Russian People Talk — Interviews on the Streets -
November 15, 2003

Var and Ira, a couple, both are students in their early 20s...
Bio: Var (it's his nickname) and Ira are together for a few months, they are both students in their early 20s. How we met: We were partying at our friend's place and I decided to ask them the questions you sent to us. Question #1: "What do you think of America and its world-dominating politics. Or do you have enough problems in Russia itself, not to worry too much about that?" Answer: Var: Do you really think that with Russian patriotism you can answer this question? No, fuck... Once more, please? There's not enough problems in Russia to care about this. The politics of the United States makes me... This is impossible to answer this question. The way it was asked it shows it was a Russian who asked this. American wouldn't be able to ask this. Write that I'm against politics of Jr. Bush. Question #2: "Do you think life in Russia is very weird?" Answer: I think that wicked would be better. You want to say no? Walk around center? No, it's in English only, Americans will not understand. You think. Question #3: "How Russian newscasters report news to their viewers, including women?" Answer: This is a stupid question. Globalization is "great"... everything... You ask them the same question... Question #4: "Are Russians okay with people from Finland and Sweden now? Long ago we had many wars..." Answer: Finns, yeah, ok. I don't remember any wars with Swedes. About Swedes nothing. And Finns, ok. I don't like "HIM" group (Finn band - WTR). Quesiton #5: "What are prices and taxes like in Russia?" Answer: No answer Question #6: "How to find the path to a Russian heart? Is there anything that attracts Russians, that may interest them?" Answer: Investments. Question #7: "What do you do for fun?" Answer: We play with Matyoshka dolls. Question #8: "How to Russian people treat each other" Answer: And how Americans treat each other? And how all people all the world treat each other. Look, I don't want to hurt anybody, but I think that these questions are dumb and are asked by dumb people. Question #9: "What the russia people think about the russian cars, in comparation with japanese cars, or american cars" Answer: Russian cars are the best. They don't need to be repaired, if they break then it's totally forever.. Question #10: "Why Russians can face life only through drinking vodka and hiding behind the mask of indifference?" Answer: Change your stereotypes, crazy people who eat cheeseburgers, hamburgers. Question #11: "What Russian books do you like?" Answer: Which is the most famous? Pushkin?
Natasha and Yulia, both students
How we met: I was walking outside of the Moscow Technical Institute, when I saw these two girls. I decided to ask them the questions you sent us... Question #1: "What do you think of America and itsworld-dominating politics. Or do you have enough problems in Russia itself, not to worry too much about that?" Answer: We don't care. We should first solve the problems we have in Russia. Question #2: "Do you think life in Russia is very weird?" Answer: Yes, yes, very weird. As they say: "You won't understand Russia with your mind", and Russians are very different from foreigners. Question #3: "How Russian newscasters report news to their viewers, including women?" Answer: Too much advertisement. Question #4: "Are Russians okay with people from Finland and Sweden now? Long ago we had many wars..." Answer: Well, we had wars with Germany also before... But we like them... So, it doesn't matter if we had wars or not... Quesiton #5: "What are prices and taxes like in Russia?" Answer: Should be lowered. But it's good they have some incentives for students. Question #6: "How to find the path to a Russian heart? Is there anything that attracts Russians, that may interest them?" Answer: Vodka, intelligence and attention. Russian guys lack the two last qualities quite often, especially attention. Question #7: "What do you do for fun?" Answer: We like to meet our friends. Question #8: "How to Russian people treat each other" Answer: Disgusting. But friends treat each other very well. Question #9: "What the russia people think about the russian cars, in comparation with japanese cars, or american cars" Answer: Bad. Question #10: "Why Russians can face life only through drinking vodka and hiding behind the mask of indifference?" Answer: There's a Russian saying: "What a sober person has in his mind, the drunken person has on his tongue"... In other words drinking may help to talk... Question #11: "What Russian books do you like?" Answer: Oh, this is the hardest question... Gogol and Tolstoy.
Lana, a Russian girls from Moscow, 21 years old
Bio: Studies in Moscow State University (one of the best in Russia) to become a manager and a layer. Dan from our team interviewed her and made this strange pic :-) Question #1: "What do you think of America and itsworld-dominating politics. Or do you have enough problems in Russia itself, not to worry too much about that?" Answer: I dont care about US, there are too many problems in Russia.   Question #2: "Do you think life in Russia is very weird?" Answer: Yes, it is. Question #3: "How Russian newscasters report news to their viewers, including women?" Answer: I don't trust it much. Question #4: "Are Russians okay with people from Finland and Sweden now? Long ago we had many wars..." Answer: I don't care about them much. Quesiton #5: "What are prices and taxes like in Russia?" Answer: No, taxes should be reduced, prices are ok for me. Question #6: "How to find the path to a Russian heart? Is there anything that attracts Russians, that may interest them?" Answer: I dont know really, the questions seem to be stupid. Generally, Russians like flattery, luxury and fishing. Question #7: "What do you do for fun?" Answer: Having sex days and nights long, eating, meeting friends, reading books. Question #8: "How to Russian people treat each other" Answer: They are embittered. Don't like each other. Question #9: "What the russia people think about the russian cars, in comparation with japanese cars, or american cars" Answer: Shit. (WayToRussia - it's not the first time people just say "shit" in response to this question, so we won't ask it anymore, because it will just annoy people :-) Question #10: "Why Russians can face life only through drinking vodka and hiding behind the mask of indifference?" Answer: I dont think there is a mask...well the reason is poverty. Question #11: "What Russian books do you like?" Answer: I dont know for sure, perhaps Nabokov..."Lolita" is very realistic ... Bunin used a nice language. Question #12: "What do you think about Mexican people?" Answer: i dont know anything about them, I guess they are dirty.

Your Comments
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Also, please, propose the questions you would like us to ask to Russian people.

Comment (24/11/03): "MEXICAN ARE NOT DIRTY I THINK THEY CAN BE CLEANER THAN YOU"

Comment (25/11/03): "all the mexicans i know are dirty"

Comment (26/11/03): " Lana that 21 year old russian girl is a slut . Who needs to step up to one of us mexican girls.
question: why are russians so nasty unlike hispanic people?"

Comment from WayToRussia.Net (26/11/03): We are sorry about what Lana said about Mexican people, but this section is intended to give a real point of view of real Russian people and to present different opinions without censorship. Please, note, that what one person guesses (in this case, Lana) does not mean that all Russians think the same way (this is in reply to the previous poster who now thinks that Russians are nasty).
I personally do not agree with Lana, but please, refrain from offences to her, she just said what she thinks.

Comment (23/12/03): "Funny what Var answered to my question about America. No, I am not Russian (though my wife is), I'm Belgian. But I understand the answers of the other people interviewed, that it's more something they want to care about AFTER solving problems in Russia. I wonder though, whether they are doing something about that last problem then...
- Michael, Antwerp - Belgium"