What kind of work are you doing in russia

Work hard, play hard: How much do Russians work?

Omsk mayor candidate, famous photo blogger Ilya Varlamov

Last week, Ilya Varlamov, a famous Russian blogger, found himself in the middle of a scandal. The editors who co-author his blog complained of a “horrible work environment, worse than in some Chinese shoe factory.”

Maria Gerke, one of the editors, wrote that she and her colleagues are expected to work 12 hours a day and almost without weekends, while Varlamov constantly watches over them.

“A holiday break?” she said. “HAHAHAHHA. Only one person on our editorial team has one, and I don’t know how he managed to ask for it or how he earned it. In my two years working here, I haven’t had even one holiday, not counting one week I spent in a hospital after a surgery. This is only kind of holiday that we are allowed to take.”

Maria received a response from the Union of Journalists, which provided support and encouraged her and her colleagues to fight for their rights and to create a similar union within their organization. In response, Varlamov, surprisingly, didn’t fire Maria but wrote a public response stating that he will not make changes to work conditions.

“I’m ready to pay for work and pay higher than the market average,” Varlamov wrote. “I always keep my word and fulfill my responsibilities, so I demand the same from my staff. Want to work – send a C.V. Want to create a union and fight for your rights – f**k you.”

Another employee, Maya Volf, agreed that it is hard to work for Varlamov, though she said he doesn’t ask his staff to work 24/7. “He wants to see people in his team who can solve problems on their own (…) Can you finish everything in an hour? Good work, you are free! Didn’t make it in a day? Sorry, learn to work more efficiently or look for another job,” she wrote.

According to lawyers, Varlamov can only be pressed with charges if his staff officially take him to court.

Artemy Lebedev’s studio in Moscow

Mikhail Fomichev/RIA Novosti

Similar practices can be found at the Art.Lebedev Studio, which created the design for the current Moscow Metro map. Run by provocative Russian designer Artemy Lebedev, the studio hires those ready to work ten hours a day six days a week. At the same time, Lebedev values people with outstanding personalities and is ready to pay above average for hard work.

Is it the same all over Russia?

Nevertheless, cases like this are not a widespread in Russia. “According to the law, one cannot work more than 40 hours a week,” Pavel Butenko, the director of marketing, direct sales and innovation development at INTOUCH Insurance company in Moscow, told Russia Beyond. “This means the average working day in Russia is eight hours (nine including lunch). This mostly concerns office workers.”

Employees of state-owned organizations usually have an even shorter workweek. “Some doctors work from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. including lunch, and this is similar to some employees of educational institutions, ministries and other state-owned organizations. The work schedule can differ depending on reception hours for the general public,” Butenko explained.

According to Butenko, people working in sales work longer shifts – sometimes longer than twelve hours. This is due the working hours of shopping malls, which usually open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. However, sales employees generally work in shifts rather than a full five-day workweek.

Then there are people who work remotely from home, but there are no official statistics about how many of them there are. “Yet, one can confidently say that the number of remote workers has grown significantly in recent years,” Butenko argued. “First, due to the expansion of industries that do not require office work, for instance, IT, SMM, design and copywriting. Second, because this is a way for employers to cut costs. Many startups don’t rent an office, opting instead to communicate with their workers online.”

Another factor, according to Butenko, is that an increasing number of people choose themselves to work remotely. “There is less and less time in big cities, so it’s more convenient to work from home rather than lose a few hours on the road to and back from the office,” Butenko said.

If using any of Russia Beyond’s content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

What kind of work are you doing in russia

Задание №15392.
Письмо. ЕГЭ по английскому

You have received an email message from your English-speaking pen-friend John:

This summer we are going on a three-day bicycle trip …

Write an email to John.

In your message:
-answer his questions
-ask 3 questions about the trip.

Write 100–140 words.
Remember the rules of email writing.

Решение:
Ознакомьтесь с рекомендациями М. В. Вербицкой по выполнению задания с электронным письмом: читать.

Thanks for your letter. I was happy to hear about your latest news!

It’s great that your brother graduated from University! Now, let me answer your questions. The professions of engineers, programmers and economists are the most prestigious in Russia. You don’t need a university degree in Russia if you want to work as a cashier or seller, for example. I don’t want to go to college as I want to become a military man.

Anyway, you’ve mentioned a bicycle trip. Why did you decide to go on the trip? Are you prepared well? Who is going with you?

That’s all for now. Good luck with your bicycle trip!

Write back soon!
Bye,
Sergei

Источник: ФИПИ. Открытый банк тестовых заданий
Сообщить об ошибке

14 Things You Should Never Do In Russia

America is a «melting pot» of different cultures and ideas, and as a result Americans aren’t (usually) super-sensitive about people who do things a bit differently than we do. But most of the world’s cultures evolved over centuries, sometimes millennia, and often in relative isolation. That’s one of the reasons why people from other cultures can get so annoyed at American travelers — American travelers don’t always get the whole cultural respect thing, and they do things that can come across as stupid and rude.

That’s why it’s a good idea to do your homework before visiting any foreign nation. You don’t really want to piss anyone off, not just because it sucks to get into an altercation with someone whose language you don’t speak, but also because you never really know what tradition dictates ought to happen to those who defy tradition. So just in case you’re planning a summer vacation to Russia (or, erm, might consider one after they stop invading Ukraine and some of those sanctions are lifted. ), here’s a list of the top things you should never do while you’re in Mother Russia.

Don’t wear gloves when you shake hands

If you’re going to be in Russia in the summer, you don’t have to worry too much about this rule because Russia is freaking hot in the summer and you’re not likely to be wearing gloves. But the rest of the time, Russia is like a balmy afternoon on Neptune and if you don’t wear gloves your fingers might actually snap off when you try to take your phone out of your back pocket.

Still, there are occasions when you’re simply not allowed to wear gloves, and no one in Russia cares how cold your wussy foreign fingers are. According to the Moscow Times, one of these occasions is whenever you are shaking hands. But why? Because from the Russian perspective you are not wearing that glove out of a desire to have a warm hand, you are wearing it because you don’t want to touch the icky Russian person. Hopefully, you can see why that might be considered a bit rude. And really, a handshake only takes a couple seconds, and then you can put your glove back on.

Never turn down a drink

Be warned, if you are trying to stay away from alcohol, Russia is a terrible place to travel. The Russians are friendly, generous, and they like vodka. Really — that’s not just some horrible cliche.

So if you go to Russia, expect to be offered a drink. And according to PRI, when you go to Russia, don’t expect that you can just say, «No thank you, I don’t drink» because no one will sympathize with or understand that for some people alcohol is a life-ruining force of destruction — they will just think you’re being insufferably rude. (Tip: Some travelers say you can use the old «doctor’s orders» excuse to politely dodge the alcohol without raising any eyebrows.)

Besides being obligated to accept alcohol when it’s offered to you, you are also at risk of finding out what the Russian hospital system is like after you become so intoxicated that you need medical attention. Because the Russians will not just offer you one drink, they will continue to fill your glass until you either pass out or die. If you don’t want that to happen, nursing your drinks while you’re in Russia is a really good idea. If you ever let your glass get down to less than half full, expect a refill.

Don’t leave empty bottles sitting on the table

The Russians are really superstitious people — a 2013 poll found that more than half of the Russians surveyed believed in things like omens, astrology, prophetic dreams, and bad luck.

One such superstition has to do with empty bottles, specifically, empty bottles that once had alcohol in them. According to the Moscow Times, Russians believe that an empty bottle left sitting on a table is an omen of financial hardship, or maybe even grief and suffering. Don’t worry, though, no one expects you to get up and deposit it in a recycling bin or anything — traditionally, you just put it on the floor.

No one is sure where this superstition came from, but it’s thought that Cossack soldiers brought it back from France after the Napoleonic wars. When eating in Parisian restaurants, the Cossacks figured out that their waiters would charge them for the empty bottles on their table rather than for the full bottles they got from the bar, so they started leaving a few bottles on the floor to lighten the bill.

Don’t tell your mama jokes

For some reason, Americans enjoy «your mama» jokes, even though most «your mama» jokes are notoriously unfunny and offensive. And yet there still seem to be thousands of variations of them and we still all seem to have at least one friend or family member who insists on telling the latest.

If you have a «your mama» joke in your repertoire of funnies, you’ll want to avoid throwing it out as an ice-breaker while you’re in Russia. Russians are almost universally unamused by jokes about a person’s mother, or even a person’s father. In fact, according to Russia Beyond, you might be better off just not making jokes at all when you’re in Russia because the Russian sense of humor doesn’t really line up with the American one. You might even find that some Russians are taking your jokes seriously because nothing in their universe has ever prepared them for the stupidity of the American sense of humor, and therefore they don’t actually know it when they see it.

Don’t argue with a babushka

Okay, so first of all, it’s not «bab-OO-shka,» it’s «BAH-boo-shka.» So don’t say it wrong because the Russians will be pissed at you. And second, respect the babushka. Babushka is a title and a status symbol. Babushkas are tough and terrifying and they are not afraid to tell you exactly how you’ve offended them. According to Way to Russia, you can expect to be shoved aside, cut in front of, and generally looked down upon by every babushka you meet, and you’d better not do or say anything about it because babushkas rule Russia.

If you don’t know what a babushka is, you’d better know before you get on that plane: A babushka is an elderly Russian woman. In fact, U.S. Represented says when a Russian woman becomes a grandmother, she achieves a kind of status that’s «something just short of gaining sainthood.»

So basically, what a babushka wants, a babushka gets. As a traveler who is not a babushka, you are obligated to let her elbow you aside, cut in front of you, and yell at you for transgressions you don’t understand because you don’t speak Russian. Be prepared.

Don’t whistle indoors

Most Western superstitions about bad luck are specific to the person who offended the tradition — everyone else is usually spared. Walking under a ladder, for example, is a solo transgression. So is opening up an umbrella indoors. But in Russia, violating the rules of superstition sometimes means dragging everyone else down with you, so that’s why you really do have to know all the Russian superstitions before you spend time there.

According to Enjoy Russian, you should never whistle indoors because, for whatever reason, whistling is associated with financial hardship. It’s especially bad form to whistle in someone else’s house because it’s not just you who might suffer financial misfortune, but also your hosts.

Like most long-running superstitions, no one really seems to know for sure where this one came from. The West has a similar rule about not whistling indoors, but its rule is not attached to a bad-luck thing. It’s possible that the Russian superstition started out the same way, and then morphed into «shut up already or you’ll whistle all your money away!» Does it really matter, though? At least the Russians have a good way to shut that down.

Don’t show up empty-handed

This is really just common sense no matter what country you’re in — whenever you’re invited to someone’s home, you should bring a bottle of wine or a nice dessert to share with your hosts. If you’re not already doing this, you might need to take an etiquette class or just stay in America where you’re free to show up at your friend’s house bearing nothing but the words, «Where’s the beer?»

According to Russia Beyond, when you’re invited into a Russian home you’re expected to bring something with you, typically a food or drink item that will be served with the meal. Make sure it’s something you actually enjoy — if you’re not a wine drinker and you brought a bottle of wine, your hosts might be annoyed at you for refusing to partake.

There are some other do’s and don’ts that household guests have to remember — for example, do bring alcohol but don’t bring vodka because your hosts might think you’re insulting them. Do bring flowers for any women in the house, but not yellow flowers or flowers in even numbers. If there are children in the home, it’s customary to bring something for them, too, like a small treat or a fun activity. And maybe take notes because that’s way too much to remember.

Don’t let a woman carry heavy things

Here in the West, women pride themselves on their independence. Sometimes, Western women will even get offended at offers of help because those offers, however well-intentioned, imply that they can’t take care of themselves — which is one of the reasons why you don’t see so many random acts of chivalry in the 21st century. Some of us miss it and some of us don’t, but generally speaking, offering to hold a door or carry something heavy for someone just because she’s female isn’t really a thing anymore in America.

In Russia, though, this brand of chivalry hasn’t ever gone out of style. According to Russia Beyond, the Russians believe that a man has a responsibility to help a woman out when he sees her carrying something heavy. If you’re a woman traveling in Russia, it’s a good idea to just accept the help when it’s offered — the Russians don’t mean to imply that you can’t take care of yourself, they’re just genuinely trying to help. If you’re a man traveling in Russia and you see a woman struggling with something heavy, you should also offer to help. And if she’s your traveling companion, you’re probably not going to make many good impressions with the locals if you let her struggle with her own suitcase.

Don’t accept an offer of kindness until it’s been offered several times

You’ve almost certainly seen this play out in a sitcom: Person A offers to do some kindness for Person B. Person B refuses, and Person A says, «No, really I insist.» Person B refuses again, and so on and so forth until everyone is mad at each other. In Russia, this is all part of the tradition of gift-giving.

According to World Speaking, when someone in Russia offers you a gift, you should never, ever accept outright, even if it’s something you really need. Instead, you should let the person offer a second time, and then you should refuse again. If that person is really serious about giving you a gift, he or she will offer a third time, and at that point, it’s probably okay to say yes. But it’s definitely not polite to just jump on the offer immediately — you must at least make a show of being unwilling to accept the gift, so the other person can make a show of being willing to give it to you.

Don’t criticize Russia

In the West, especially in America, we love to talk about politics, and we especially love to criticize our government and our politicians. We all consider ourselves to be patriots, but other than that we’re pretty polarized about which way the nation appears to be moving and which politicians are most responsible for «destroying our country.»

It’s kind of natural to take some of that with you on vacation, but if your destination is Russia — especially after their invasion of Ukraine, when laws were changed to make some criticism illegal – Travel Mono recommends keeping any criticism of Russian politics that you might have tightly under wraps. So no comments about Russian election interference, don’t mention Crimea, and definitely don’t make fun of shirtless Putin on a horse.

Russians are also very patriotic, but to them, patriotism means not making fun of or criticizing the government and its leaders because that’s not being a good citizen and also because the government might put their families in a penal colony. And it’s especially obnoxious to them when a pretentious Westerner shows up, eats all the food, sees all the sights, and complains about Putin.

Don’t wear shoes indoors

Russians don’t believe in wearing shoes indoors. In that way, Russia is similar to a lot of Asian countries, where shoes in living spaces just don’t compute. It actually makes a ton of sense, really, and it kind of seems strange that it hasn’t actually dawned on all cultures how gross it is to walk around the house in your shoes. Your home is supposed to be a respite from all the filth and germs of the real world, and nothing you wear on your body is quite as filthy and germy as a pair of shoes.

According to Russia Beyond, you should always leave your shoes in the hallway whenever you walk into a Russian home. Most Russians keep slippers on hand specifically for their guests because putting your feet where someone else’s sweaty, athlete’s foot-covered toes have been is marginally less gross than tracking germs all over the house.

Russians are so germ-averse, in fact, that they will usually change into «house clothes» when they come home from work because their house clothes are cleaner than anything they wore around the city during the day.

Don’t sit on public transport

After a long, hard day of sightseeing, being forced to drink alcohol, and not saying anything bad about Vladimir Putin or that whole Ukraine invasion, you might be looking forward to jumping on the Metro just so you can sit down for a few minutes. Not so fast, though. Many city-dwelling Russians use public transportation, and public transportation is often at capacity. So on a crowded train, there’s always going to be someone who needs that seat, and in the eyes of the Russians, it is terribly uncouth and selfish for you to assume that it’s you, unless you fall into one of the following categories: You are elderly, you are disabled, you are a child, or you are pregnant.

According to ITMO.news, failure to give up your seat for someone in one of these groups is a gigantic faux pas, and you might actually get told off (in Russian!) for being a selfish jerk. That’s totally not worth resting your feet for a few minutes.

Don’t smile

Popular culture sometimes portrays the Russians as being kind of gloomy, or maybe even angry all the time. There are plenty of goofy explanations about why this might be — perhaps it’s because they’re so freaking cold all the time or perhaps it’s because they’ve finally realized that all their buildings are topped with snow and not scoops of ice cream. But it’s actually a misconception that Russians are perpetually in a bad mood — they’re not, they’re just very selective smilers.

According to the Atlantic, the Russians feel like they shouldn’t smile unless they have a reason to. In fact, this is even written into their culture in the form of a proverb, which loosely translated means «laughing for no reason is a sign of stupidity.» So smiling at strangers is considered weird, uncouth, and maybe even disingenuous. Instead, the Russians believe that you should reserve your smiles for your family, friends, and occasions when you have a good reason to smile.

Don’t go out without your passport

Russia is not exactly the land of the free or the home of the unrestricted traveler. According to Russia Beyond, the Russian police can stop anyone at any time for the sole purpose of «checking papers,» just like in every movie you’ve ever seen where American travelers get into trouble in countries that aren’t the USA. And yes, police do tend to do this based on profiling — if you don’t look like a Russian, you’re probably going to get stopped. And if you don’t have your passport, you might even be taken into custody. Also, you’ll probably soil yourself because you won’t have any idea why you’re being taken into custody because you don’t speak Russian.

The Russian police can hold you for up to three hours while they try to figure out who you are, and that can seriously interfere with your plans to tour the Peterhof Gardens and Fountains or the Museum of Vladimir Putin. So don’t leave your passport in the hotel because you’d rather travel light — you truly do not know when you might need it.

What do Russians eat? Russian eating habits and food preferences

Food is not only a source of pleasure and a sphere of creativity but also a guide to the history of cultures. Almost every type of food or dish have their own historical basis, so by trying a local traditional dish we can get closer to understanding the history of the place. The same applies to Russian cuisine – it reflects the history and the lifestyle of the Russian nation, so let’s look today at what they eat in Russia.

“Porridge of beauty”

Throughout history, Russians have been close to the land. Growing various crops and collecting their grains, our ancestors invented many different ways to process and cook them. It formed the basis for a variety of Russian porridges.

The most popular crop in modern Russia is oats from which the oat-flakes are produced and used to make a porrige for breakfast. The substances in the oat-flakes reduce the levels of sugar and cholesterol in the blood, favorably affect the functions of the stomach, protect the face skin from irritations. They also contain many useful micro-elements and fiber which makes them an ideal breakfast dish.

Dairy products

In addition to working in the fields, Russians were engaged in livestock farming. One of the most valuable domestic animals for the peasants was a cow. Fatty cow’s milk has become the main ingredient for various dairy products. Experimenting with milk, as well as with different sourdoughs and milk processing technologies, the Russians were able to create a variety of diverse and unique dairy products that are popular and loved by the people of our country until now.

If you are a fan of the dairy products, you definitely need to try Russian cottage cheese, sour cream, kefir, ryazhenka (fermented baked milk), sour clotted milk, baked milk, cream. In the list of favorite breakfast foods, cottage cheese with sour cream ranks second after the oats.

Pickled, fermented and canned vegetables and fruits

Not less popular are various pickled and fermented vegetables. During the short and often cold and barren summer, the main task for people was to preserve the food they managed to gather for as long as possible. The only way to do it was by adding such natural conservants as salt or sugar, by making fermented and pickled foods. And you can do that with not only the vegetables grown on your own but also with various mushrooms and roots found in the forest. Berries and fruits, such as apples or plums, were also preserved in the form of jams and compotes. This tradition of preserving the food for the winter has not lost its popularity after the invention of the refrigerator and remains relevant to this day. The most popular Russian pickled food is sauerkraut which the people make in large quantities.

What is the head of everything?

Russians say “хлеб всему голова” (bread is the head of everything). Since ancient times, bread was a symbol of life and work. It is impossible to imagine the Russian cuisine without it. There was a tradition to meet the dearest guests with bread and salt as a sign of deep respect. Especially loved in Russia is dark bread without which no lunch or dinner can go. Bread in Russia is different from the breads of western and eastern countries due to the special coarse grinding of rye grains and the addition of a special yeast which gives the dough a unique taste and texture.

Soups

Soup takes one of the central places in Russian cuisine. Soup as a hot and nourishing dish became the basis of Russian dinner. There is even a saying in Russian that emphasizes the significance of a soup for Russians: «один раз в сутки суп должен быть в желудке» (once a day, the soup must be in the stomach).

Today, we can count a large number of different soups which have their own name depending on its ingredients. The most favorite Russian soups are borscht, shchi (can be made from fresh cabbage or sauerkraut, with mushrooms and other additions), rassolnik (meat or fish soup with pickled or salted cucumbers), mushroom soup, ukha (fish soup), solyanka (soup with pickles and a variety of meats). There are also cold soups which are eaten in hot summertime. The main summer soup – okroshka – is made of vegetables and meat on kvass or kefir. Another summer soup – botvinia – is also a soup of vegetables and meat on water with the addition of beet leaves. Usually, these two soups surprise foreign tourists the most when they try Russian dishes.

King of salads

If you have ever been a guest of a Russian family or read the menu in a Russian restaurant, then surely you were surprised at the abundance of mayonnaise in Russian dishes. The history of mayonnaise in Russia is very short. In 1939, one of the Kremlin cooks introduced a new sauce – “Provencal” – which remotely resembled an existing Provencal. Comrade Stalin liked the invention so much that Provencal was launched into mass production under the name “Mayonnaise Provencal”. This new sauce was rich in calories and had a pleasant taste which compensated for the poor diet of Soviet people. People began to invent various recipes for salads based on mayonnaise.

Soviet times are gone, but the mayonnaise addiction remains. Today, it is impossible to imagine Russian cuisine without famous Soviet salads with mayonnaise: Olivier, Herring under the fur coats, Crab and Mimosa salads. And despite the trend of healthy nutrition that is spreading around the world, mayonnaise in Russia is gaining more and more popularity – it is added not only to salads, but also used to bake meat or fish or eaten on its own along with bread and even pasta.

Herring

Many foreigners find inexplicable the Russian love for herring which is usually eaten salted with black bread or in a salad. Living along numerous rivers, lakes and on the shores of the seas, our ancestors discovered an interesting fish: after you cook it as usual, its taste leaves much to be desired, but when you salt it, the result surpasses all expectations – the fish becomes tender with a pleasant, slightly spicy and original taste. Thus the “herring tradition” has started. In Soviet times, the herring fishery was very large, it made this fish an affordable but very tasty delicacy. Nowadays in Russia, herring remains popular and its traditional salting recipes are preserved.

“Queen of crops”

Buckwheat – “The queen of crops” – originated in northern India and Nepal. After making a long way around Asia, in the 15th century, it arrived to Russia and became popular due to its unpretentious nature. In Russia, buckwheat looks like a small solid dark brown grain, unlike in France or Germany where the buckwheat grain is not so dark and a bit greenish. Buckwheat is boiled in water or milk. It can be a separate dish (often used with milk, butter, or sugar) or served as a side dish. The main advantages of this crop are the ease of preparation and a large number of healthy substances that are good for the body. For foreigners who have never tried buckwheat, its taste may seem a bit bitter and too specific. Perhaps, that’s why in many countries buckwheat is not so popular as in Russia.

Boiled condensed milk

Most likely, you have heard of such a product as condensed milk. Maybe you even tried it and know what its taste is – very sweet, gentle, a little milky. Condensed milk was very popular in USSR often being one of not many deserts that parents could treat their kids with.

Now imagine that you took a can of condensed milk, put it in a saucepan and boil it for 3 to 4 hours. Why? – you ask surprised. To get a new, unique, and even more delicate taste. The funny part is that if you forget to regularly add water that evaporates after a long time on fire, you risk to paint your kitchen walls and ceiling with condensed milk as the can will explode.

You might wonder who came up with this idea? There is no exact answer to it, but there is a legend that the son of one of the Soviet-era party leaders Anastas Mikoyan decided to conduct such an experiment and boiled a can of condensed milk, which, of course, exploded. Allegedly, after this, the idea spread to the masses, and everyone began to try to cook a new delicacy, but now “observing safety precautions”.

Consclusion

This article can be considered a mini-guide on most prominent features of Russian cuisine that not many know about. You usually hear a lot about traditional Russian blini, pelmeni and pies, but if you have the opportunity to try something new and unusual from Russian cuisine, do not miss your chance!

20 Things Not to Do in Russia: Tips for Visitors

You may find plenty of tips on visiting Russia online but lots of them just repeat the same basic things and sound like a carbon copy from one source. Besides, times moved on and some of these things are no longer valid.

If you are looking for some sound advice on travel to Russia to see your online girlfriend or prospective bride, check out the points below first.

20 things to never do in Russia

Practical tips for visitors of the Russian Federation may sometimes sound as a joke, but let me assure you all these things are pretty serious. The best thing you can do in a country like Russia is to try to blend in. Which is not easy: Usually foreigners stand out like sore thumbs. Thus, outsiders could become straightforward targets for swindlers of all types (for example, pickpocketers), as well as general checks by the local law enforcement officers. Such encounters with officials are a challenge unless you speak the local dialect fluently.

Blending in will allow you more privacy and security. Besides, it is the greatest compliment for a foreigner to be told, “You look just like a Russian!” It means you have been accepted by locals.

1. Stop smiling

Smiling is a dead giveaway pointing to the fact you are a foreign tourist. (Expats quickly learn to subdue smiles.)

A Russian proverb states, “Smiling without a reason is a sign of idiocy.” If you don’t want to be taken for a fool, do not grin. And be mindful of smiling at public places of worship, monuments, or graveyards in Russia. It is certainly a taboo and could be seen as extremely rude and insensitive.

2. Do not wear T-Shirts with foreign flags or symbols

Anything that shows an alliance with your country may not be advisable in the streets of Moscow or St. Petersburg, if you want to fit in. (Yes, you may see some people in T-Shirts and jackets bearing foreign symbols. But these guys and girls are Russians: It’s stamped all over their faces and nobody will confuse them for foreigners. They speak fluent Russian as well and you do not.) By the same token, don’t walk around in T-Shirts you bought in local souvenir shops, if you aren’t keen for people around to decipher you are a foreign tourist.

Russian politics tend to be inconsistent in recent years: Who is an ally today could be seen as an enemy tomorrow; swings of 180 degrees happen all the time. Rather stay clear of any potentially political statements visually (and verbally).

So, simply wear inconspicuous attire: Best opt for shirts by known European brands. Watch some latest news videos from Moscow by RT (Russia Today); they have a YouTube channel as well. If you are buying clothing specially for your visit, pick similar styles the majority of people in the streets wear. Since fashion changes quickly, what is recommended today may look strange the next year. So, see the news and decide how to dress.

In general, people in Russia tend to dress up. If you went for a “smart casual” look, most likely, you would fit in.

Avoid wearing T-Shirts with foreign flags or symbols in the streets of Russian cities.

3. Don’t forget to download a translation app

This will be a life saver. It makes life so much easier anywhere, from taxis to supermarkets. You will be able to communicate without problems with people who don’t speak English by using the app.

4. Do not sit in public transport

Russian public transport is typically overcrowded. Besides, as a male you are required to offer your seat (stand up and make an inviting gesture) to any female walking in, as well as seniors, pregnant women, disabled, children, parents with kids, etc. If you want to show off in front of your girlfriend, go ahead and sit down, then jump up when someone from the eligible category walks in. Otherwise, it’s simpler to walk to the back of the carriage and stand there.

5. Don’t criticize anything Russian

Say only positive things about Russia, even if your hosts complain about realities of their country non-stop. They live there, so they are allowed to whine. You are an outsider, and for you it will be an unforgivable sin. Rather share with the locals what you enjoy about Russia—there are plenty of things to admire. They will love you for that.

If you want to make friends with locals, don’t criticize anything Russian.

6. Never visit empty-handed

A visitor is supposed to bring a “guest-offering” (“gostinets” in Russian, from the word “gosti”—guests). A bottle of wine or liquor, boxed candies or cake will do. The more men are in the company you visit, the stronger should be the alcohol. If you are visiting a private home, flowers for the hostess are also appropriate.

So, to be seen as a good guest, get the following:

It won’t cost you a lot but you will surely get the nod of approval from everyone in the family, juniors to seniors.

7. Don’t attempt to drink like Russians

The locals have extensive training in consuming insurmountable amounts of spirits. Unless you gulp a couple of bottles of vodka twice a week and wake up the next morning without a headache and exuding the energy enough to light the Moon, avoid drinking sessions with Russian men.

If you got invited to a festive table and cannot get away, bring up some explanation why you are unable to join the drinking club today (medical or religious reasons will work). Once you witness such an event while being sober, you will have a better understanding why it’s never a good idea to try to keep up with Russian guys consuming alcohol.

There is an old joke about a foreigner caught in such a situation.

Friday: Went to drink with Russians. Nearly died.
Saturday: Woke up late in the afternoon. Wish I died yesterday.

On the Internet, you can find lots of jokes about Russians drinking vast amounts of alcohol. Unbelievably, they may feel fine the next morning after the party.

8. Don’t eat before visiting a home

If the hosts do not know about your visit (for example, a friend invites you to come to his place without prior arrangements), then everything that is in the fridge will be on the table, plus someone will do a run to a local supermarket to buy additional meats, cheeses, etc. Don’t worry about it, they enjoy feeding a guest.

Visiting on a spur of the moment is a typical Russian style of gathering with family and friends. No one is surprised to welcome an unexpected guest to their home if he is brought by a friend (whose visit also wasn’t planned). The more people the merrier.

When visiting a private home, you’ll be offered to try lots of local dishes such as “bliny” (pictured), which is a type of pancake served with various stuffing. This particular dish features red and black caviar, for instance. It can be mince or cottage cheese, or else.

9. Never wear shoes in a private home

If you are invited to a private home, shoes are to be taken off immediately once you step inside. Usually the hosts offer a pair of slippers to a guest but they won’t mind if you walk around in socks. You can also bring your own pair of slippers to wear indoors or use a pair of thick socks for this purpose (as they do during long-distance airplane flights). Socks are probably easier, as these can be stored in a pocket in a small plastic bag.

10. Don’t sit on the floor

Any floor surfaces such as grass, stairs or pavement are considered too dirty to sit on. Even indoors sitting on a carpeted floor will be viewed as weird. However, summer picnics in parks and on river banks are very popular. People bring a blanket to sit on.

11. No shoes on seats ever

For the same reason shoes on seats are considered a taboo in Russia: The floors you walk on are “unhygienic”. This is why in hospitals they give you special overalls for shoes and require to wear a sterile gown over your clothing if you are visiting a sick relative, to avoid outside germs.

12. No outdoor clothing indoors

Warm clothing such as jackets and hats are not supposed to be worn indoors (the same reason: perceived germs and dirt), no matter how cool is the temperature inside the building. Hats in particular should never be worn inside by a male (females are OK to wear head covering items). Most places have cloak rooms where you leave your gear in exchange to a token with a number, to collect it later. Don’t leave anything of value in the pockets though.

Also, find out what time the cloak room closes. You need to collect your items before the attendant finishes her shift and goes home. Some places such as restaurants may allow you to stay past the advertised working hours: Russians won’t cut off a good party. But the cloak room attendant may leave, with your gear hanging unattended, which could cause it disappear within minutes. It is acceptable to put your packable jacket in a bag and carry it with you.

13. No whistling

In particular, no whistling inside private homes for any reason. There is an old superstition that it would cause all the money to be “whistled out of the house”. Whistling in Russia is used to specify unhappiness: For example, with a judges’ decision during a sporting event. Whistling as a sign of approval is not practiced.

If you whistle indoors, the hosts will be unhappy. An old superstition says people will lose their wealth if someone whistles in their home.

14. No communication over the door threshold

Before you start talking or shaking hands, one of you should walk in or out. Normally the host invites you in. However, it is also acceptable for a host to walk out to chat to you in the hall. Russians believe that talking or shaking hands over a threshold would also make both parties lose their wealth.

There are many more superstitions that Russians abide by (too many to be included here).

15. Don’t sing indoors solo in the morning

Somehow it is connected with a man’s drinking too much when he is married. Singing at a celebratory table in a group of friends, however, is permissible and encouraged. So, forget about singing in the shower in the mornings while you are in Russia.

16. Don’t accept an offer the first time

In Russia a polite guest will only agree to accept a kind proposal or gift when offered it for the third time. If the proposal seems a bit too much, the person may be simply expecting you to reject it. Even on the second time the proposal still may not be for real. Only the third offering is considered true. This is the reason why Russians do not take “No” for an answer and keep proposing the same thing even if you have already given them a negative response.

Complimenting your host’s belongings may cause a problem: The person may insists on giving it to you as a gift. Find an excuse why this is not required: You may already own a similar item, for instance.

Be especially careful with kind offers when people have been drinking. Citizens of Russia see pleasing a visitor as their responsibility and highest honour. They may propose some extremely strange things when being slightly over the limit and thinking it would delight you.

17. Don’t forget to learn a few Russian phrases

You are unlikely to pronounce it 100% correctly and there is no chance to fool anyone with your knowledge. But it will score you major points with Russian women and men alike.

Go to Google Translate and enter some general phrases you’d like to know how to say. There is a button to listen to audio. Learning 10-15 phrases would give you enough to get by. As a bonus, your girlfriend is going to laugh hysterically every time you attempt to speak in her language. What do they say about a man making a woman laugh? He is half way there…

18. Don’t go to a date without flowers for the lady

The first time you meet your online girlfriend, you must bring flowers. It’s not optional. Whether you are meeting her at the airport or somewhere else, the man is supposed to bring pretty blooms on the first date. Otherwise, you will be seen as rude, ill-mannered, having no regard or care for her at all. Even if it’s your getting off the plane and her picking you up!

Russians have this peculiar “flower-based dating culture”. The initial phase of a man courting a lady is officially called “the period of bouquets and candies”.

To make it easier on yourself, you can present her with a bouquet made of candies. (Pop wrapped chocolates on the ends of sticks and arrange like a bouquet in a vase or jar filled with the foam that florists use.) Or buy some “chocolate flowers”, they sell plenty of them for Valentine’s or Mother’s Day.

If you are going to a date, bring a bouquet of flowers with you.

19. Don’t offer a woman to split the bill

Unless, of course, you want to get rid of her forever but don’t know how. Russian men still pay for dates: Meals, activities, as well as they bring flowers and gifts. Just like guys were doing in America or UK in 1950s.

20. Do not leave her behind

You are supposed to hold doors for her and offer your hand when she gets out of a car, bus, or train. If you just walk away and do not offer her your hand to hold on, she will think you have no manners and won’t make a good partner.

As you walk around together, offer her your elbow to hang on (“take under arm” or “pod ruchku” as it sounds in Russian). Since Russian women love wearing high heels, especially on a date with a nice man, they indeed require support in conquering icy or slippery streets and stairs.

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