Russians are well aware of stereotypes about them. They mention the balalaika, dancing bears, and vodka (as well as being rude, which I think I mentioned before). But they deny these stereotypes for the most part. Vodka is a pretty accepted part of the culture, but to be honest I've never seen a Russian man drinking vodka in the 6+ months that I've spent here. In public they often drink beer and some strange canned drink with a powerfully sweet and disgusting watermelon smell. In restaurants I've also seen them drink whiskey and wine. But maybe I just don't hang out in the right places to see vodka consumption, which is quite likely.
My neighbor, with whom I now talk regularly, mentioned these stereotypes and said that Russian people are just ordinary. They work and they like to relax and they try to live. And that's all.
I think I have a better grasp on why Russians are rude. They seem to have very little regard for lack of acquaintance. They'll ask anyone for directions or information. I once asked a student to imagine that she wanted to go to a restaurant but didn't know where it was. I asked what she would do. I, of course, would look up the place on the internet, but the student said that she would start going in the direction she thought it was, and then ask for directions along the way. Continuing with my point, most ladies seem to feel completely entitled to tell anyone what to do. On the bus or train, they'll say "Why are you standing? Sit down here." One day my landlady came to my house and the door happened to be open, so my neighbor just walked into my flat.
This would seem unpleasant for most Americans, but there's another side of the coin. Russians are also very friendly and open to hospitality. I mentioned in my last post about how I used to just ignore my neighbors but they talked to me and invited me to visit them if I ever needed anything. Well, my other neighbor (the one who unceremoniously walked into my flat) also offered to help me if I ever needed anything, and she told me to call her grandma (babushka). The administrator at Butovo often feeds me dinner because I work from 3:30-8:00 and then I have an hour+ trip to home. I've been invited to dachas and to dinner. I can't remember all the examples of hospitality, but I definitely feel that it is here in abundance.
So that's nice, but it's also very stressful for me. It's most comfortable for me to keep most of my life private and be in control of when someone can come in and change it. In Russia, I feel that I can't maintain this control, because people are used to being involved in everyone else's life. Another example--here it is rather strange for grandparents not to live with their children and grandchildren. The grandmother usually take care of the children while the parents are at work. I think this is a very reasonable system and I admire it, but once again it reduces privacy.
Aside from some altercations with my landlady and the administrators, nothing too exciting has happened lately. I've been here for 6 months, and my last day of work should be three months to the day from today. I should have a better idea of my future plans in the next couple of weeks.
My neighbor, with whom I now talk regularly, mentioned these stereotypes and said that Russian people are just ordinary. They work and they like to relax and they try to live. And that's all.
I think I have a better grasp on why Russians are rude. They seem to have very little regard for lack of acquaintance. They'll ask anyone for directions or information. I once asked a student to imagine that she wanted to go to a restaurant but didn't know where it was. I asked what she would do. I, of course, would look up the place on the internet, but the student said that she would start going in the direction she thought it was, and then ask for directions along the way. Continuing with my point, most ladies seem to feel completely entitled to tell anyone what to do. On the bus or train, they'll say "Why are you standing? Sit down here." One day my landlady came to my house and the door happened to be open, so my neighbor just walked into my flat.
This would seem unpleasant for most Americans, but there's another side of the coin. Russians are also very friendly and open to hospitality. I mentioned in my last post about how I used to just ignore my neighbors but they talked to me and invited me to visit them if I ever needed anything. Well, my other neighbor (the one who unceremoniously walked into my flat) also offered to help me if I ever needed anything, and she told me to call her grandma (babushka). The administrator at Butovo often feeds me dinner because I work from 3:30-8:00 and then I have an hour+ trip to home. I've been invited to dachas and to dinner. I can't remember all the examples of hospitality, but I definitely feel that it is here in abundance.
So that's nice, but it's also very stressful for me. It's most comfortable for me to keep most of my life private and be in control of when someone can come in and change it. In Russia, I feel that I can't maintain this control, because people are used to being involved in everyone else's life. Another example--here it is rather strange for grandparents not to live with their children and grandchildren. The grandmother usually take care of the children while the parents are at work. I think this is a very reasonable system and I admire it, but once again it reduces privacy.
Aside from some altercations with my landlady and the administrators, nothing too exciting has happened lately. I've been here for 6 months, and my last day of work should be three months to the day from today. I should have a better idea of my future plans in the next couple of weeks.
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