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Russia

Russia

Are you a resident or citizen of this country? If so, please share the specific part(s) of your culture that identifies your country as unique. You may also wish to dispell any common misconceptions outsiders have about your country's traditions.

Russia

I was born in Russia in 1988 but I live in America. And no, not of all us are stoic, drink vodka all day and freeze in the winter. I guess all of that was American anti-Soviet Union propaganda.

Russia Reviews Consumer & Travel Family Culture

Well, there are tons of books written on Russian culture and tradition, so I can't contribute much to what has been already said on the subject and is widely available online in plenty of languages (English, for sure).

I thought I might take a personal approach to the topic and just put some of my observations. And of course, all that is my personal opinion. Some of the things you might know, you might have even thought they are stereotypes - well, still they exist!

So....

If you came to Russia...

I. ... you might be surprised

1. ... to see so many beautiful women on the street.
Yes, I put it as the top point! There are plenty of stunningly looking females in just a street crowd. Their ability to look completely breath-taking any time of the day and their taste in clothes, make-up and perfume is really something special.
I mean, it's not that seldom that you can just yank a random girl out of a crowd and take her straight to the opera or a fashionable restaurant - she would fit completely in there. You won't. But I'm not talking about *you*!

2. ... to see these girls stopping the cars, talking to the drivers, getting in and riding away.
They are not cheap tarts in search for an eventful pass-time. It's just a way to get a cab (taxi).
Official taxis here are quite seldom and incredibly expensive, so it is much faster and cheaper to just wave down a car, and if the driver goes in the same direction and you agree on the price, in 99% of cases he'll give you a ride. Sometimes even free. Depends on the driver.
Of course, things happen, but in most cases it is completely safe even for the prettiest and most naive girls, let alone everybody else.

3. ... to see how little attention people pay to the rules. Any.
If you didn't see at least a couple of fishermen fishing straight under the sign "No Fishing" it would only mean that there is not bite in that particular place.

"No Passage" sign is normally understood as "this way, please" and unless it is heavily confirmed with a solid metal gates or a 5 meter fence with spikes on the top, there is always a path there.

Red light on the traffic light is interpreted as something like "Well, it's better if you waited a bit, but really it's totally up to you". Unless the street is really busy, with lot of traffic, you cross it when you find it convinient for you and when there are no cars. It has nothing to do with traffic lights or a traffic control guy on the opposite side of the street.

Offtopic but, Recently they put timers by traffic lights. It shows count down, so for example when the red light comes up, the timer begins to show "30... 29... 28.." etc. I told my friend I disliked this innovation and said I saw no point in it to which my friend wisely said, "It is so that you know on what second you get rode over"

ETC.
Including the language itself, where every rule has so many exceptions that they turn it from the rule into a guideline.

Offtopic but, I like it. I think there are very few things less useful than rules. The one and the only rule should be "treat people the way you would want them to treat you" and it has nothing to do with "no fishing".

4. ... to see people eating ice cream on the street when the temperature is -30 C (like a few weeks ago, and you could see me doing it then).
It is one of stereotypical ideas of crazy Russians and this stereotype is completely true.
And you don't eat ice cream to cool yourself. It's just nutritious. It is ~FOOD!~

5. ... to see people swimming in pools they make by breaking ice on winter rivers.
They are not crazy. They are healthy-way-of-life addicts and they call themselves walruses ("walrus" is a name for a person who practises winter swimming).
They assure it is very pleasant. Don't know, never tried. But they look happily red what is enough to believe them.

6. ... to see people drinking beer at 9 AM.
Well, in Europe they have wine or beer at the lunch break. We just start a bit earlier.

7. ... to see there are no bears on the streets (surprise surprise)
but plenty of dogs. Our people have a lot of pets. Not all of them understand all the responsibility of this step, so unfortunately it happens that animals find themselves on the streets when their masters got tired of them. Sometimes of course, they simply got lost.
We do not have any official shelters supported by administration, neither those that are run privately (guess it would be too expensive). So if you see a person walking three of four doggies it means he/she simply couldn't pass by a stray animal without stopping and saying "Come with me".


8. ... to be engaged in an intelligent and constructive conversation on practically any subject with a street cleaner or a wardrobe lady.
A lot of our people of older generation are very well educated and know plenty of things. A janitor quoting Shakespeare while mopping the floor, is of course an exaggeration, but not too far-stretched.

9. ... that people whom you asked for direction to some place might change their own plans and go with you just to make sure you won't get lost. Happens in about 50% of cases, especially if they see you can't understand them.

II ... you'd better NOT to...

1. ... give somebody a bouquet containing even number of flowers.
Even number of flowers is meant for dead people and are brought to funerals.
If you friend is still alive, even if on his death bed, make sure to bring him 3, 5, 7 etc. flowers. Odd number!

I think, the only exception would be two flowers on the table in a vase during a candle-lit dinner like "you and I". But not as a gift.

2. ... give money to beggars on the main streets.
Just because they are professionals. They pay for the place and if they can afford sitting there it means they can benefit you.

3. ... starting all this "I want to talk to the manager, I want to complain" in shops or anywhere.
No one cares what you might want to say to the manager, believe me.
They might talk to you and even assure you they are as shocked as you are, but later, among themselves, they would have nice fun over you because in most cases your demands would look really ridiculous to them. "I wish I had his problems" situation.

III. ...you, probably, would like...

1. ... our system of public transportation
The metro is beautiful, fast and safe (yes, even in our dangerous time).
The system of "taxi buses" (microbuses you can stop to get in and out in any place of the route you need) - fast, reasonable cheap, pretty reliable.

2. ... our old movies
Really good.

3. ... our ice cream
Just beyond comparison in a good sense

4. ... people in general
Normally, friendly and supportive.

IV. ... you, probably, would not like...

1. ... pollution and a lot of smokers everywhere

2. ... car alarms that can be quite sensitive so a slight movement can trigger them

Hope it was of some interest.

Edited: Klausse on 17th Feb, 2006 - 11:45am