Way to Russia Community and Forum

Dr-Fauste · Site Admin Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Posts: 654

It was a weird situation going from Russia to USA, but I found more similarites than diffference. I have to say that Russia has picked more bad habits from the USA.
I think that Russian people(in general) are very kind people and through my adventures, I met many nice people who are ver approachable and very helpful. A little kindness both ways ends up openning borders and undestanding. When it is concieved that your actions have other motives than you will received harshness or coldness. Russia,, this seems to be true more than USA. Sharing Chocolates at the airport with a man and his wife, He gave a magazine to read. Offereing to help deliver a gift to an american in Florida and taking a family for ice cream allowed for great feast. Good conversation on the plane lead to good directions and friendship with a young doctor. A little old lady in the metro in Moscow gave me detail direction how to get around and the people on the train gave help also. So there is great kindness in Russia. I think your approach is the key. I always say that I am gloopy Canadian who requires assistance. Though you must aware as in all countries about people who are instant friends like my Iranian friends in the train who were instisting that I sleep early.
In USA, I found similar kindness. People were always willing to give detailed directions.

But one difference is that Russians are more open to people than Americans and Russians are more distrustful about material objects. For instance Private cabs exist in great numbers in Russia (Sort of like paid hitchhiking) while you will never see hitchhiking in USA. Russians are very suspicious of goods be stolen(either locked away or you cannot bring in a bag or very small store), but USA majority of the goods are in the open.

bernhard_riemann · Frequent Guest Joined: 15 Sep 2004 Posts: 41

Great observations.

Jutrzenkapolska · VIP Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 534

That's exactly what I thought. Yeah, great observations.

To defend the USA, you simply cannot be open to people here.Cause you have no idea who you could be dealing with. Immigrants from another country where there is a little more trust in strangers, for example Poland, learn this quickly.

www.com · Frequent Guest Joined: 01 Apr 2005 Posts: 11

Moscovites, on the other hand, tend to be less open and freindly to strangers, especialy to a "tupoy amerikanets" like me! I mean, im from Los Angeles, where cashiers/strangers/the garbage man/the worker man etc. are just plain NICE, but in moscow, their downright rude. I must add, that in other cities like sochi, the people are very nice and freindly.

kiwiguy_os · Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:47 am Post subject:

Dr-Fauste · Site Admin Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Posts: 654

THe biggest problem I had in my trip was USA paranoia. I am always selected for secondary screening and had my luggage delayed for 8 hours when customs had gone through it. They had webcam and finger printing at the airport. Russia was probably next. Kazan, everyone went through secondary screening(though it took less time).
Americans are awesome poeple, but it is that foreigners are guilty until proven innocent attitude. American government always comes to Alberta and tells how we are great friends, but when I go to the airport or deal with USA customs, I get told to empty my pockets and get felt up by a security offocer named Bob.

cyndy22 · Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:00 pm Post subject:

Dr. Fauste,
Nice to have you back again! RE airport serveillance and over zealous screening, you are not the only one. Even when I travel, in US airports I routinely get thoroughly felt up, but in my case by a woman. They screen my entire wheelchair, under my cushion. They make me take my shoes off etc. And I assure you I do not appear as any kind of terrorist.

Agatha and Kiwi,
I don't have a problem talking to strangers in US or elsewhere. But like anywhere, one does need to use judgement and be cautious at times because ofcourse there are some people everywhere and anywhere who will not hesitate to take advantage of others. But I believe people are generally good. And thank God for that because as a person with a disability, I often need to trust and rely on strangers for some assistance especially when I travel. I have always found strangers willing to help. Smile

Dr-Fauste · Site Admin Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Posts: 654

Why is it that someone will visit a large city and label the whole country based on one experience. If I based USA on Washington DC at night, I would said things worse than WW about USA. But Orlando was great. So you have to explore and see and talk with people. Do not go with an attitude, but always be aware of your environment. Most people are generally good,.

Mogsfan · WayToRussified Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 490

The procedure for air travel security is just tighter. They don't care if you look like Joe Schmo or look like King Hussein (although, some might have other ideas). I still wonder about their consistency, though. Anyway, it's worse now because of the terrorist attacks.

Mogsfan · WayToRussified Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 490

That's right. I've been to NYC, Chicago, Washington D.C and many other American cities. It just depends on the area. Most if not all of the Metropolitan cities have their "bad" areas you should avoid. If you do, the city is not any worse off than say, one in Europe or anywhere else. IMHO.

You're right, though. Go in with a good attitude and you will be surprised how accomodating and friendly the people can be. Others won't be as much but that's the same everywhere.

Vic · Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:40 pm Post subject:

In my opinion, people in the United States may not be as open, but they are very kind and giving. For example, if you go to the United States and you have some aquaintance that you may only know from the internet, chances are that person will invite you to stay at his place and make your stay confortable. In Canada, people may act nicer, but they will never do that. You are completely correct in your observations about Russia. People are open and say what they think, they are inviting and giving and do not hide things from you. When it comes to material goods, people do have a tendency to become suspicious. However, the supermarked example isn't exactly valid here. I remember when I lived in Canada just how bad shoplifting was at the local supermarket (On lunch break people would just go there and steal food, drink, sweets or gum. And never get caught) I am pretty sure that this would ammount to serious losses for the store. Here we take these small measures that make it harder to do this. I also think that the U.S. TSA could take lessons from our Aviation Security. It is just as effective but quicker (as of september 04').
Vic

Dr-Fauste · Site Admin Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Posts: 654

When the tragedy happened with Swiss Airlines or 9-11, people in Nova Scotia allowed strangers to stay in their own home for free and help them coupe with it. It is not nationality, but the people in the area that matters. I met drunken cabbies in Yoshkar Ola and ones who were very kind and waited to see me off on the flight. I am sorry that you dislike my country and people. We are not all thieves and stingy people. I am happy that you are back in your country of choice(with your one paint brush and one colour of paint) and hope you enjoy your wonderful nation and that you escaped these awful land of Canada. Good Luck Winston, I mean Vic.

Signed the population of the thieving stingy awful nation of Canada

MrSpice · Lounge Wizard Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 3431

Dr. Fauste: I was once driving to Toronto from New York. Canadian customs told me and my friends to get out of the car and then they searched my car for 15-20 minutes. You could disappointment on their face when they did not find anything "interesting"

You have to remember that people that work in the customs services work for a government beauracracy. They are not the people youy should ever (in any country) base your opinion on that country and its people. I flew twice to UK and both times faced very rude passport agents. That does not mean that people in the UK are rude. When you make average salary and when you check thousands of people per day and no one can fire, you behave in a certain way.

Mr Kiwi: You constantly imply on your posts that America is some kind of bad/xenophobic/awful place. Have you ever been to the United States? have you travelled in America? I am an immigrant here in the US (I came here when I was 20), and I travelled all over the world, including many European countries and I can tell you that Americans are the friendliest people you can find anywhere. New Yorkers can get a bit rusty because it's a busy city where everyone rushes to work all the time, but even New Yorkers that are considered rude by American standard, are very nice on average. I used to live in New Hampshire for a few months. People were so nice to me everywhere, you feel like it's just one big family. And unlike most European countries, Americans treat foreigners and people with acents with curtecy and respect (unlike Ausralia, for example, where anti-immigrant movement is in full swing).
It is amazing how easy anti-americanism sticks to many people even when there's no basis for it.

Dr-Fauste · Site Admin Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Posts: 654

MrSpice · Lounge Wizard Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 3431

You are a Canadian - where have you experienced such delays? There are dozens of flights from Toronto to New York every hour from all major airport here. I cannot imagine the travel between our 2 countries got so unbearable since there are thousands of Canadian tourists in New York every day. I know some Canadians they go back often, no one told me anything like that. I think as of now only people who need to get a visa get fingerprinted (laser scan) on their arrival in the US. And as far as I could see, it was a very fast procedure. I recently spent 2 hours in line at Madrid airport -- they check documents when you leave - so the passport agent can stamp your passport. And who is so paranoid here? Certainly, not people on the street. I was recently returning from caribbean islands - many people in our planes were Europeans. When I was waiting for our luggage, they were all there as well, so they cleared passport control very quickly. And I don't think your bags would be delayed because you are not an American. That sounds paranoid.

Way to Russia Community and Forum

Way to Russia warm-up: place both your hands in front of you and then count one word for each finger, starting from the left thumb: "Conversation Is a Way of Finding Out What You Think".

Latest forum activity (view all)

mediashark

Daria

cyndy22

Most recent activity (view all)

Latest Blog Posts

Way to Russia on Facebook

Escape Beyond the Arctic Circle

Pics from Russia

	Way to Russia Talk Lounge Forum Index -> Russian People	All times are GMT + 3 Hours Goto page 1, 2 Next
Page 1 of 2