Maria says she was born in Tersk. Among the local Kalmyks there were no Buzavas or Derbets. The Kalmyks used Russian to communicate with their neighbors, including Chechens and Cossacks. Kalmyk and Chechen men get along well and they drank vodka together. 20 kilometers from where they lived was the so-called Mozdok Bazaar where traders were mainly Cherkassy. It took about 3 hours to get there by horse from where Marie lived. The Kalmyks in Tersk kept livestock: sheep, cows, horses, and camels. All wore traditional clothes. Since childhood, Maria played the dombra. At parties the youth only sang and danced; nobody drank. People also played on the flute. Mutton was the staple. Kalmyks also ate chicken and baked bread inside hot ashes. Maria’s family moved to Kalmykia in 1942. The journey on carts took about a week.