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DLT
Just Starting
Joined: 17 Sep 2004
Posts: 7
Location: St Augustine, Florida
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 Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:22 pm Post subject: Suggestions for gifts for Russians |
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| As is customary when traveling to new countries and spending quality time with locals, I will be taking small gifts of appreciation for my trip to adopt a Russian orphan. Any suggestions as to what is appropriate and what is not? Thanks |
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Atomcat
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 30 Jul 2004
Posts: 187
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| Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:00 pm Post subject: Doing the same |
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| It is cheaper to buy the goods in Russia and I think you should contact the orphanage to find out what they need like shoes, jackets and such. |
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Patrick01
Frequent Guest
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Tennessee, USA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:27 pm Post subject: Giving gifts in Moscow |
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Greetings, I am planning a trip to Moscow in March 2005 and need some info about gift giving customs in Moscow. I am familiar with customs in Kazakhstan. For instance it is customary to bring a gift the first time you visit in a home. They will surely give you a gift. Also small gifts to people that help you, such as hotel maids, guides etc.
I stayed in a home in Kazakhstan and took colorful kitchen towels as a gift. I also took several bottles of Coke a Cola and we compared the taste to Pepsi the only western soft drink available at the time.
I also noticed that in 1991 pin collecting and swapping was popular. The bus drives would have pins on their visors and would swap for a pin from the US.
Any help would be appreciated. |
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joera
Frequent Guest
Joined: 17 Dec 2004
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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do not mix personal gifts and 'aid'.
Russians are proud people and in most cases perfectly capable of financing their own life.
Russians love to have friends from far away places. You'd make them really happy with something simple from your own country that they can keep, maybe place somewhere in their house and look at later to remember you.
I come from the Netherlands. Best i ever did was bringing flowerseeds and them bigger ones (i do know the english name)
And when you can keep patient, it is nice to give something when leaving.
when visiting people, i often buy small cakes, cookies. They will not nessecarily be eaten., but it is a nice gesture. |
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Dr-Fauste
Site Admin
Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 654
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| Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Do not bring stuff with your country's symbol written all over it. |
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Patrick01
Frequent Guest
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Tennessee, USA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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Dr Fauste
| Dr Fauste wrote: | | Do not bring stuff with your country's symbol written all over it. |
That's interesting. In South America ( 1986-7) , Costa Rica (1996) they seem to like souvenirs with English writing (tee shirts, ball caps). Popular American name brands such as Nike, Addidas etc. Children in Costa Rica liked American Baseball cards.
In Jamaica popular souvenirs were arm bands with the words "What Would Jesus Do" and Bibles. I gave a bag full to a school. They said they would use them as prizes for field day. You have to realize that Jamaica is basically a Christian country.
When I talk about giving I'm not talking about aid but just the type of souvenirs that you mentioned that would be good to remind someone of a visitor from the USA that enjoys their friendship.
I don't believe I ever brought anything with American logos. |
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joera
Frequent Guest
Joined: 17 Dec 2004
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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| maybe dr. Fauste was hinting at the stars and stripes? |
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MrSpice
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 14 Jul 2003
Posts: 3431
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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Can anyone give some examples of good fits (non-food)?
I am going to be visiting a family and want to buy someone for the man and his wife. I live in New York. |
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Dr-Fauste
Site Admin
Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 654
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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Clothes that have design labels are cool.
If the person is studying English, then real good dictionary.
Interesting books.
I brought goods that had a Canadian symbol, and it did not go over that well. But books on New York with photographs might go well.
Disney crap is good for the kids especially Winnie the Poo(not Wu).
No electronics because of the power difference.
Books on their profession in the USA might be of some interest. |
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overseas_expat
VIP
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 741
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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Some things here are very expensive for average people, yet not exactly what you'd think of as 'hostess' presents. High quality sheets and towels and bedding can be very dear, yet not something that you could very well show up with at the door. I can think of things that probably many people here might like, but none really appropriate for your purpose.
Things of poor quality made in Russia that many people would like to replace with better things: appliances (American appliances will not work here), clothing, housewares like pots and pans and silverware, linens and towels. I have a nice set for 8 of heavy gauge flatware bought in the States for about $60 (TJ Maxx) that is of a higher quality than anything I've ever seen in Moscow (outside of high end Italian import stores). But that would be kinda heavy in your suitcase.... not a bad idea though.
There is a large and high quality glass and porcelain/pottery industry here, so no dishes or glasses. Really, I think that the thing most people would like best is something nice for the house. Most of these people have no money for such things and must save up for something new. I'll keep thinking on it.
Of course while you're here you should take them out. Dining out is a luxury for many people and if they will be putting you up during your stay you should definately take them somewhere for an evening that they could not afford themselves. Ballet and supper, symphony and a restaurant, absolutely yes. And if there are children in the home, you will need a gift for each. |
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cyndy22
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 1076
Location: massachusetts
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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I think women would appreciate perfume, a pretty scarf, perhaps a watch. Housewares are good too. My friends who visited me from Russia loved the quilts we use for bedding. But nice linens are also good.
Children do love Disney stuff as Dr. Fauste suggested and also super heros like Batman Spiderman etc. Girls might like a pretty necklace, stuffed animal like a pony, and Barbies can't go wrong. |
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jbourneID90734
Frequent Guest
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 18
Location: Pittsburg, CA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:24 pm Post subject: Do the Russian People Love All American Western Lifestyles? |
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 What do the Russians think about when their standard of living is being attacked and changed by many invisible forces of the AMERICAN culture-wide friendly access of resources in Russia?
These powerful forces are the following that strongly influence the modern Russia, and the old former-USSR is forever gone. Communism died in Russia. And many more Americans are learning about Russian Communism. Many American men travel to the Russian Federation, and marry several stereotypical czar-Soviet-perestroika-communist Russian women.
Now, Russia embraced the Western driving force of the world's economic machine: the U.S. Dollar.
Most popular U.S. western cow-boy music, country, hip-hop, rap, MTV, Coca-cola, McDonalds, democracy, drugs, sex, crime, luxury, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, swimming pools, 5-star hotels, restaurants, gyms, and satellite radios can be heard and seen in Russia nowadays. Back in the 1970s and 80s, this type of standard of living is completely the opposite.
The citizens of the former-USSR cannot even get a free visa to enter Russia nowadays. People from Estonia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Krygystan, Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Lithuania, Latvia, and Russian-oblast cannot enter Russia legally due to the broken borders. Also, most people from communist Asia such as China, Vietnam, Cambodia have the most hardest entry to the Russian Federation. Why so unfair? What happened to the "real" former-Soviet Russia, or the U.S.S.R.?
But, citizens of Europe such as: Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Great Britain, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Denmark, and United States citizens can easily enter Russia for F-R-E-E!!! Why is it that Russia rejects most former-Soviet republic states?
Isn't it that Russia has both two-headed eagles which represents the real meaning that Russia is composed of both Europe and Asia, and that both are equal in the Russian Federation's citizens?
If it weren't for the U.S.A., then the Russian Federation would have not existed as a czar-communist-democratic-capitalistic state now?
Russian people and Russian government T-R-U-L-Y loves the American lifestyle and standards of living! Nothing can separate the communist Russia to the democratic American people!!!    |
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jbourneID90734
Frequent Guest
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 18
Location: Pittsburg, CA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:41 pm Post subject: American and Russian Traitors [or Defectors] Revived Today |
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Most American men nowadays--especially men from U.S.A., U.K., Europe, Australia, South Africa, etc.--can easily obtain or get their hands on Russian Passport and Russian Citizenship, because of the fact that someone is a U.S. citizen who wants to defect to the former-U.S.S.R., or the Russian Federation. What do the Russians think when 50% of the U.S. population migrated to the former-U.S.S.R., or Russia, and U.S. citizens be granted Russian Citizenship? Look what happened to Lee Harvey Oswald (the future assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy), an American Texas-born man who defected to the U.S.S.R. during the 1960s!
Lee Harvey Oswald, a U.S. citizen, married a Communist U.S.S.R. woman. Later, he denounced his citizenship and lived in Russia for G-O-O-D. The U.S.S.R. government will take care of him, he believed!
More disgraceful U.S. and Russian T-R-A-I-T-O-R-S who lived in Russia can be read from this article at: www.russianbooks.org/oswald/setyayev.htm. Obviously nowadays, most U.S. citizens, especially American men, fly to Russia to make business and marry Communist women, and Russian men travel to U.S.A. to marry an American women! How ironic and sweet! |
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jbourneID90734
Frequent Guest
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 18
Location: Pittsburg, CA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:54 pm Post subject: More American Students in Russia Arriving Today |
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Obviously, most U.S. citizens who studies in the Russian Federation can do whatever they want in the former-Communist state. In fact, Americans do not even know where Russia is!
In fact, Americans are fearful that Russia will eventually the world leader in terms of military [like what the U.S.S.R. did!], economy [communism], and the science [space exploration].
What do the Russians think about the fact that U.S.A. focuses more on the galaxies and outer space planets, but originally the Soviets were the first country in the world to go into earth's orbit and outer space?
Conclusion: Most U.S. citizens [of European-origin] are F-R-E-E- to study in American universities in Russia as long as the U.S. Dollar reigns in Russia, and more U.S citizens can gain more access to many educational Russian resources and facilities due to the so-called "friendly and loving" ties between the U.S.A. and Russia! Nothing can stop the two NUCLEAR citizens forever... |
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overseas_expat
VIP
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 741
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:50 am Post subject: |
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jdbournewhatever--Have you just discovered the wonders of the Encyclopedia Brittanica or are you having a Midol moment?
The poster is politely asking us for gift ideas not insensible political tirades.
Try to follow along, ok? |
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