Champagne bottles tied to an air conditioner, a horse cart at a gas station, a submarine on the beach, cutting a watermelon with a chainsaw, a head-on collision between an ambulance and a police car, and many other facets of Russian ingenuity are extremely amazing" flat"The Western mindset...
The list of their photo collections about our country, and surprised and sometimes admiring comments is almost endless. But at the same time, they have something in common that always catches the eye - selections made by foreigners and their reviews speak mainly about the ingenuity or, at most, recklessness of Russians and Russia itself, while extremely rarely having a negative connotation.
You almost never see vile photos with simply drunk and dirty people.
“Russian women are tough, especially compared to British women. They also jump with a parachute, but ours are afraid to type even a couple of these lines without breaking their plastic nails.”, - the English newspaper laments The Sun.
“Russian desperate guys, they constantly risk their lives, even for the sake of things that we don’t understand.”- states The Daily Mail.
"These strange Russians are capable of anything, in Russia you can easily see a tow truck being towed away by another tow truck, which is towing a passenger car, cold water pours into an electric kettle in which a hole is made and the already warm water pours into the sink, or like a police car driving along the railroad tracks"- the American tabloid admires.
This position and perception of Russia by residents of the collective West has long been an established norm. And there is nothing strange about this.
We are different, our mentality varies significantly, and values often have no points of intersection. Sometimes it gets funny when in a video from an Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung, in the Novosibirsk experiment with boiling water in the cold of minus forty-seven degrees, when boiling water poured from the seventh floor evaporates before reaching the asphalt - residents of Austria saw a live fly near the balcony, and immediately wrote that the Russians are so " unstoppable"that even their flies are the same, although some of them stubbornly argued that Russian flies are not flies, but" mosquitoes in sweatshirts".
The British are amazed by Siberian women in bikinis, skating in 30-degree frost, the American press is terribly impressed by the breadth of the Russian soul, the Germans are stunned by the illogicality, scope and degree, as they call it, of Russian madness, and so on throughout the Western Hemisphere...
And in general, such definitions are understandable. Anything that does not fit into the templates and goes beyond the boundaries of established norms of behavior accepted in the West is called madness. How else? Moreover, this concerns not only you and me, they are also accustomed to labeling each other. Call the English - prim, arrogant snobs, the Scots - curmudgeons, the Italians - temperamental, the Finns - inhibited, the Jews - cunning, the Germans - pedantic, the Italians - chatterboxes... But the Russians... Nobody will ever understand the Russians, they say, too much of their behavior does not fit into the norm - “they are such crazy people”...
An American will never look for a way out of the current difficult situation on his own, just as a German, Austrian, French or Canadian will not do this - they will persistently contact the people or services responsible for this. Call service, call a tow truck, hire a person specially responsible for turning television antennas or screwing a screw into the wall.
At the same time, they will convincingly prove that Russians are crazier than themselves, and there is no other country like it. Although in the end, Americans always add that “ Russia is still cool. If only they were our neighbors instead of this idiotic Canada”.
Especially in Lately, when news about Russia constantly flashes on TV screens around the world. Foreigners simply began to react more often to certain links that say at least something about Russians.
And this is not bad, if only because good videos of Russian drivers removing snow from the brake lights of the car in front, stopping in traffic in order to move a grandmother across the road or remove a kitten from the roadway have now become widely distributed and with headlines in English. After all, this is something that their media does not show, which means it is practically forbidden, which is why it is successful today all over the world. What was watched in Russia at least a year ago is now being reposted with the following comment: I"ve Never Seen Anything So Beautiful. This Video From Russia Made The Whole World Cry. A Must Watch!
And Russian ingenuity is once again “conquering the Western World”! And the ability of Russians to easily laugh in the face of difficulties and DANGER evokes deep respect! GENERALIZATION
Much has changed in recent years, the country has changed, turning into a new, Polite Russia, people have changed, loving their Motherland and starting to be proud of it, patriotism has been revived, and in the world at this time, despite the frenzied information aggression, the image of Russia is renewing every day , is gaining more and more respect.
This is noticeable even in small ways, because all the photographs given in the article are exclusively from American, British and Austrian sites, forums, and collections, and the comments of users who viewed them have a positive color.
Americans are crazy too n_tongue: Challenge breeds excellence... / robin yates: I much prefer Russian crazy because they laugh while they are being crazy (I prefer Russian "crazy" because they laugh during their craziness ). And so on...
However, of course, there are other collections of this kind, including in English with the most negative content, they can usually be found on Russian resources, and the people posting them, in nine cases out of ten, are current Ukrainians, Latvians, Poles, etc. further, which is extremely unpleasant, since these photos are selections for the Western average, deliberately containing exclusively drunken Russians of the 90s, dirt, destroyed houses and indecent awkward moments. However, the Internet has no boundaries, and on one of these forums with deliberately denigrating content, a user from our country named “Tamara” left her review; I would like to quote her comment in full and without changes.
Go to....! You photographed all the craziest things that have ever happened in Russia! You, everyone who does this, are pi....rs. This is “shit” about us! We were the first to fly into space, we invented anesthesia, you will never learn our language and you will never break our will! You won't survive what we went through! You will choke on your negativity. We don't give up, dumbasses. Our women are the most beautiful, and our men are real. And no one will break us.I want live in Russia! It is a great country!
I’ll just add to what was said above and remind all our ill-wishers of the words of the President of Russia:
The older generation has not yet forgotten that in the Soviet Union, to put it mildly, trips of ordinary citizens abroad were not welcomed. Few people visited us from that side either. These difficulties have led to the emergence of biased and one-sided ideas about Russia, summed up in three words - vodka,
bears, matryoshka. Hollywood, which was very popular among all segments of the population, also played an important role in strengthening the impartial opinion of our country. By the way, in those years, few people singled out Ukraine, Kazakhstan or another republic separately. We were all Russian to foreigners. Now there is no longer an Iron Curtain. Russians travel freely around the world, demonstrating there, “over the hill,” what our nation is. Millions of tourists also come to us, see with their own eyes how we live, and get acquainted with our culture.
What do foreigners think about Russia now? How much has their opinion changed? Some public organizations and ubiquitous journalists conduct surveys from time to time, but the answers of citizens from friendly and unfriendly countries vary greatly. This depends primarily on the purpose of their visit. One thing is said about Russia by tourists who come here for a couple of days with an excursion group and visit only the attractions noted in the program in an organized manner. They only see what the tourist guides want them to see. Foreigners working in Russia, studying here, and everyone who lives with us can tell something completely different. long time, and the impressions of those living in the capital and in the outback are radically different. And the foreigners themselves are also different. The opinions of Americans or Germans about our country, for example, differ in many ways from the opinions of Nigerians, Chinese or Mexicans. But all foreign guests are united in one thing: Russia is huge; it takes years to get to know and understand it.
Russians and alcohol
There is an opinion in the Western world that our nation is an incredible drinker. Almost all Europeans, Americans, and Asians talk about this in one interpretation or another. But if you look at WHO statistics, Russia is not in first, not second, or even third place in terms of alcohol consumption per capita. Even the reserved Balts have overtaken us on this issue. And yet, foreigners say about life in Russia that they drink a lot here. They are especially surprised why we can drink anywhere - in a restaurant, at a banquet, in a park on a bench, or just on the street. Law enforcement officers do not stop this, passers-by remain indifferent. Perhaps that's why we all seem like such drinkers to them? And foreigners cannot understand why you can even buy low-quality alcohol in our store, because it is dangerous to health. They are also surprised that in Russia the reason for drinking can be the most trivial, and the process that began with “a hundred for health” often develops into a large-scale drinking binge and drags on until late at night, and almost always well-received Russians begin to have intellectual conversations about politics and the meaning of life, although, being sober, they try to avoid these topics. Over there, “over the hill,” only sober people talk about such topics, and when they drink, they just have fun or talk about their real or fictitious victories.
Many foreigners, looking at our drinkers, cannot understand: are Russians really so rich that they can find the means to buy so much alcohol? And most importantly, how do they calmly go to work the next day after drinking heavily?
Russians and order
For our people, as they say, laws are not written. We are used to this and no longer notice how we are constantly violating something somewhere. But they notice. Foreigners say about life in Russia that here it is the norm or even an obligation not to follow the rules if there is no punishment for it. For them, on the contrary, it is considered the norm to follow the established rules, even when there is no control nearby. Russian people, without the slightest doubt, cross the road at a red light if, according to their calculations, it is still far from a moving car, on subway platforms they constantly go beyond the limit line, although this is life-threatening, they leave their cars in inconvenient places just to avoid paying for parking. Foreigners are surprised why there are dozens of cash registers in supermarkets if only one or two are open, despite the queues forming in them. They don’t understand why our roads are patched when it rains, and heating systems begin to be repaired when it’s cold. And how the traffic cops serving in the roadside bushes amaze motorists from abroad!
Regarding safety, foreigners have different opinions about life in Russia. People from crime-prone Latin America, Tanzania, South Africa, and Sudan believe that there is heavenly calm on our evening and night streets. Europeans, on the contrary, are sure that Russian cities are quite restless. Even if nothing and no one threatens life, you can easily lose property or be drawn into a scandal. At the same time, the streets are always full of patrolling policemen, so, logically, order should be ideal.
Russians and wealth
Previously, in the USSR everyone was approximately equal. Now in our society there has been a division between the poor and the rich. Everything is like they have in their distant America and Europe, only with a Russian flavor. What surprises foreigners about our rich people? The fact that most of them are proud of their new status, build houses with several floors not in order to live there, but simply for prestige, shop only in the most expensive stores, buy expensive cars in order to seem even more significant and significant. Moreover, if there are traffic jams on the roads (and in large cities they constantly exist), our rich people will wait for hours, get nervous, be late, but will never go down to the subway, because this is below their newly-minted status. There is no such thing abroad. There, even company directors can come to work today without the slightest damage to their image. expensive car, tomorrow - by city bus, and the day after tomorrow - by bicycle. The rich there see nothing wrong with visiting regular supermarkets, and they willingly buy promotional items.
Russians and feminism
It is no secret that foreign grooms willingly choose our young ladies as wives. Foreign men say about Russia that the issue of equality is not as pressing here as, for example, in America. There, most women try to prove their independence, which is why their femininity suffers. They pay for themselves in restaurants and react painfully if they are helped to open the door or given a hand when getting off a vehicle. There, women, when creating a family, are primarily guided by material considerations and rush to draw up a marriage contract. Most Russian women are not like that yet.
Although their willpower and spirit are no weaker than those of the same American women, they like to appear weak. feels himself more of a man than in his homeland, because our women do not in the least prevent him from asserting himself. They are grateful for any help from men, even if they can cope with the problem perfectly well without them. When agreeing to become a wife, our beauties are first of all interested in whether the chosen one loves them, and only then in second place they put the question of where and with whom he works, what prospects he has in the service. Some foreigners are surprised by the abundance of flower shops on the streets Russian cities. They wonder why it is so important for our women that their lover shows up on a date with flowers, and why there must always be an odd number of flowers in a bouquet.
Russians and culture
Russia, through the eyes of foreign tourists, is simply beautiful in this regard. Mostly excursion groups visit St. Petersburg and Moscow, and there are the most famous sights. It is not surprising that all the interviewed excursionists spoke with delight about the Hermitage, the Winter Palace, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Intercession Cathedral, and Red Square. Many foreign citizens, even the culturally advanced French, are surprised by the fact that people of all ages love to visit museums and galleries, and you can often meet couples in love there. It is difficult for Italians, Spaniards, and Americans to imagine their date with a girl not in a restaurant or even in a movie, but, for example, in an art gallery.
Almost all foreigners talk about Russia, always mentioning our Bolshoi Theater and wonderful ballet. Many girls from friendly countries dream of studying at a Russian ballet school.
Foreign guests are very surprised by the love of Russians for reading. In our subway and trains, in the park on benches and in public transport, ordinary printed books and newspapers are still read, although young people can more often be seen with tablets and iPhones.
Abroad, among those who have never been to Russia, there is still an opinion that here men play balalaikas, and women lead round dances. Some foreigners who visited our country were surprised that they were not able to see Russian folklore at all, which they were told so much about.
Russians and food
Foreigners very often talk about life in Russia, remembering our dumplings (or huge ravioli), our borscht (or red soup), pancakes with meat, the most delicious black caviar in the world. Foreign gourmets don't like jellied meat. Many people do not understand how such a dish can be eaten. Even more unflattering words about okroshka. As foreigners think, this is everything that is on the table, collected and mixed in one pan.
Our compatriots who had the opportunity to visit abroad recall that there was not an abundance of food on the table, although there was enough for everyone. Russia, through the eyes of foreigners, looks, of course, somewhat differently than Russians see it. The former sometimes consider it a fairly rich power, because all our feasts are held on a grand scale, regardless of the occasion and the material wealth of the people organizing them. For some reason, it is very important for a Russian person to set the table with dishes with all kinds of salads, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese and sausage slices, fried chicken legs and other food. Half of it is not eaten and is thrown away, to the amazement of foreign guests.
Those foreigners who traveled around Russia by train cannot understand why our people, as soon as the train starts moving, begin to take out a bunch of food from their bags, as if they want to eat on the road for the rest of their lives.
Russians and friendliness
Almost all foreign guests remember with kind words our sincere Russian hospitality. Some of the foreigners interviewed hitchhiked around Russia, asking to stay with ordinary residents rather than staying in hotels. They all tell what a wonderful welcome they received, how they put a lot of food on the table, put them to bed in a clean bed, and even specially heated the bathhouse. The next morning, these random people became the best friends of the foreign guest.
However, in general, foreigners call all Russians gloomy and believe that ours is to blame for this harsh climate. They say that in our subway, in a store, or just on the street, you very rarely see smiling men, women, young people, and old people. The situation changes dramatically when you turn to Russian people, for example, with a question of how to find their way. The sullenness immediately disappears, replaced by a sincere desire to help.
Russians and business
It is approximately clear how tourists see our country. What do foreigners who live and work here think about Russia? The Chinese believe that we have very strict rules, decent salaries, high prices and a strong-willed president. They call Putin a wonderful ruler, almost like their Xi Jinping.
Europeans and Americans who work as managers or leading specialists in our country believe that in Russia wages are below average and prices are prohibitively high, even for goods that should be cheap, such as gasoline (after all, we have many oil wells).
You can read about the sights of Moscow and St. Petersburg on any website on the Internet, but learning something about the Russian mentality, habits and characteristics can be a difficult task for foreigners. They satisfy their curiosity with the help of the popular global service YahooAnswers - in the section dedicated to Russia. Some foreigners ask questions, other foreigners answer them and share their impressions.
What are they, Russians? If in general?
— I’m originally from England, but I spent some time in Russia. Since I came from a country where everyone was polite, Russians seemed rude to me at first - they didn’t stand in line, didn’t say thank you and please, didn’t give me change (but instead put it on a small saucer), didn’t answer the question "what time is it now?" But in reality, these are just cultural differences, and when you get to know Russians better, you realize that they are the warmest and friendliest people on earth.
It seems to me that mostly they are not materialistic and very simple. They love to socialize: in England, people go to the pub to get drunk, and in Russia - to chat with friends, throw back a couple of glasses and eat a little (food, by the way, helps absorb alcohol, so, unlike the British, Russians do not turn into disgusting people by the morning pathetic drunkards).
Russians can be very stubborn (don't get into an argument with a Russian!). When I studied there, I often met Russians who always wanted to teach an Englishman how to drink vodka correctly (you need to drink a little, then eat dried meat, pickled cucumber or silotka).
Russians are very educated, they know a lot about science and culture, and they are also patriots and proud of their country.
It is generally accepted that Russian women are the most beautiful in the world. This is not true: Russian women appear this way because they put a lot of effort into looking like this. It seems that in Russia a woman will not leave the house until she is convinced that she looks stunning. And since in Russia people walk a lot (people have fewer cars than in the West; and even if they have a car, the parking lot is 30 minutes from the right place), Russians are thinner. (byfilski666)
What things should you not do in Russia?
- Never tell a Russian that it was America that won World War II. Russians, despite the fact that they are not very happy with their country, become very patriotic if a foreigner is nearby. Therefore, remember: Russia is the best in everything (or at least no worse). (byNoName)
- Don’t shout “Slavaameriku” in the club. And don't slow down in the subway doors. (bySqueaky P)
What can you say about Russian men?
— Most of them are more educated than Americans, Canadians and Europeans. They know a lot of things and therefore prefer to date smart girls. Russian men are gentlemen. They ALWAYS pay in a restaurant, open and hold the door, carry bags, give you a hand when you go down the stairs or get out of the car, give you flowers and nice gifts on your birthday, and walk you home. In my opinion, to summarize, Russian men are some of the best in the world. They are attached to their mothers (I think this is even good, because it is different from the “mommy syndrome” of Italian guys).
Now a little about the disadvantages. About 80 percent of Russian men have lovers on the side, and this is not a myth. In this case, their advantage is that, unlike many other men who hide it, Russians honestly admit it. Often Russian guys, especially from poor families, can hit their girlfriend. But cases of domestic violence are not even reported to the police. (byKatie)
— To summarize, all the Russian men I know are very well educated and have a good sense of humor. And they are all a little macho. By the way, speaking of machoism, I heard that Russian men are sexist and treat women poorly, and Russian culture is very patriarchal. But I haven't encountered this.
As for the disadvantages of Russian men... It seems to me that when you first meet them, they seem a little intimidating. But perhaps it seems to me as an American - I’m used to friendly and smiling faces. (byRozmin)
Why are Russians so rude?
— In Russian culture, friendship and openness to strangers (even Russians) seem to be something difficult to achieve. In English we have the word friend, which means that we know someone very well, and the word acquaintance, if we know the person superficially. There are many such words in the Russian language - dryug, znakomi, neznakomi and so on. What I mean is that in the West we can easily call someone a “friend”, although in fact we do not consider the person to be a real Friend. In Russia, people are more distant from a person until they really know him well.
For example, when I was in Russia, it was difficult for me to become friends with other men, because in their understanding, male friends are those with whom they went to school or served in the army, or work colleagues. If you are not one of them, it will not be easy for you to become a friend of a Russian.
Russian culture, as well as Russian society, has been separated from other cultures for a long time. During Soviet times, communication with a foreigner could lead to surveillance by the KGB. And only in recent years has the attitude towards foreigners in Russia changed, but a certain distance still sits in people’s heads.
Russians, even abroad, love to hang out with other Russians. They are not easy to approach, but after a while this armor can be cracked. We just need to understand that our cultures are different and try to understand each other. (by Alejandro J)
What one word would you use to describe Russia?
— Dangerous (by NONAME)
— Enormous (Aidazzle)
— Putin (Curious George)
— Mysterious (Misanthropist)
— Mafia (JorgeS)
— Threatening (CC)
— Wide (Michael)
— Comrade (Cruz)
— Cold (Jan Luv)
Is it dangerous to be a tourist in Russia?
“It infuriates me so much when the North American authorities print all sorts of booklets about safety precautions.” It is much safer to come to Russia than to most American cities. Yes, in Russia you will have to deal with intrusive taxi drivers and some communication problems (since Russians like to pretend that they don’t understand English), but otherwise everything will be fine. Mexico, for example, is much more dangerous. (byBojanJankovic)
— Russia is not a third world country. Of course it's not dangerous there. (byEmily)
— My dentist was in Russia. Everything was going great until someone was killed in his hotel. (byNoPoaching)
— Be careful when you catch a taxi. If you do get into a taxi, try not to show anything expensive (for example, a good camera). If something is stolen from you, it cannot be returned. The police will not help you, even if you speak a little Russian. (bymeowser)
— I lived in Russia for 6.5 years because my parents were missionaries. And nothing has ever happened to me. The worst thing that can happen is that something could be stolen from you. (bydbnow88)
What do Russians look like?
— Google “Russian soldiers” and you will see what typical Russian men look like now. Russians are slightly different from North Americans: they have a different forehead shape - they have more pronounced brow ridges (like primitive people). All Russian men have big hands, a wide chest and a big belly. (byMADMADMAN)
— I would say that white Russian people look exactly the same as white Americans. (byPaul)
What do you know about Russia?
- Vodka, babushkas, pies. Fur hats and hot girls. Cold and bombs. And spies. Mafia. Crazy dictators. Putin and his tiger. And all my Russian friends really love parties.(byjen415)
1. Babushka’s (Grandmothers) often center of families. Take care of children and are tough. They will take no grief from anyone. They will push you on Metro or out of way at store to get to front of line.
Grandmothers often play a central role in the family. They raise children and have difficult characters. They won't spare anyone. They jostle on the subway and in stores to get to the front of the line.
2. Russia is a child centered society. Most absolutely love their children. Children become a good discussion point, when you have become friends.
Russian society is child-oriented. Most people adore their children. Children are a good topic of conversation when you become friends.
3. The new Russians have a different set of values than older Russians. They are often focused upon conspicuous consumption and acquisition.
Young (new) Russians have a different value system from the value system of the older generation. Young people are focused on consumption and acquisition.
4. This is difficult period for pensioners. The are often poor, resentful of government inaction and afraid that society has left them behind, and questioning if anyone still appreciates their contributions.
These are difficult times for retirees. They are often poor, resentful of the state's inaction and fear that society has abandoned them, and also wonder whether anyone needs them at all.
5. Role of “Kitchen Culture” You have been accepted into Russian society, when you can sit late at night in a Russian kitchen with borscht bread, vodka and discuss philosophy. Be prepared for longer and more intense personal discussions than most Americans are accustomed to.
The role of “Kitchen culture”. Consider that you are accepted into Russian society if you sit late in the evening in a Russian kitchen with borscht, bread, vodka and philosophize. Be prepared to have longer, more in-depth personal conversations than most Americans are used to.
6. You will see war memorials in each city...and veterans with their ribbons. The war killed one of three people in many places and was shaping event for that generation. Russians have great difficulty understanding why we pay so little attention to past wars.
You will see war memorials in every city... and veterans with their awards. The war killed one in three people in many places and was a formative event for that generation. It's hard for Russians to understand why we pay so little attention to past wars.
7. If you are invited to homes, bring candy, flowers or a bottle of wine or liquor. Never refuse an invitation to a home or dacha. It is in homes that you really get to know people.
If you are invited to visit, bring candy, flowers or a bottle of alcohol. Never refuse an invitation to visit or to your dacha. It's when you're visiting that you really get to know people.
8. Remember March 8th, which is International Women’s Day. You will give gifts to the women in our office. If you are either working in Russia or with them on teams, remember to give gifts or congratulate them on that day.
Remember March 8, International Women's Day. You will need to give gifts to women at work. If you work in Russia or in a team with Russians, do not forget to give gifts and congratulations on this day.
9. Little business is done in last half of December or first part of January and half of May during holidays. Plan ahead on your projects knowing that many are on holiday or not in office. It is the worst time to schedule meetings.
Little work is done in the second half of December, the first half of January and the first half of May, during the holidays. Make a schedule in advance, knowing that many are not at work these days. This worst time for scheduling meetings.
10. Don’t forget thirteen day difference in holidays between Julian and Gregorian calendars…for Russian Christmas.
Don't forget about the thirteen-day difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars... because of Russian Christmas.
11. Number of Russian traditions. These include:
Russian traditions. Include:
* Leave your shoes at doors of homes or apartments, They will give you slippers. It is rude to walk barefoot or in stocking feet.
Take off your shoes near doors in houses and apartments. They will give you slippers. It is indecent to walk barefoot or in socks.
* Do not give a birthday card early, but at party or later. If you give it early, it is considered bad luck.
Don't give greeting cards in advance, give them on a holiday or after. Giving cards in advance is unlucky.
* Never, ever forget a Russian birthday. It is a major event.
Never forget about Russian birthdays. This is an important event.
* You are expected to have the ability to present toasts during events as well as knowing anecdotes. Russians have one of the most visible senses of humor of any nation.
You are expected to be able to make toasts during celebrations, as well as know jokes. Russians have a distinct sense of humor compared to other nations.
* You are expected to be able to discuss art, literature and culture. Russians view Americans as lacking in culture. Russians read three times as many books as we do. Even if poor, in book stores concerts and read newspapers and books on Metro. You will se many children take out a book as soon as they sit down on Metro.
You are expected to discuss art, literature and culture. Russians believe that American culture is poorer. Russians read three times more than us. Even if the poor, in bookstores, read newspapers and books on the subway. You will see many children who take out a book as soon as they get on the subway.
* Never shake hands across a threshold. It is considered bad luck and many believe it will lead to an argument.
Don't say goodbye over the threshold. This is unfortunate and many believe it will lead to a quarrel.
* Never shake hands with your gloves on. It is an insult.
Do not shake gloved hands. This is offensive.
* Never make sign “Ok” with fingers. It is considered very low class and rude.
Never show the “OK” sign. It is considered low and rude.
* Avoid the peace sign “V” with second and third fingers and palm facing inward. It is the same as giving them a finger.
Avoid the “V” gesture with the index and middle finger inward. This is the same as showing a fact.
* It is best to give a thumbs up if you approve or really like something…
The best way is to give a thumbs up if you confirm something or like something
* Never criticize Russian history or society. They wish to forget some eras and Russians wish to be proud of their history and heritage.
Never criticize Russian history and society. They want to forget some times and Russians want to be proud of their history and heritage.
* Never tell them how America is more advanced. In many cases now, it is not true.
Never say that America is a more advanced country. Nowadays, in many cases, this is not the case.
* Never use profanity, especially around women. You will lose all credibility and be seen a low class.
Don't express yourself, especially in front of ladies. You will lose all credibility and will be perceived as a lowlife.
* Never sound like we are lecturing them. They wish to be seen as equals and resent greatly if someone appears to be better.
Speak in such a way that it does not seem as if you are lecturing them. They want to speak as equals and are very offended when someone seems better.
*When in Russian churches, women should wear scarves and conservative dresses.
In Russian churches, women should wear headscarves and modest clothing.
* It is considered bad luck to light a cigar from a candle on a restaurant table.
It is believed that lighting a cigarette from a candle in a restaurant is unlucky.
* Monday is considered a bad to begin a journey or business venture.
Monday is considered a bad day to start a business or train.
* A cat should be the first creature to cross the threshold of a new home.
The cat must be the first to cross the threshold of the new home.
* Women should never sit at the corner of a dinner table. It is felt they will never marry for seven years. It is also felt that such bad luck will come to men.
A woman should not sit on the corner of the table. It is believed that after this she will not marry for seven years. It is also believed that a similar misfortune will happen to a man.
* Spitting three times over one’s shoulders prevents bad news.
Spitting over your shoulder three times prevents bad news.
* Russians rarely point or wag a finger at others across a table. Never point or gesture with your knife or any implement during dinner. It is the height of rudeness and bad breeding.
Russians rarely point or wag their fingers at others at the table. Do not point with your finger, knife or other cutlery while eating. This is very rude and ill-mannered.
* If offered seconds, always accept, even if a portion is small. It is an insult to refuse.
If they offer you a supplement, don’t refuse at least a small portion. It is insulting to refuse.
* If you are seated before the other guests arrive, arise to be introduced to them. Do not remain seated.
If you were sitting before someone entered, stand up to greet them. Don't sit.
* When giving flower, remember to give an odd number of roses or flowers. Do not give an even number.
When giving flowers, give an odd number of roses or flowers. Don't give an even number.
* Do not wear bluejeans or t-shirts to a home of a business associate but can wear these to a dacha.
Don't wear jeans and a T-shirt when you go to visit a business partner, but you can dress like this when you go to the country.
* Snapping your finger against your neck indicates that someone else has or will be drinking alcohol.
Snapping your fingers on the neck means that someone has drunk or is about to drink.
* Do not speak or laugh too loudly in public.
Don't talk or laugh too loudly in public.
*Never pour wine backhanded. This is insulting.
Don't pour wine over your hand. This is not appropriate.
* Do not wear your outdoor coat indoors.
Do not wear outerwear indoors.
* Do not have luncheons on park laws.
Don't have a picnic on the lawn.
* Always sit quietly for a moment of joint silence, if leaving for trip.
Sit in silence for a while before going late (on the road, I mean).
* Knock on wood three times to avoid bad luck.
Knock on the wood three times to avoid trouble.
12. If you are invited for dinner make no other plans for that evening. You will be there a long time.
If you are invited to visit, do not plan anything for the evening. You'll be there for a long time.
13. Toast are always for the hostess first, then for women and then for others. When you are ready to leave, there will be order of “passashock”, which have a historical tradition to them. After toasts. clink glasses, unless you had non–alcoholic beverage in glass.
The first toast is always to the hostess, then to the women, then to the others. When you are about to leave, it will be the turn of the “poshka”, which is a historical tradition. After the toast, clink glasses if you have an alcoholic drink.
14. Always reconfirm all appointments.
Always confirm appointments. (meaning check again if everything is in force)
15. At concerts and events, applause will be rhythmic to show approval.
At concerts and events, applause will be rhythmic to show approval.
16. Russians will be aware of every person playing in the NHL, and often the NBA but will be completely baffled by American football(real football is soccer) or baseball. You will never be able to fully explain the rules of baseball, so try and learn something about hockey or basketball.
Russians know about every player in the NHL, and often the NBA, but they know nothing about American football or baseball. It's unlikely you'll be able to fully explain the rules of baseball, so try to learn something about hockey or basketball.
17. Russians love to fish. If you are a fisherperson, or often a hunter, you are on the path to being considered a good human being in Russia.
Russians love fishing. If you are a fisherman or hunter, you are on your way to being considered a good person in Russia.
18. Nothing is ever really considered broken in Russia, but simply has not yet been fixed.. This is true of cars, machines, etc. Russian are extremely innovative, because for years had to fix everything with no spare parts.
Nothing is considered permanently broken. It is believed that everything can be fixed somehow. The Russians are super-inventive, they managed without spare parts for years and everything worked.
19. Russians often consider payoffs to service people as normal. It included a bottle to the plumber, payments to the doctor for special treatment. The concept of “blat”..It is better to have 100 friends than 100 rubles.
For Russians, remuneration for work is normal. This includes a bottle to the plumber, a reward to the doctor for special treatment. The concept of “blata”. Don't have 100 rubles, but have 100 friends.
20. The true Russian comes out at the dacha(summerhouse). Potatoes and vegetables are planted and bottled. Like our lake houses. “Shashlik” made by men, with special recipes. Now developing year round places near cities. Often, the families will move to dacha for the summer.
A real Russian goes to his dacha (summer house). Potatoes and vegetables are planted and watered. Just like in our cottages. “Shashlik” is prepared by men according to special recipes. Now houses are being made all year round. Often, families go to the dacha for the whole summer.
21. Russians do not like lines. Will often push ahead to get to front.
Russians don't like queues. They often push to get forward.
22. You will see many women standing in apartment yards, gossiping and taking care of their children. The concept of “doing lunch” with other women is new and often limited to upper classes.
You will see many women walking in the courtyards of houses, gossiping and walking with children. The principle of going out for lunch to chat has so far only caught on among the cream of society.
23. People watch television, but don’t believe what they see or read. They understand that information is controlled, but believe that is the normal way of life, which they have always known and don’t have many other choices.
People watch TV but don't believe what they see and read. They understand that information is controlled, but they believe that this is normal, it has always been this way, and there is not much choice.
24. Russians will not share secrets with strangers. There is a tradition of not speaking openly on the phone, if possible, but rather in person. There is a strong feeling that much information is private and they will share it only if they have become trusted.
Russians don't share their secrets with strangers. Traditionally, people do not speak openly on the phone, preferring a personal meeting. A lot of information is considered private and they will only share it with you if they trust you.
25. There is a zero sum mentality among many Russians. Often difficult to get different groups to work together, because they feel their ideas or position will be stolen.
The Russian mentality is a zero-sum game (meaning that a Russian must either win or lose, there can be no compromise). It is often difficult to get different groups to work together because they feel that their ideas and positions will be stolen by someone else.
26. Russians have seen little benefit in Democracy and much of capitalism is seen as benefiting small groups of elites or criminals.
Russians have seen little good from democracy and in general capitalism is perceived as benefiting a small layer of elite and criminals.
27. Dancing in restaurants very popular. There will be guards to throw out drunks by about 10:00. This also cuts down on fight between drunks.
Dancing is popular in restaurants. There will also be security guards who will throw out drunks around 10 p.m. Sometimes it ends in a fight between drunks.
28. Russians love to walk, even in winter in the center of Moscow and other cities.
Russians love to walk, even in winter, in the center of Moscow and other cities.
29. Russians love ice cream, even in the coldest parts of the year.
Russians love ice cream even in the coldest times of the year.
30. As part of wedding celebrations go to Sparrows Hill near Moscow State University or to Eternal Flame at Kremlin. Actual ceremonies very small with larger wedding parties following.
Part of the wedding ceremony is a trip to the Sparrow Hills near Moscow State University or to Eternal Flame near the Kremlin. The actual ceremonies are quite short, but they are followed by extensive parties.
31. Many of the new rich have homes in London, Spain, Cyprus and France.
Many nouveau riche have homes in London, Spain, Cyprus and France.
32. It is considered sign of middle class success to go abroad two or three times per year.
A sign of belonging to the middle class is traveling abroad 2-3 times a year.
33. Many Russian women believe Russian men are lazy or won’t cook or help around the house, or drink too much.
Many Russian women believe that a Russian man is lazy, will not cook or help around the house, or drinks a lot.
34. Many women have had abortions–Do not see this as moral or political issue and cannot understand why Americans discuss the issue.
Many of the women who have had abortions do not see it as a political or moral issue and do not understand why Americans are discussing this issue.
35. Many Russians are strongly anti-homosexual, but have known gay clubs and public officials.
Many Russians are actively against homosexuality, despite the presence of well-known gay clubs and public figures.
36. See government as separate from citizens, not as “We the people” are the government.
The authorities are perceived separately from the citizens, and “We are the people” is not the authority.
37. Just developing the concept of long term credit and mortgages on houses and cars. Often pay fully or in two parts for houses.
The idea of using long-term loans and mortgages to buy cars and houses is just starting to take hold. Home purchases are often paid for in one or two installments.
38. Still strong fear of failure. See failure as end and not just bump in road.
Still afraid of making mistakes/losing. See failure as the end of the road, not a pothole.
39. Love to have guests at homes or at dachas, but usually need to call ahead and set future time, rather than just dropping in because you were in neighborhood.
They like to receive guests at home or in the country, but it is usually advisable to call and notify about your visit in advance and set a time, rather than just stopping by simply because you happen to be in the neighborhood.
40. Make appointments but reconfirm a few days before, the day before appointment, and often even the day of meeting.
Make appointments, but confirm them several days before the day of the meeting, and often on the day of the meeting itself.
41. Touching and walking arm in arm is considered acceptable for friends both male and female.
Walking hand in hand is considered normal among friends, regardless of gender.
42. Russians rarely speak with people they don’t know on streets or metro, not like small town Minnesota.
Russians rarely strike up a conversation with people they don't know on the street or on the subway, unlike small towns in Minnesota.
43. Coats are kept at the “gardarobe” at concerts and events…You will usually leave a small tip for attendants.
Outerwear is handed over to the “wardrobe” at concerts and events. Usually leave a small tip for the cloakroom attendants.
44. Russian tipping is usually smaller than our ten or fifteen percent…except at fancy restaurants.
Russian tips are usually less than our 10–15%... the exception is pretentious restaurants.
45. Russian circuses are considered very special and being a clown is an honored profession.
The Russian circus is something special and the profession of a clown is considered honorable.
46. Ethnicity is viewed differently in Russia than in US. There are White or great Russians and then everyone else. Caucasians are dark skinned and have the most discrimination and looked down upon and often are the people you see working in public markets.
Views on nationality in Russia differ from the United States. First the Whites, or the great Russians, and then everyone else. Caucasians have dark skin, suffer the most discrimination, are looked down upon and are often seen in markets.
47. Will do “Chuckchen” jokes..they are the Iowa jokes…
They tell jokes about the Chukchi... something like our jokes about Iowa.
48. Stay away from demonstrations. May be seen as participant and you have no rights.
49. Americans are clearly identified on the streets because of our shoes, haircuts, the way we look confident and walk and smile.
On the streets, Americans can be easily identified by their shoes, haircuts, they look calm, they walk leisurely and smile.
50. People dress well at work, men in suits and women in dresses and make up. Most Russians consider us unfashionable when they come her and wonder why there are so many fat people. There is an old Russian proverb which states” They want to meet you depending on how you’re dressed and they say goodbye depending upon how wise you seem.”
At work, people dress well: men in suits, women in makeup and dresses. Most Russians consider us unfashionable, they don’t understand why we have so many fat people. There is an old Russian proverb: “They meet you by their clothes, they see you off by their mind.”
51. Never do drugs in Russia. There is a strong drug culture, but if you are caught, you have no rights.
Don't use drugs in Russia. There is a strong drug culture, but if you get caught, you can't get away with it.
52. There are limits on taking money out of the country…You can ask for declaration, or have bank statement and other times are just waved through..no problem taking money into Russia.
There are limits on taking money out of the country. You can declare the money, transfer it through a bank, or simply go through customs... there will be no problems bringing money into Russia.
53. Get to airport early. Lines move slowly and they will take everything out of suitcases at Delta at Sheremetevo Airport.
Arrive at the airport early. The lines move slowly, sometimes they take everything out of your suitcases if you are flying through Delta to Sheremetyevo.
54. Remember that hierarchy and position is very important in Russian organization. Where you are in any organization often defines your status and that a distance exists both organizationally and psychologically between workers on different levels.
Remember that hierarchy and positions are very important in a Russian organization. Position in an organization often determines a person's status, and there is some distance among workers at different levels, both at the organizational and psychological levels.
What do we know about our country? Exactly what we face every day. We imagine the image of a typical Russian person “from the inside.” But there is also a perception by foreign tourists that sometimes seems surprising.
1 Russians are distrustful of anything cheap, believing that this is a sign of a low-quality product. But nevertheless, a “freebie”, that is, getting an elite product for less money, does not diminish its eliteness, it even makes it even more pleasing.
2 Kitchen gatherings late into the night and conversations about everything: politics, illnesses in the family, remembering each of the relatives, and in a completely frank format - this is something that foreigners are completely unable to understand. At the same time, they often avoid such a topic as work, when, for example, in American culture it is one of the main ones.
3 Many foreigners are amazed by such a quality as frugality. Or rather, it can hardly be called frugality, if we talk about balconies or storage rooms, where unknown amounts of rubbish are stored for unknown amounts of time.
4 Another surprising quality of a Russian for foreigners is visiting doctors. Or rather, visiting them only at the moment when problems make themselves felt too persistently. Few people go for preventive examinations. Few people consider them necessary at all.
5 Many people know the jokes foreigners make about the Russian “stony face”. For representatives of foreign cultures, this is indeed the case: for them, a smile is nothing more than a manifestation of politeness and a sign of attention to the interlocutor. In the Russian tradition, all kind words, like “please”, “thank you”, and especially a smile, are spoken sincerely and are given only to the closest people. It is not surprising that Russian people call the wide American smile the duty smile: after all, it is customary there to show it almost constantly.
6 Foreigners very clearly notice the attitude of Russian people towards foreigners, especially from former capitalist countries. It's extremely positive. To such an extent that Russian people are sure: if someone moves from, for example, Germany to Russia to live on a permanent basis, this is nonsense. Over the years, it has not been possible to eradicate the idea that everything European is much better than Russian.
7 A funny observation in online communication. It is Russian people who often abuse emoticons. The number of brackets is also indicative. The degree of joy or sadness, pleasantness or unpleasantness of the event, etc. depends on their number.
8 One is often struck by the clear and fundamental division of people by gender, both when visiting and when addressing strangers, which is considered adequate and normative for the Russian language: “woman” or “young man”. To Americans it even seems familiar, which is not surprising: in the English language there is no division by gender.
