Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Jutrzenkapolska · VIP Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 534

BTW, I agree with you that I eh, know way too much about sex for my age. BUT I am not too cynical.There's plenty to be cynical about in this world.

Another thing is be very careful where you send your children for the summer. I was in Girl Scouts with just my sister, was in summer camp several times in Poland and was at one of those study abroad programs in Spain and a little bit more goes on there than most parents think.

In my parent's time, alot of the girls who went to study abroad or work in France, Germany, England or Italy came back with the ultimate souvenir : a baby.So they were very reluctant to have me go to Spain.

Mogsfan · WayToRussified Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 490

Babuschka · Frequent Guest Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 28

There has been given very valuable advice already. What I still would like to underline is that shoes really betray most Americans. Wearing sneakers when being on a trip is sooo American! Even in Prague where we have plenty of foreigners from all places I can distinguish Americans from afar. And it is not only the shoes.
As has been pointed out here, the way how people look or not look into other people?s faces, how they mouve and what expression they have on their faces - all that is telling about their origins and identity.
You can?t switch off who you are however much you want to blend in.
I have been living for several years in different countries and always tried to blend in. It is near to impossible. If I am tall and the nation I am living with is people who are born small they notice immediately a genetic difference. Very fair skin and being blond does not help either in, let?s say, Southern countries. It betrays a person for being a foreigner.
On the other hand, adapting in the mouvements and way of looking at people can contribute to creating a feel of familiarity and overcome eventual hostitility because of appearing to be different or a "foreigner".

"Follow the signs. Never give up upon your dreams."
http://www.paulocoelho.com
http://www.warriorofthelight.com

Mogsfan · WayToRussified Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 490

What if you just wear a bear hat and walk around mumbling, "NYET, NYET?" Just kidding. Why is it so bad to wear running shoes? Does everyone in Russia walk around with Doc Martins or dress shoes or something? I wonder where they get all the money...

mediashark · Moderator Joined: 04 Nov 2004 Posts: 1601

It's mostly about the weather I guess. Almost any type of leather footwear is considerably warmer. In summer a lot of people wear running shoes. Running shoes are not good for icy sidewalks.

There are a lot of cheap versions of Doc Martins and other brands available in Russia, which probably explains why. Also, a lot of these are fur or felt-lined to keep your feet warm and snug.

Besides, is it just impossible to be yourself? I'd say just be yourself, but respect the customs and traditions of the country you're in, as a good guest in a household would respect his or her host.

sputnik · Lounge Lizard Joined: 02 Jan 2005 Posts: 141

i couldn't help noticing quite some russian guys walking around on sports shoes, even with cold winter weather. 'blending in' goes way beyond clothing and adopting a few habits.

i guess it begins indeed with respect for the culture, whereever you are at the moment. then, knowing myself how 'cool' it feels to be a foreigner in some places (i try to be one sometimes in my own country, but so far i fail at it) being a bit modest might help too.
loud western tourists with camera's and city maps on them must be an easily distinguishable prey for bad guys all over the world. lots of enthousiastic american tourists get robbed in my country's (holland) cities as well Razz

there are limits to blending in too: if you put too much strain on it, you might actually miss all the fun that being away from home brings...

MrSpice · Lounge Wizard Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 3436

I have a list of things that an American can do to look inconspicuous in Russia (based on what I learned from my expriece of living in the US and Russia and what people that recently have been to Russia told me):

1) Dress fashinably Russian style - dark pants, black/brown lather shoes, nice looking shirt (without crazy colors/stripes/flowers/etc)

2) Don't look into strange people's faces with a smile. This is not a small town in Texas where you smile at everybody and say "How are you". Smile when there's a reason to do so, like someone told you something funny Smile

3) Generally, don't wear sneaker, baseball caps, and don't stare at everything with your mouth open Smile

Anything of the "Abercrombie and Fitch" type of fancy/hip/very colorful clothes will give you away.But feel free to wear jeans - Russians love jeans.

4) Don walk around like you are at the resort and just had 10 beers Smile

Walk the way you would walk when you going to meet your blind date - be confident, walk straight.

5) Instead of a backpack, get yourself a plastic bag from any store and walk around with that. You can put your camera in that bag.

People will still know you are not Russian at proximity, but at least you did your best to blend in Smile

Paul Holmes · Lounge Wizard Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1012

Jutrzenkapolska · VIP Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 534

vorteks · Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 2:36 am Post subject:

Anybody with some brain left won t need that advice Polska, for 2 reasons :

- If you dislike a country, or its people, you obviously won t go and visit.
- If you were forced to get there for professional reasons, a little voice of survival will tell you to smile and pretend for the short time you ll be there.

Anyways, I didnt see anybody showing fundamental hate against US citizens on this board, just people contesting current usamerican foreign policy with argumented messages, and feeling concerned that the population could be victim of the current situation.

Eryk · Frequent Guest Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 42

sputnik · Lounge Lizard Joined: 02 Jan 2005 Posts: 141

eryk: it sounds like you too surely believe that our lord had his reasons for making such a large ditch around the new world...

Babuschka · Frequent Guest Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 28

I didn t notice any antiamericanism either on this board.
However, I would explain your comment, Polska, as the outcome of that incredible fear-making in the US. Quite some of my American friends who live in the states have their mind full with strange ideas about Antiamericanism. They don t realize that nobody is against Americans in themselves but most people are reasonably worn out by the moral-less government they seemingly elected with a slight mayority vote.

Cheers to all.

sputnik · Lounge Lizard Joined: 02 Jan 2005 Posts: 141

well... also americans are kind of funny to many european people like me, especially when you see them as tourists in your own country misunderstanding all kinds of things they see around them.. the 'specimens' i met were mostly quite nice people though.

and well... what kind of annoys me (and that's not only in americans, i see it in my own landsmen too these days) is this exaggeration of patriottic feelings. are we all so lost in this world, that we have to cling to our flag's poles, hoping the waves of globalisation won't wash us away?

Jutrzenkapolska · VIP Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 534