years ago, I was taking a beginning Russian class, and I got the bright idea of writing a fan letter to Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut in Russian.

What I intended to say was:

"Dear Olga. Congratulations on your recent victory. I saw you on television recently, and really enjoyed your performance."

Only after sending my letter, however, did I find out that what I had actually written was this:

"Dear Olga. Congratulations on your recent spoilage. I saw you on top of my television set recently, and really enjoyed your performance."

So I would imagine that similar difficulties may exist in translating Russian into English.

Thanks for sharing that personal experience, RickInSanJose. Hopefully Olga Korbut realized that you were an American fan and not a native Russian speaker/ writer. Yes, ITA, there are lots cultural and language differences that tend to get lost in translation.

[SamuraiK]

Oh please, let Leonova and anyone for that matter, speak her mind and stop treating ladies skating as a pageant contest where they have to be little princess and role models of PR. I much prefer ro read sincere interviews like this (and most of russian interviews ), where she's not really offending anyone, just stating doesn't like to be in a certain place, and gives honest reasons instead of the usual crap like "I only want to skate for myself or to do my best".

[AndyWarhol]

As I said, even if she doesn't like traveling, she doesn't have to moan about the food at the Olympics and being stuck ninety minutes from the beach. There are lots of skaters who would gladly make do, given the opportunity.

I'd take moaning over "i loved this experience bla bla bla" likes that we usually get.

[Cherub721]

As I said, even if she doesn't like traveling, she doesn't have to moan about the food at the Olympics and being stuck ninety minutes from the beach.

She doesn't have to, but she can.

There are lots of skaters who would gladly make do, given the opportunity.

Including Leonova herself. She made do by finding other food at the Olympics, going shopping and to the movies instead of the beach, and arranging to fly to the USA a few days after the rest of Morozov's group for Worlds and working on the list of tasks he gave her.

[berthesghost]

Oh please, let Leonova and anyone for that matter, speak her mind and stop treating ladies skating as a pageant contest where they have little princess and role models of PR. I much prefer ro read sincere interviews like this (and most of russian interviews ), where she's not really offending anyone, just stating doesn't like to be in a certain place, and gives honest reasons instead of the usual crap like "I only want to skate for myself or to do my best".

This cracked me up. First, because she was obviously goaded into saying something anti USA which is exactly how all of these interviewers go, and she gave a standard compliance answer like they always do, so in fact both cultures give exactly which stock answers are expected of them and are therefore equal. Secondly, I too love "honesty" because it's how's these people are. Her "honest" answer was dull, uninsightful and uninteresting, quite like her skating.

[Wyliefan]

Yeah, the interviewer really asked her a leading question there. I was a little surprised by just how leading it was!

[FunnyBut]

Except she really has to look at her own programs before publicly dissing her competitors and saying she isn't impressed at their programs. When was her last masterpiece?

Well, Kostner is quite modern and abstract , while Leonova is 'hit you in the head with a hammer' Literal. When Leonova skates to pirate music, every movement her clothing, her face constantly remind you, she's a PIRATE! Why do some funky transition when you can get to the same place by doing a few crossovers with a big pirate face? it's not surprising that Kostner mostly loses her.