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What’s Russia like? | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages | ( Topic Closed) |  |
| Americano Senior Member Korea, South Joined 6850 days ago 101 posts - 120 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Korean | Message 33 of 110 21 October 2008 at 11:13am | IP Logged | |||||
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I spent three months in St.Petersburg in the Summer of 2005, so I am qualified to give my observations from that time. First, let me say that I loved Russia and the people there. I had a great time living in St.Petersburg. That said, it would be wise to listen to the advice given already: 1.Learn at least basic Russian, because it is essential when traveling there.
2.Xenophobia does exist, just as in many places in the World. I am a white, blonde American male and I never had problems there. The most I got was people asking me why we invaded Iraq, which I would simply reply I did not invade Iraq, haha.More so most of the people I met were happy to make my acquittance though. From my perspective, Russian's may appear cold on the exterior, but they warm up quickly once you get to know them. That said, while I was there, there were two Asian students killed by these neo-nazi groups. Also, I had friends from Spain and Italy who were routinely stopped by the police to check their papers/passport, etc. This was just a mild harassment and nothing serious ever happened. I suspect it was due to them having darker features, such as people do in the Caucus regions of Georgia, etc. Overall, just use your commonsense and don't walk down back streets alone at 3am. I did this a couple times, but I didn't feel threatened like I have in places like Mexico City, Guatemala City, Chicago, and places like that. 3.If you are going for a short time, then go to St.Petersburg during the summer when you can experience the White Nights. It's really great. You can't beat the architecture in St.Petersburg: amazing! The underground is truly spectacular as well; many stations are works of art that make you feel like you're in a different place and time. Simply put: learn some russian before you go,exercise caution like you would in all large cities, and just enjoy yourself. Now carry on smartly. Edited by Americano on 21 October 2008 at 11:13am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| chelovek Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 6091 days ago 413 posts - 461 votes 5 sounds Speaks: English*, French Studies: Russian | Message 34 of 110 05 November 2008 at 2:41pm | IP Logged | |||||
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I'm really torn about Russia...I want to go, but I'm black and figure I'll have to constantly be on guard. I know that many people will absolutely love me (in general, people tend to really like exotic people, especially the opposite sex), but all it takes is one skinhead/crooked cop/racist to ruin my day (or life), and they definitely exist.
I'm thinking I might go to Kazakhstan instead...I hear it's a MUCH safer, diverse, culturally accepting place. Or...Russia is a huge place. If anyone can recommend some pleasant, smaller cities, I'd be much obliged. What are things like in Sochi? It looks like paradise on Earth, but is it a place that people actually live? My impression was that it was practically a huge tourist resort, basically. 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Anton Diglot Newbie Russian Federation Joined 5843 days ago 1 posts - 1 votes Speaks: Russian*, Esperanto Studies: Finnish, English, Vietnamese | Message 35 of 110 29 November 2008 at 4:40pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Sochi is tourist resort mainly, but 300 000 live there in winter.
Smaller sities are more dangerous in Russia. There don't live so much foreigners. But Russia is not so terrible. For example, at night in Helsinki it is more unpleasant, than in Saint Petersburg. More probably to have a problems with police who aspire to control tourists with their passport(and sometimes rob small money in Kazahstan and central asia). But it is a rarity. Many people with black colour from Africa and Asia, who can't succese a visa for Europe or USA, study and live in Russia. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Leopejo Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Italy Joined 6113 days ago 675 posts - 724 votes Speaks: Italian*, Finnish*, English Studies: French, Russian | Message 36 of 110 29 November 2008 at 4:44pm | IP Logged | |||||
Is it? 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Siberiano Tetraglot Senior Member Russian Federation one-giant-leap.Registered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6497 days ago 465 posts - 696 votes Speaks: Russian*, English, ItalianC1, Spanish Studies: Portuguese, Serbian | Message 37 of 110 30 November 2008 at 11:20am | IP Logged | |||||
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I can't say for a whole country, but if someone comes to my city, I can tell where and how to go and where and how not to go.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| bela_lugosi Hexaglot Senior Member Finland Joined 6458 days ago 272 posts - 376 votes Speaks: English, Finnish*, Italian, Spanish, German, Swedish Studies: Russian, Estonian, Sámi, Latin | Message 38 of 110 30 November 2008 at 5:25pm | IP Logged | |||||
Yes, it is. In my opinion people in Helsinki are much more violent (because at night everybody tends to be drunk!), whereas in St. Peterburg it's really quiet and everybody just wants to have fun in the bars. :) 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| cordelia0507 Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 5842 days ago 1473 posts - 2176 votes Speaks: Swedish* Studies: German, Russian | Message 39 of 110 01 December 2008 at 3:04pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Hehe; as a "neutral Swedish" observer I must say it's hard to say who tops the drinking league: Finns or Russians!!! They are as bad as eachother, lol!
Swedes are not far behind when it comes to binge-drinking, but we're not quite in the league of our dear neighbours to the East! ;-) But seriously, the extreme drunkenness in the evenings really is unpleasant I think, and it's worth being on the lookout to avoid trouble with drunk blokes roaming the streets. ********************************************************* St Petersburg is a unique city definitely worth visiting. Fascinating, fun and cool... ********************************************************* Please don't be put off by the ridiculous American anti-russian 'propaganda' or the non-stop negative whingeing in British press about Russia. These countries have their own agendas and reasons for their black-painting of Russia. Nowadays it's just a country that's trying to look after it's interest like any other country.. It has some rather unique problems but at least it doesn't go invading countries on a different continent for economical reasons... Anyway you'll find the English-speaking Russians interesting, intelligent and nice! One big complaint: The Visa policy in Russis is RIDICULOUS and should be revised. You might easily get the impression that they don't actually WANT visitors at all! 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Chung Diglot Senior Member Joined 7160 days ago 4228 posts - 8259 votes 20 sounds Speaks: English*, French Studies: Polish, Slovak, Uzbek, Turkish, Korean, Finnish | Message 40 of 110 01 December 2008 at 3:41pm | IP Logged | |||||
Then again beating up on neighbouring countries isn't exactly the most desirable form of foreign policy.
Old habits die hard. Russia has been a model bureaucracy for a while, and I wouldn't hold my breath for the Russians to relax their visa policies. The amount of visa-hassle involved does indeed make me reluctant to plan a pleasure trip to Russia. Some day... 1 person has voted this message useful |
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