Stereotypes are a controversial but very tenacious thing, especially when it comes to residents of other countries. Many firmly believe that all Italians are expressive and emotional, all Germans are stingy and pedantic, the British are all snobs, and the Japanese are perverts... There is probably some truth in these judgments, but each person is unique, and you cannot judge everyone the same.

By March 8, the editors of Reedus have collected for you the opinions of foreigners about Russian women. And among them there are some pleasant, some surprising, and some completely outrageous ones.

France, Frederic, 45 years old

“In my country there is an opinion that Russian women, like all other representatives Eastern Europe, a little bit of a slave. They obey their husband in everything, do not argue, do not contradict, and jump up to clear the table and serve the next dish. I don’t know how it is in other countries, but ladies from Russia are definitely not like that - proud, headstrong, with character.

Russian girls are much better versed in high technology than French girls. They masterfully use numerous gadgets and applications, are always in touch and masterfully search for information. It’s a paradox, but very often it is precisely these modern beauties who have completely archaic views on certain things. I heard with my own ears how young Russian women (25-27 years old) discussed “feminine” and “non-feminine” professions, and also said that the main thing in life is to get married successfully, be a good wife and follow a man everywhere. With all this, they came to France on their own, the route themselves and with one hand they booked and rebooked train tickets over a cup of coffee. They were superbly educated, smart, well-read, traveled half the world... But these thoughts and judgments of theirs are a thing of the past.

Girls from Russia are incredibly concerned about appearance. Very much! They extend eyelashes and hair, and obsessively monitor the combination of colors in clothes. There are such ladies in France, but there are much fewer of them. The dissonance is that from people who are so concerned about their image, you expect narcissism, coldness, and selfishness. But in the case of Russians, every time you understand that you were wrong again: they turn out to be sincere, open, warm. At the same time, it seems to me that Russian women are more anxious and less confident than French women. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so important for you to make a good impression.

With Russians, everything is not the same as with others and you have to keep your eyes open, because you never know what to expect from them. You are unpredictable. It’s like you have “no limits”. Are you sure that “everything is possible”, and it doesn’t matter at all in what area: go swimming in the lake at night, get ready for a trip in two hours, open a restaurant, get a job outside your specialty and do brilliant career, write a book, make a film. You are constantly at a low start and always ready to swing over the barrier. But this quality has reverse side. In my opinion, Russian women are less prudent than French women. If they like the food, they will eat more than they need; If they come to a party, they may drink too much alcohol. I don't understand what makes them do this.

Slavic women are often credited with being melancholy, but here I only partially agree. Yes, Russian women are more worried about “where is he, what’s wrong with him, why doesn’t he call, what if something happened.” French women are calmer and will not spoil their mood with what has not yet happened. But on the other hand, Russian girls show emotions sincerely, know how to have fun from the heart and look at the world with optimism.”

Australia, Robert, 37 years old

“Women in Russia are incredibly beautiful! When I first arrived, I fell in love two or three times every trip on the subway. You know exactly how to look stunning everywhere and always, but this habit has a downside. And I’m not talking about money, although I understand that beauty is expensive. I teach English and one day during a lesson the conversation came up about the word “narcissism.” I explained that this concept is negative, and a “narcissist” is a person who cannot calmly pass by a single mirror and constantly checks how he looks. The student looked at me puzzled and asked: “What’s wrong with that?” I was simply stunned, I looked at the others and saw the same question in their eyes.

I had a Russian girl who was constantly fixing her hair or makeup, she lost sight of everything that was happening around her because she was posting selfies on Instagram. This made me terribly upset.

In sex, Russian women strive to fulfill their partner’s desires. I had to come up with more and more new fantasies, because almost every girl asked what I dreamed about in order to immediately realize it. Russian women are most often confident in themselves and their physical attractiveness, because they spend a lot of time maintaining it. Sex with them is wonderful and full of enthusiasm. But, unfortunately, you can’t build a relationship on sex alone.

For some reason, in Russia it is customary for a woman to clear the table. When at one party I tried to help with the dishes, they looked at me in amazement. But in Australia, absolutely everyone does household chores, regardless of gender, just to get rid of them faster.

One day in my class the conversation turned to gender roles. Surprisingly, most students fiercely defended the traditional patriarchal system. It was the girls who spoke loudest, and the men willingly supported them. The few brave men who spoke out for equal rights were quickly silenced by ladies who wanted to maintain the status quo of the 1950s. In Russia I also met independent, beautiful feminists with wild, untamed, free souls. But in general, most Russian girls are subject to stereotypes that are imposed on them from early childhood.

Russian women are frank and directly say what they think - even not the most pleasant things. But they are also amazingly generous and caring. I like that they are always ready to support you and help you with advice, and in this they turn out to be amazingly insightful. I have many female friends in Russia, and I hope to maintain our communication when I leave.”

USA, Jeff, 29 years old

“Russian women are magnificent - this is the honest truth. One morning on the banks of the Neva in St. Petersburg, my American friend and I met two very beautiful girls- short bright dresses, stiletto heels, chic makeup. They looked like aliens! My companion, watching them go, said: “They dressed up as if they were going to a nightclub, but this is just a morning walk!” Russians are much more likely than American women to dress beautifully. On the one hand, it takes so much time that I sympathize with them. On the other hand, it is obvious that they enjoy it, so... respect!

What struck me was the absolute indifference of your women to feminism. Many smart, educated, strong-willed Russian women consider feminism to be some kind of stupidity. I, like most Americans, consider the feminist system of views and values ​​to be normal and obvious, so I have a hard time in Russia.

Russian girls are very modern and at the same time very conservative. You are capable of leading companies and solving a bunch of issues at the same time, but when my friend says something like “I typical woman: I drive like an idiot” or “I’m just a stupid girl,” I want to take her by the shoulders, shake her and say: “Don’t ever say that, you’re smart!”

It's hard not to fall in love with Russian women for their generosity, kindness and attention to others. Whether it’s your grandmother scolding you for not wearing a hat in the cold; or an official making an effort to help with your problem; or friends who hand make gifts for you and beautiful cards. I tell them that they don't have to take the time to make all these beautiful things, but it melts my heart every time. All the Russian women I communicate with at work, at home, in stores, make me happier. Not only are they sweet and caring, but they are also heartbreakingly good-looking. Sometimes I even feel like an energy vampire.

In many ways, Russians are more straightforward than American women, and this is usually great. But when it comes to sex and relationships, most begin to speak in riddles and expect miracles of deduction from a man. Sometimes I get the impression that I am inside a Russian drama, where asking a young lady to dance or helping with English suddenly means that I am in love with her and want a family and children, although I just wanted to be nice. I made a lot of stupid mistakes, not understanding what a girl really wants from me.

Russian women are very generous with sex. But their conservatism manifests itself here too. Blowjob is included in the obligatory sexual program of the night, but at the same time, half of the girls are extremely surprised, and sometimes scared, if I offer to do cunnilingus. I always try to be attentive to my partner and take care of her pleasure. But with some people, sex turns into a show for me alone. Once I asked a girl in bed: “Do you want me to help you achieve orgasm?” - this is after I came myself, and she obviously didn’t, because she was too carried away by the incredible acrobatics. And she answered me: “Stupid question.” Well, okay. I took it as “No, but thank you.” It was a fiasco."

Italy, Cataldo, 39 years old

“Russian girls get too carried away intimate haircuts. They shave everything clean off there. For what? This is completely unnatural.”

UK, Jason, 31 years old

“Russian girls worry too much about little things. I understand that the 90s were difficult in Russia, but in England they were not at all, we had different childhoods, hence the problems. I am a spender, and my Russian wife is extremely thrifty, and sometimes we argue about this. But that time has passed, and I think it’s high time you stopped worrying about it.”

Switzerland, Lucas, 31 years old

“The average Russian woman is more savvy in matters of fashion - both women's and men's. Russian girls are more passionate when it comes to sex. I also heard that there are two categories of Russian women. The first are rich, spoiled sex dolls who haven’t worked a day and are burning through their parents’ money. The second are unprincipled, cold as a stone, ready to sweep away everything on the way to their goal. I haven’t met the first, but I really believe in the existence of the second.”

It would seem like forever modern technologies and the Internet there should no longer be any prejudices about the lifestyle of people in other countries. But when I arrived in London, it turned out that stereotypes are alive and well! Young people do not even try to get to the bottom of the truth; it is easier for them to live in captivity of the illusions that the press inspires. Today we decided to tell you about how foreigners see Russians. You hardly recognize yourself in this description.

CITY-VILLAGE

You've probably heard how in other countries they joke that in Russia there are bears walking the streets. So - foreigners don’t joke! They really think that some lost bear might suddenly end up on Red Square. When I first talked to English children, for some reason they decided that I was something like Tarzan. Foreigners think that Russia is a continuous taiga with Kremlin towers somewhere in the middle.

VODKA

Many foreigners have never heard of dumplings, dumplings, cabbage soup and even borscht. They are sure that Russians live on caviar and vodka. Of course, in our country there is a custom of drinking, but sociologists have found that the most drinking nation is the Irish, and not the Russians. However, if you suddenly say at a party that you don’t drink, you will shock foreigners, because they believe that all Russians drink liters of alcohol.

MAFIA

Having learned that I was Russian, my English classmates were, one might say, frightened, and only over time we became friends. At first they decided that my dad was from the Russian mafia, about which there are incredible stories in London. Later, I myself witnessed parties where drunken oligarchs spent millions on drinks in order to impress their foreign partners. But the myth of the Russian mafia, which successfully promotes such films as “The Transporter”, “The Protector”, “Jack Ryan: Chaos Theory”, still scares foreigners.

RUSSIAN GIRL

I don’t want to argue with one stereotype at all: all foreigners are sure that Russian girls are the most beautiful and sexy. Of course, thanks to such films as “SALT” and “The Avengers”, the image of a beautiful Russian spy was formed in the minds of foreigners. But every barrel has a fly in the ointment! At the same time foreign men They are convinced that it is easy to sleep with a Russian girl, and they believe that our beauties are ready to do anything for the sake of a profitable match.

SENSE OF HUMOR

Foreigners are unlikely to have seen Russian customs, songs, and dances. Their idea of ​​our entertainment is quite poor, because they are based only on films. And when the eternal Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger (68), played a Russian officer, everyone in the West decided that we are just like that - stern and never smile. Foreigners think that all Russians dream of becoming military men and are obsessed with weapons and hunting.

A couple of years ago, one fine day, Michal Sobolev went out onto 86th Street and asked the non-Russian-speaking residents of the Big Apple the following question: "What do you know about Russian-speaking residents of the USA?" Supplemented with photographs found on Google upon request "Typical Russian"

Ethan(Manager, 46 years old): Among the Russian-speaking population of the United States, there are very few law-abiding people. Of course, you do not create criminal groups, as representatives of the Latin American diaspora do, but you are directly related to the famous Russian mafia. The Russians have their hands in all major government organizations. Their influence is growing every day.

Andy(Student, African American):
I can't stand Russians. Every year there are more and more of you. Soon all of America will speak Chinese, Spanish and Russian. You are ready to do anything to achieve your goal. And your goal is to snatch more money. America is a country of civilized and cultured people, not beggars. You have neither conscience nor honor. Thieves, bandits and quitters, in a word... By the way, your president is not at all better than all of you. The same...

Heidi(Bank employee, Puerto Rican American):
Russians? Russian vodka, Russian mafia, bears, the Kremlin, communism. This is the first thing that comes to mind.
Russians are a very closed diaspora. You have little contact with people of other nationalities. You live like in the Soviet Union, cut off from the whole world. Russians also really don’t like it when people make comments to them; you won’t get an apology from them.
Do you want to say that your behavior is influenced by the previous way of life in the USSR? Cubans also came to America from a totalitarian state, but they are completely different - more sociable, relaxed and friendly.

Ashraf(Taxi driver, came from Egypt 7 years ago):
Russian immigrants are a very noisy people. They love to have a lot of fun, sing songs, and have noisy feasts. They can be understood, because they all came from a country where the main national symbol is vodka.
Russian speakers are unpredictable. They can drive around in taxis all day and not leave a cent in tip. At the same time, they are absolutely sure that they are doing the right thing. Very strange people.

Joey(American, 36 years old):
Russians can live in America for 20 years and not speak English. They sit in Brighton, drink tea, and get insurance. I can't even understand what they are doing in America. The Chinese have vegetable shops, restaurants, laundromats, the Arabs have small shops, the Italians focus on the restaurant business. But the Russians... You can’t be seen, you can’t be heard, and when you get into the metro, there’s no way through. Are you all on welfare? Or are you engaged in an underground business?

Kamal(Salesman at grocery, came from Pakistan 11 years ago):
What do I know about Russian-speaking residents of New York? Most of them are very rich people holding prestigious positions in large companies. Russians are taciturn and do not like to be asked questions. In this they are very reminiscent of the Poles and Yugoslavs. I completely agree with the statement that Russian-speaking girls are some of the most beautiful in the world. But they prefer to meet exclusively with Russian men (laughs).
I also know your Alla Pugacheva, a world-famous singer. I like her voice.

Said(Leather clothing seller, came from Turkey 4.5 years ago)
The Russian diaspora is one of the largest in the United States. There are no areas left in New York for a long time that the Russians have not chosen. You can’t even imagine how many Russians now live in Istanbul. Soon there will be more of them than the Turks themselves. By the way, Turks really love Russian girls. Don't believe me?! Come to Antalya (the largest Turkish resort - author's note) or go to any Turkish store in New York (laughs).
I really like Russian cuisine, especially dumplings. Turkish beer is very reminiscent of Russian beer. In general, our peoples have a lot in common, despite the fact that we are Muslims and you are Christians.

Jamal(Landlord, came from Morocco 9 years ago)
Russians almost never say hello and very rarely smile when interacting with other people. Based on these features, they can immediately be distinguished from the multinational crowd of immigrants. This is probably due to the fact that the Soviet Union had a very strict totalitarian regime. Lenin, Stalin, then Gorbachev... The Russians at one time suffered greatly from the communists. I also heard that among your immigrants there are many former employees KGB...

Kiki(Waitress in a Chinese restaurant, came from China 2 years ago):
Don't be offended, but, in my opinion, Russian immigrants are very lazy. They will never work hard for a few dollars. Russians are very arrogant and love everything that is most expensive - from clothes to cars. Moreover, even a very rich person may not leave even a dollar tip in a restaurant.
It is no secret that many Chinese consider Russians to be thieves and dishonest. You really like to stand out from the crowd and show your importance. In addition, Russians smoke and drink a lot. Little attention is paid to sports and healthy image life.

Louis(Born in the USA, parents came from Puerto Rico, tattoo parlor worker):
It is very pleasant to work with Russians. Two years ago, a girl from Russia had an internship in our salon. I think she was from St. Petersburg. A very modest, charming and hardworking employee. With her manners she reminded me of the local Italians. They have something in common in temperament.
I know that Russian culture goes back many centuries. The Russian people can confidently be called great. After all, in the end, it was you who were able to defeat Hitler.
In their love of drinking, Russians are akin to the Irish - they are ready to drink anything until they fall off their feet.

Sonya(Manager at a supermarket, came from Korea 7 years ago):
I associate Russian culture with Pushkin, vodka, tanks and your current president Putin. That's probably all I can say about Russian immigrants. In appearance, they are practically no different from Native Americans. Austrians, Irish, French, Italians are very similar to each other. After all, New York is a city where all kinds of cultures mix. I know that Russians are very fond of figure skating and skiing.

Johnny(Owner of an alcohol supermarket, came from China 16 years ago):
Russians drink a lot. Moreover, they can drink everything - vodka, whiskey, wine, tequila, without giving preference to any one drink. And if representatives of other diasporas drink alcohol only on holidays in small quantities, then Russians are ready to drink at least every day. It seems that the passion for alcohol is inherent in them at the genetic level (laughs). Apparently this is how Russians relieve stress. I'm surprised that so few of you are chronic alcoholics.
I would especially like to note that Russians are very grateful people. They will never regret a hefty tip if they see that the person serving them deserves it.
Marta, a housewife, came from Italy 16 years ago
Absurdly, Americans feel an involuntary fear of Russian immigrants and at the same time reverence for the Russian culture that is so widely represented in America. It is difficult to communicate with Russians, because they always expect some kind of trick or deception from you.
There is also a myth that Russian women are very frivolous and are ready to do anything to marry a rich American. Russian-speaking Brighton Beach also enjoys a bad reputation. A very dirty and cramped area, reminiscent of Manhattan's Harlem.

Greg(A Polish grocery store employee arrived from Poland 7 years ago):
Russians and Poles have a common Slavic basis, so our peoples can be called fraternal. The character of Poles and Russians has a lot in common. In addition, our national cuisines are largely identical.
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that in America Russians are often ashamed of their nationality. There are a lot of young people who come from Soviet Union, try to pass themselves off as Italians, Romanians, Bulgarians, even Poles, carefully hiding their real roots. Perhaps Russian people are simply ashamed of their nationality.

Chris(dry cleaning worker arrived from Ghana 6 years ago):
I have been dating a Russian girl for two and a half years. I often visit her parents and talk with her friends. Every Russian is a mystery. To fully understand the mysterious Russian soul, you need to become half Russian yourself (laughs).
There are a lot of brilliant and gifted people in your community. At the same time, Russians love to fight and brawl. Especially when they drink. I happened to witness several drunken fights in one of the Russian restaurants. The sight, I tell you, is not a pleasant one. The main thing that Russians lack is a sense of proportion.

John(23 years old, Chinese restaurant worker)
Oh, you're from the newspaper! This is my first time communicating with a journalist in America. What do I think about the Russian-speaking diaspora? (speaks in pure English - author's note) Are you Russian yourself? Sorry, I don't understand English at all.

Talif(11 years in America came from Iran):
Russians - good people. They just don't have enough patience. They are always in a hurry, nervous, and worried. I was in Russia once, in the mid-80s. But the people there were completely different. Not like here. I know that you love beer very much. It’s also quite common to see you driving drunk (laughs). At police stations, the majority of detained motorists are Russian. By the way, you don’t know how to drive at all (laughs again).

Based on materials from Mikhail Sobolev.

For foreigners, not only the Russian soul has always been mysterious, but also its appearance. They paid attention to body structure, skin color, hairstyle, clothing, which were very unique among Russians.
One of the first descriptions of Russians is given to us by the Byzantine historian Leo the Deacon, characterizing the Kyiv and Novgorod prince Svyatoslav Igorevich. The Byzantine saw Svyatoslav sailing on a Scythian boat in the company of his entourage, from whom he, according to the historian, was no different.

“He was of moderate height, not too tall and not very low, with shaggy eyebrows and light blue eyes, a snub nose, beardless, with thick, excessively long hair above the upper lip,” continues the Deacon. - His head was completely naked, but a tuft of hair hung from one side of it - a sign of the nobility of the family; strong back of the head, wide chest and all other parts of the body are quite proportionate, but he looked gloomy and wild.”

It should be noted that Leo the Deacon could well have been shocked by Svyatoslav’s appearance. For the Byzantines, a man with his hair cut was associated more with a jester or a magician, but not with a grand duke.

Meanwhile, the “Svyatoslav haircut” was very popular in Taman Peninsula, later it was inherited by the Cossacks. The Hungarian Dominican monk Julian, who visited here in 1237, wrote that local “men shave their heads bald and carefully grow their beards, except for noble people who, as a sign of nobility, leave a little hair above their left ear, shaving the rest of their head.”

The Arab traveler Ibn-Haukal spoke about the habit of some Rus to shave their beards; the rest twisted and braided it, “like the mane of a horse.” Another Arab, the writer Ibn Fadlan, who traveled to the Volga in 922, reported: “I saw the Rus when they arrived on their trade business and settled down on the banks of the Atil (Volga) River. And I haven't seen people with more perfect bodies than them. They are like palm trees, ruddy and red.”

Modern scientists are confident that Ibn Fadlan had every right compare the Rus with palm trees, since according to anthropological data the “glades” made up the majority of the population Kievan Rus, significantly exceeded the height of the Eastern Slavs.

Gustav-Theodor Pauli in his “Ethnographic Description of the Peoples of Russia” notes that the formation of the Russian nation, fundamentally Slavic, took place under the powerful influence of outside influences. The inhabitants of the provinces of Great Russia, according to Pauli, are predominantly people of strong constitution.

“Those of them who live in the remote northern or eastern provinces, as well as in the former Polish provinces, descendants of fugitive peasants, have kept intact ancient type: they are tall, strong, athletic, they have large expressive eyes, noble, pronounced facial features,” notes the ethnographer.

In his notes “Curious and new news about Muscovy,” published in 1698, the French diplomat Foix de la Neuville strengthened the opinion of the Russians as barbarians, a people lagging behind Western Europe, but also on the other hand, unlike Europeans and not understood by them.

According to de la Neuville's descriptions, Russians are not very attractive in appearance. Men, he believes, dress like Poles, and women dress like Turkish. The recklessness of the latter “goes to the point that they paint their faces, shave their eyebrows, the places of which are painted in various colors,” the Frenchman marvels.

Neuville also draws portraits of Ivan V and Peter I, who were in power at that time as co-rulers. “Tsar Ivan, despite the fact that he is completely paralyzed, spends his entire life visiting shrines,” writes the diplomat. “He is terribly ugly and arouses only pity, despite the fact that he is only 28 years old, so it is difficult to look at him.”

Neuville also portrays Peter as not very attractive. In his words, the king “is very tall, well-built and quite handsome in face. His eyes are quite large, but wandering, as a result of which it can be unpleasant to look at him. Even though he is only 20 years old, his head is constantly shaking.”

Over the centuries, little has changed. For foreigners, we are just as original and mysterious, but they evaluate us mostly on their own territory. Time iron curtain long ago, many of us adopted the European style of clothing, mastered foreign languages, but Russians abroad will still be recognized.

How do they figure us out? The Italians say, according to gold. Russian gold due high content copper has a reddish tint, which gives us away. Any experienced souvenir seller, taking one look at the jewelry, will immediately speak to us in Russian.

We differ from modern Europeans not only in gold, but also, as before, in our appearance. One journalist from the Czech Republic once remarked that the facial features of Russians seemed “more rounded and softer” to him than those of Western Europeans.

At resorts, Russians, according to the observation of foreigners, are usually distinguished from other tourists by their well-groomed appearance, brightness, flashiness, and “inconsistency of attire with the place and time.” Only a Russian girl, they say, can go down to the pool after breakfast in stiletto sandals and evening makeup. It is curious that “Russian fashionistas” in Italy are women who dress tackily and tastelessly, not only Russians, but also Italians.

German resident Wolfgang Röhl always watches visiting Russians with interest, and in particular, Russian tourist buses. He knows that they will definitely turn out to be girls with long legs and short skirts.

But Röl characterizes a typical Russian man as a man of short stature and strong physique with the constitution of a T-34 tank. His hands are like those of a prize fighter in a booth, and his ankles are like chimneys in a taiga hut.

"On the bear's scruff - heavy gold chain, from which hangs a massive golden cross. This guy starts drinking in the morning and falls asleep on his lounger after lunch. It smokes like a Siberian bathhouse, always and everywhere, even – and precisely – in the dining room,” the German sneers.

And yet, Russian girls have always enjoyed great popularity in the West, outperforming representatives of other countries in this regard.

“The beauty of a Russian woman is the country’s innumerable capital,” notes Alexander Lats. This is how a Frenchman describes his meeting in Russia with a migration service employee: “There is Gioconda, there is Monica Bellucci, and there is also the head of this district FMS, who completes the trio.”

“I saw that the beautiful creature chatting on the phone had a delightful body: long legs and beautiful shapes,” Lutz continues. “Hung with jewelry, the head of the Federal Migration Service seemed like an oriental princess. WITH French point"She was the epitome of corruption with a capital C, evil at its finest."

Luts’s compatriot, 45-year-old Frederic, also points out that Russian women “concern themselves about their appearance,” and even very much so. “Some people get eyelash extensions, while others don’t use makeup, but obsessively follow the combination of colors in their clothes. We also have such ladies, but there are fewer of them,” notes Frederic.

“I easily recognize Russians on the street, and it’s not a matter of blonde hair, continues the Frenchman. The main thing is a blush like your nesting dolls. This is a sign of health."

29-year-old Swedish car mechanic Anders Hendriksson had similar impressions from a trip to Moscow in 2004: “Russian girls, painted like nesting dolls. Very bright, elegant, plump, rosy.”

Teacher English language From Australia, 37-year-old Robert, one might say, was driven crazy by the beauty of Russian girls. At first, he said, he fell in love two or three times every trip on the subway. A Russian woman definitely knows how to look classy anytime and anywhere,” says the Australian.

American Jennifer Davis has been living in St. Petersburg for ten years. She is the vocalist of the St. Petersburg Ska Jazz Review group, and nightclub visitors know her as DJ Freakadelka. Jennifer says that Russians "know how to have fun ten times better than Americans" and that Russia has great musicians. But she believes that Russian pop music is the worst in the world. "Kirkorov is terrible person", she says.

Karen Myhill-Jones
Canada

Karen Myhill-Jones from Canada spent nine years in Russia. Until June of this year, she was president of the International Women's Club of St. Petersburg. He really loves the city in which he lives and is constantly trying to persuade his friends to come there. But many, she says, are afraid of the difficulties associated with visa and language barriers. “We were recently in the States, and there were people at immigration control who spoke the most exotic languages. And in Russia they decided that immigration cards that foreigners fill out should only be in Russian.”

“My main job here is to sell alcohol in the nightclub,” says Anna-Kristin Albers. She came to St. Petersburg from Hamburg, Germany three years ago and opened a “tavern in the German style.” Nightclub"Dacha" has become one of the most fashionable in the city. According to Anna’s observations, Russians and foreigners drink very differently: “All foreigners think that in Russia you need to drink a lot of vodka. So they come, quickly get drunk, fall under the table and leave at three in the morning. And Russians party until six in the morning, and then they move on."

Serge Ferri France

Serge Ferri has been in Russia for more than eight years. He is the chef of the St. Petersburg Novotel hotel. Serge believes that in Russia there are a lot of prospects and there is no danger for foreigners. “When I told my friends that I would go to Russia, they opened their eyes wide and said: there is a mafia, queues in stores, -50 in the winter, bears on the streets, and what are you going to do there?! And I tell them: I worked in Angola and Sri Lanka, and I think it can’t get any worse!”

Italian Feton Miozzi has been in Russia for more than 15 years. He is a dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet. Feton remembers empty stores and food stamps and can't get enough of all the changes that have happened to the city and the country. But Russian reality did not frighten him even then, because the main thing for him is ballet, and in this area Russia is ahead of the rest, Feton believes, and he is not alone. Now in St. Petersburg, what depresses him most is the poor condition of the buildings. “This is the most beautiful architecture in the world, but why is everything so neglected!” he says indignantly.

I agree with Jennifer. Russian pop music is no good at all. There’s just crap on stage.
What also made me laugh was what Anna and Serge said.
Indeed, abroad, for example, in Spain, people
They think that almost the entire male population is drunkards who drink at any time of the day or night. In addition, they also love to physically assault.
Also, the Spaniards are afraid to go to Russia because of the mafia and frosts. When I told them that at 20 degrees below zero with no wind, it’s just super: fresh air, the snow is crunchy, it’s beautiful outside. So they rolled their eyes and said that I was crazy. :))
Funny. They don't understand Russia.

A great way to learn English or Spanish on your own, online.