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flutterby145
Just Starting
Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Posts: 1
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
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 Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:59 am Post subject: What do Russians think of Americans? |
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| What do Russians think of Americans? Please give me an honest answer. |
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uday
WayToRussified
Joined: 26 Jul 2004
Posts: 323
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| Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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| why do americans all think everyone has something against them? what makes you think Russians even think about americans? |
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tuller
Talk Show Host
Joined: 24 Oct 2004
Posts: 234
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 4:47 am Post subject: |
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I know that this post is a little late but I've been to Russia on many occasions to visit my then girlfriend and now fiance.
Every Russian I've met , and when they found out I was an American, I was either ignored or got into some great conversations with them and made a lot of new friends.
Now it seems everytime I return to Moscow I have no problems getting through passport control nor customs, but when I'm leaving to fly back to the states...99% of all the Russians I have to deal with at the Delta ticket booth or customs are extremely rude.
It seems Delta has no Americans working for them that I've come in contact with and they need to do some changing in that area.
Other than that...I think Russia is an awsome country and most of the regular Russian people I've come into contact with are as nice as any persons I've ever met..
Sometimes too, and I think this is anywhere in the world I've visited...how we approach foreigners as Americans can get you a smile...or a frown...
Just my worthless 2 cents worth again 
Tuller |
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markhagelin
Talk Show Host
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 208
Location: Maine, USA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 4:37 am Post subject: |
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I have been sneding and receiving e-mails to and from a very beautiful Russian woman. I hope that eventually we will have more of a relationship.
I view her as a woman first, and then a Russian.
The only reason I even think of her as being a Russian at all is the difference in language and culture.
She writes very good English and I want to learn Russian.
Once a common level of understanding is reached, then there is really no Russian/American distinction.
Any Russian vs American stereotype is, in my opinion, propaganda of either the Russian or American governements.
It suits someone's agenda to foster a negative feeling/attitude between both cultures.
Once these stereotypes are broken there will be no distinction.
When you get right to the issue of the matter, people are people.
There are good people and there are bad people.
That is probably the only generality which applies to all cultures.
The woman I have been e-mailing is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside something I have found very refreshing from my dealings with some American women.
I personally don't think that most Russians think about Americans at all unless they are in contact with them, either in person or by e-mail/letter.
They focus on their day to day lives.
If they have had a bad experience with Americans they might have a negative feeling, but I beleive that how they act is individual in nature.
They might say "All Americans are bad". Or they might say "That American was a bad person." or "I've met better Americans."
How Russians feel about Americans is as individualistic as how American feel about Russians.
Mark H |
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Atomcat
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 30 Jul 2004
Posts: 187
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| Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:18 am Post subject: Naive |
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Last edited by Atomcat on Fri Nov 05, 2004 3:54 am; edited 1 time in total |
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markhagelin
Talk Show Host
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 208
Location: Maine, USA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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Atomcat
Thank you for suggesting the culture. Please don't take me as another arrogant American who thinks that he knows best. It is a learning process for me. I want to learn.
Learning the culture and language are both important to me. Even the rule of etiquette that Americans are used to our different.
I have already started to read about Russian culture. But that is not enough. Because what is read from books is not the same. Book knowledge is not the same as people knowledge. And learning from the people who have lived in Russia and the fromer Soviet bloc will help me.
I went to a culturefest [having different cultures from around the world] at our local University to meet some Russians and people from the former Soviet bloc to learn from them.
I have much to learn about the language culture and etiquette.
Through the culturefest, I have found someone who can teach me Russian. I don't know much about her and her background, but I am trying to lay a proper foundation to learn everything I can.
It will be at least 6 months to a year before a do go, and in this time I hope to learn as much as I can. I am trying to look toward the future.
I had a chance to have pirog, podshuboy, greckka and borsch at the culturefest. Podshuboy was my favorite, greckka was not quite spicey enough and I even liked the borsch, although I think I like it with more potatoes than beets.
It is a learning experience and will continue to be one.
I have found the Russians I have met here to be very nice and sincere, so I find it hard to attribute so much negative to them [Russian people] as a whole. Even those who have been here along time still maintain their culture.
I learn, it is a part of life to learn. In the correspondence with my friend, she helps me to sit back and look at things from a different perspective and to try to understand the way Russians, at least some Russians, think. It is hard to generalize, because the generalizations are not true for everyone.
I try to choice my words carefully so no offense is taken. I realize even now something that we Americans may not inadvertently do can be a minor faux pas.
She has an honesty which has been a striking contrast to what I have seen in Americans. Granted, she may not speak for, or be reflective of all Russians, but it has given me an opportunity to look at how many lies the American government has made about the Russian people.
I go to a number of websites, like this one, to try to learn as wll.
Please do not take offense. My reply was geared more to Americans who read these posts than towards any Russians, even though both will read them.
I see people as being people, not the labels which are attached to them.
Americans, in my opinion, can be very self-centered and ego-centric and need to learn a little more about humility and being humble.
Differences exist if we let them exist. But even if they do, it should, in my opinion, not be seen as weakness or something to push people apart.
No 2 individuals are alike within any society.
I think the key is to treat differences with respect.
Whatever society there is, be it Russian, American, European etc. deserves to be treated with respect and as much understanding as is possible.
I admit, I do not have alot of experience with Russian people or culture, but I will not let someone else[American]'s words affect my willingness or ability to look at the people and culture of Russia with an open-mind, and an open-heart.
There is an old saying "Never criticize a man until you walk a mile in his mocassins." It means simply to look at things from the other persons point of view, something which I try to do alot.
Thanks, Atomcat..
Mark H. |
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Atomcat
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 30 Jul 2004
Posts: 187
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| Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:24 pm Post subject: Beware |
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Last edited by Atomcat on Fri Nov 05, 2004 3:53 am; edited 1 time in total |
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markhagelin
Talk Show Host
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 208
Location: Maine, USA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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I am not sure how long I will/would stay. Maybe a month. I have responsibilities here which would not allow for a prolonged stay.
I want to make sure that I know enough before I go, so I will feel comfortable.
I am currently living in rural Maine again, after living in Virginia for ahwile [about 30 min from Washington, DC] and Denver, Colorado.
Visiting Russia was not something which I had had in mind when returning home after 15 years away.
I have been in touch with a nice Russian woman who lives in Perm.
I am trying to look ahead in case it develops into more. I would prefer to go into a situtation as prepared as I can be, then to wait until the last minute.
I hope that her and my relationship develops into more, but if it doesn't I will at least have learned something of the Russian language people and culture even if I never go.
I would want to stay away from the bigger Russian cities if possible.
This is all tenative, but I like to look ahead.
----
I am sorry, but I do not have too much compassion for Winston. I feel he put himself into the bad situations which he found himself.
Drinking, dancing, loose women/prostitutes, people tied to the Georgian mafia, is that truly typical behavior for a foreign visitor?
Is that the type of behavior one would want in Canada or the USA?
A guest should act like a guest.
If American and other tourists are promoted as being "rich" won't this make more Americans and tourists a target?
Winston should have let them have the camcorder. Why?
He was in essence saying :
"Steal from Americans and they will buy it back from you".
I think that it is a stereotype to project Americans as rich or being able to buy their way out of a situation.
How much of Winston's conduct was appropriate for a guest in a foreign country?
Mark H
Maine. USA |
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