In the Army Now

Navy slang, driving a Corvette, and marine initiation rituals – In the Army Now Ep.9

After two days of gruelling training aboard the corvette “Grad Sviyazhsk”, Anna and Pavel are entrusted with navigation. Given her experience of driving in Moscow traffic, Anna is convinced that operating a ship at sea will be a piece of cake. The resulting manoeuvres, however, don't go to plan: they make her seasick and she fears that Pavel may have broken the ship. 

Related: The adventures and challenges of serving in the Russian Baltic Fleet

Once the situation is under control, the two brush up on their navy slang. It turns out that Russian naval officers aboard a ship have different words even for ordinary objects. Using the wrong terminology would not only mark them out as rookies, such a misstep could also cause a misunderstanding and even serious offence. In learning the lingo, Anna and Pavel also familiarise themselves with naval traditions and ship etiquette.

Related: On board the Russian research vessel heading to the Arctic Circle

Armed with their new knowledge, Pavel and Anna are now ready to join the crew. The final step is to undergo an initiation ceremony… a trial which involves drinking a considerable amount of sea water.