WHAT'S IT LIKE LIVING IN RUSSIA TODAY?

SCoates, So, you have a painting in Andrew Jackson's home, heh? Where is it hung?

Crammed in the cracks of the men's restroom.

But different Hermitage. They've got one a dem things in russia too.

I know; was just pulling your leg. I visited the Hermitage in St Petersburg in July of 2000. We were directed to the most famous paintings, and to the impressionist painting rooms on the left and to the rear. The local guide told us it would take over 10 years to see all the paintings displayed at the Hermitage, and we only had a couple of hours. I was really impressed by the front lobby staircase.

I've heard various rumors about the ammount of time it would take to see everything. I think they count the vast majority of paintings that aren't on display AND use shady math.

That's probably so; I have heard that the Hermitage has more paintings and art works in storage than they have on display.

SerSo - I've been reading your posts and I just wanted to say how much I'm enjoying them! Thank you for taking the time to post.

I'm new here, actually. I found this site purely by accident while researching some questions I had on life in Russia - particularly the day to day living, differences in culture, ect. My questions are not so much about major issues as they are about people.

If no one minds, I'd like to post some of them here. But I don't want to interrupt the thread - If anyone finds my questions too mundane, let me know.

One of my first questions is this: I am assuming that most people in larger cities like Moscow and Peter live in apartments and not houses. Is this correct? I'd like to know what they are like? How many bedrooms in the average apartment, is there more than one bathroom? How about communal apartments? Where is the parking for those who have cars? Is it on the street or in a parking lot?

What's for dinner?
What are some common foods? I've read soup is an item most people have often. Mushroom? Potato? What else might we find on a Russian table?

What about customs and traditions? I've read that it's impolite to refuse a drink (vodka) when visiting someone's home, and that Russians never wear their shoes inside the house. I've also read that Russians do not kiss another person on the forehead but on the temple, because kissing on the forehead is done only at funerals. Are these things accurate? If so, are they superstitions or traditions?

It hasn't really been so long since the Seige of Leningrad, and I know there are those still living who lived through that awful time. How have the attitudes and personalities of those people affected the younger generations?

I believe I read that SerSo teaches Russian to foreigners. Would you mind mentioning what those who are native English speakers find most difficult to master while learning your language? Personally, I found the "Ly" sound (as in Lyosha) difficult, but it is getting easier. Also, the "shch" sound (as in Zoshchenko) was a new sound for me. (I do not speak Russian yet, I'm sorry to say.)

What I've found interesting is the use of familiar names and patronymic names which is not a custom we have in America. This was very confusing to me in the beginning of my research, but it is becoming more natural as time goes along.

It's the small differences in culture - the fairy tales, foods we eat, naming traditions - that I find so interesting.

Thanks, everyone.

Virago

C.I., I wonder, why it is called Andrew Jackson's home.

Virago, NO ONE lives in houses. If they do it's because they can't afford an apartment, which is the opposite of america.

SCoates, I live in Moscow and do not know St.Pete very well. Are you talking of the Rastral Columns?



They are really considered as one of the symbols of the city, like Eiffel Tower in Paris, Brandenburg Gate in Berlin or Big Ben in London. Though if the “rumour” is true this place is not very comfortable to stay there long Or maybe there are just too few public WC ‘s in the neighbourhood. No surprise, they are not oil derricks and would not bring St.Petersburg’s authorities much money, so they are just not interested

But I note you pay your attention to some specific things…

Serso, I am very saddened by the medical news coming out of Russia these days. It is said that the average life expectancy of a Russian male has gone down by 6 years in the last 30 years. I have read that the Russian population could be reduced from 140 million to 90 million in the next 20 years due to the virulent AIDS epidemic that has broken out. The lack of AIDS information and recognition of the problem is very serious. I hope you can comment.

SCoates - Thank you. I appreciate that.

Virago

Serso, it's probably just to the left of the picture you posted.

I don't know why I got the impression you lived in St. Petersburg.

Need cultural information about Russia
I'm new to the site, just stumbled upon it via Google.

I'm currently a grad student at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw Georgia studying Conflict Management. For my thesis I'm developing a cross-cultural communication training for people going to live/work in Russia.

I looking for someone to interview (through e-mail) about everyday life in Russia. Living conditions, working conditions, what office life is like, etc...

Also, if there is an American living in currently Russia - I have some specific questions for you.

Hopefully there is someone out there who can help me. I've done a lot of reading Russian culture, but now I need first hand information.

If anyone can help, please e-mail me at [email protected].

Thanks in advance!

SCoates, if it is mafia, then no one knows it is mafia, or it is not mafia… And I do not think there are good reasons to believe that mafia is everywhere, it sounds paranoiac.

In fact what Russian mafia is mostly known for is not drugs or arms traffic, business on prostitution or other types of illegal activities, though I am not saying they never do it. They mainly try to move in on legal profitable spheres and not let there anyone else. Therefore they are not in such a great need of “laundries” to legalize their income, and it is questionable that they could get interested in restaurants that do not make much profit. Maybe they have reasons to own them for some purpose. I can only guess…

There are very many restaurants downtown Moscow, which are relatively cheap and normally have many customers. A dinner there costs 300 or 500 roubles ($10-$17) per person, many of these restaurants offer “pay and eat whatever you want” principle (there seems to be a specific English term for this, but I forgot it). An average office worker in Moscow can afford it, though I think it is expensive to go there for lunch every day. Many empty seats in a restaurant often imply that it can be expensive. Last year I made this mistake, and a dinner cost us approx. $150 for three, which is far from being the most costly one can find in Moscow, but it was more than I could expect. It was a special type of a restaurant where they offered very lovely Hungarian cuisine, and the level of their prices could be predictable, if I had known it beforehand. But it looked the same type SCoates described. When I was in London we visited a Chinese restaurant and a dinner for three persons cost us 90 pounds there (which is approximately the same we paid in the Hungarian restaurant in Moscow), and there were no clients except us at that moment, but I do not think that it was all because that restaurant was run by Chinese mafia in London.

Actually I am not able to compare restaurant prices in Russia with those in other countries just because I have too little experience here and do not know what is seen as cheap or what is considered to be expensive abroad. Only I am almost sure that Russian McDonald’s occupies a more expensive niche at the Russian Market than it does in Europe or North America. In Russia itself Moscow is deemed an expensive city and I am always surprised at what low prices I eat when I happen to be in other Russian cities or towns.

Virago, I think the questions you call ‘mundane’ are most interesting and practical for anyone who seeks to better understand life in other countries. Apologies for not answering them yet. The previous week I had a lot of work to do and just did not have much time for posting to A2K. I thought I could do it from home this weekend, but again, all my time was taken by other things. My answers are yet to come.

Panzade, unfortunately the statistics are true. I do not think this is solely due to the problem of AIDS. I would say AIDS is the last factor to blame. I believe it is because many people cannot fit the current economic situation. Your figures for the 30 years seem to be true, but the major fall happened in the 90’s.

To be honest, I should say that the tendency existed long ago, before we experienced the ‘shock therapy’ of the 90’s, which indeed was a no-rule wrestling, and long before AIDS virus was detected. Up to the mid-70’s we had a natural population growth that gradually decreased with years. From mid 70’s to early 90’s Russia’s population (i.e. the number of residents in the Russian republic within the USSR) grew only because of immigration from other regions and we had zero closed population growth. However since 1992 death rate increased so harshly that Russia has lost around 3mln people for the last decade, and it could be 5mln if not for the immigration. As demographers notice, the male population suffered most severely.

As regards AIDS virus, contagion occurs through blood or sexual intercourse, and as far as I know the shortest way to get infected is through non-disposable injectors. Those injectors they always use in hospitals are throwaways, and it has been so for about twenty years, since the time when the risk of AIDS became widely known in Russia. No one can secure all guarantees, unfortunately, that the virus cannot be communicated through somebody’s default, e.g. during transfusion, and I guess the fate of those accused of such default will be miserable. I do hope they make all necessary checks of bank blood. As per the statistics most victims are among drug addicts. I mean AIDS is a real danger, but I cannot believe that it is due to AIDS so many people have died.

panzade said:
"I have read that the Russian population could be reduced from 140 million to 90 million in the next 20 years due to the virulent AIDS epidemic that has broken out."

Mea culpa Serso. These figures are without the Aids numbers expected. Just as a result of population decline. If one factors in the aids numbers the population of Russia could be reduced by half.

Errare humanum est, stultum est in errore perseverare.

SerSo Wrote: "...many of these restaurants offer "pay and eat whatever you want" principle (there seems to be a specific English term for this, but I forgot it)."

"All you can eat buffet" is a phrase that comes mind. There is also the "never ending" salad bowl or pasta bowl and so on. Chinese restraurants do a lot of the "buffet" style, especially at lunch time, and frequently offer "all you can eat". In fact, there are several Chinese restaurants in my city that have so many customers choosing the buffet, they simply assume everyone wants the buffet and don't even offer a menu!

SerSo, I completely understand being too busy to post. I appreciate your willingness to answer - please answer whenever you can. Also, if you have questions about America, I'll answer them if I can.

Virago