Thread: Cultural Differences Between Americans and Russians

I manage a motel in a resort area at night (3-11)
I've had from 2 to 6 Russians (and Eastern Europeans, Belarus, Ukraine) work for/with me for the last ten years.
J-1 visa kids; college age. A different set of circumstances to observe. They are "Fish out of water".
These aren't great jobs. Maids and Bellmen. Most have another job, usually at a restaurant.
They are mostly homesick for the first couple of weeks until they get settled in. They e-mail daily at first then feel bad when it tapers down to twice a week. At the end of the summer, they don't want to go home.

My observations comparing them to US college-age kids:
Russian kids have better study/work habits than American kids. It shows in a number of ways.
They are"smarter" because they were serious about school. Math. They speak English fluently and usually can "Pidgin" another 1-3. Americans can barely speak to Quebecois after 6 years of French or Maids after 6 years of Spanish. Guilty as charged. It's been 30 years since I studied French, I learned Spanish working in South Florida factories and never had a formal Russian lesson in my life. I get by though.
They show up, on bikes, after working a breakfast/lunch shift. Americans might show up, late, in a car their parents gave them.
If Russians call in sick, they are sick (OK, sometimes a crippling hangover). Americans call in sick and show up the next day with a sunburn.
Russian Горничные are better than Brazilian and Jamaican Maids. American kids are too lazy and entitled to work as maids.
Russian Коридорные are on par with Jamaican and American Bellboys. Very polite and don't put their hand out for a tip.
Russian kids aren't as materialistic as American kids. Granted, they show up with 1 old suitcase and leave with 2 new ones filled with stuff, they seem to be able to get by with less.
Russian kids seem more appreciative. I get lots of free stuff. Free Boat rides, whale watching, baseball tickets, meals, etc. I don't give them to the American kids anymore.

Observations I've heard from Russian kids:
Americans are fat, lazy and stupid. Americans are fit, work hard and smart.
You work too hard. You are always playing at work.
Americans are not happy. I heard about the "American Smile", but you are really happy!
You are too serious. You don't take life seriously.
American food is better, it is fresh. American food is bad, it comes from cans.
American beer sucks. Americans hide the good beer.
I hate this place. I love this place.

Some contradictions. Wide-eyed kids seeing a new part of the world. Most have never seen the ocean and a beach or have stayed in a hotel. Some are fairly worldly. "My Kids". I keep in touch with them for a couple years until they get real jobs, married and children.

I learn, they learn.
2 girls are due June 16.

Originally Posted by capecoddah

I manage a motel in a resort area at night (3-11)
I've had from 2 to 6 Russians (and Eastern Europeans, Belarus, Ukraine) work for/with me for the last ten years.
J-1 visa kids; college age.

I hope IRS and DHS are not watching

Originally Posted by capecoddah

They are"smarter" because they were serious about school. Math.

Two things
1. If you see a Russian student in the US on J-1 then most likely that student stands out from the crowd. He/she either really smart and got scholarship to go to the US or his/her parents are rich (I doubt that you gonna see the second kind at the motel)

2. Russian school system is yet stays analytic (thank God) comparing to the US school system. That means there are not a lot of tests where you supposed to pick the right answer from a few. There are tests which have no pre-defined answer, you need to use you brain to analyze and find/calculate the correct answer yourself using your knowledge. It is harder on teachers but it benefits the kids a lot. It develops creativity and analytic thinking. However Russian school system lacks home projects (like building the Solar system model from bunch of scrap) which you can find in the US

Very interesting reading about the topic
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/ma...pagewanted=all

Originally Posted by Doomer

Two things
1. If you see a Russian student in the US on J-1 then most likely that student stands out from the crowd. He/she either really smart and got scholarship to go to the US or his/her parents are rich (I doubt that you gonna see the second kind at the motel)

You're confusing an F-1 Student Visa (F-1 Student Visa: Education in the USA - ) (Student Visas ) with a J-1 Exchange Visitor ( J-1 Visa Basics | J-1 Visa).

2 different things.

F-1 is a visa to be a student in the USA.Work part-time.
J-1 is a visa granted to students to work and see the USA. Work full time for 3 months and travel 1.

F-1 kids are rare away from a university.
J-1 kids are pretty common. Not from "rich" families, they are usually in debt to their family though. Two jobs to pay back loans and buy stuff for their friends and family.

F-1 kids think chess is exciting and have poor social skills.
J-1 kids will beat me in chess but are a whole lot of fun.

F-1 kids go home as pale as when they arrived
J-1 kids go home with a nice tan and great stories.

I met some F-1 Russians in my school life and 3 trying to work for a summer. I remember the 2 guys as highly intelligent incompetents. The girl had "Total Recall" or Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM). She could remember what a person ate, time date, credit card number, etc. She learned Brazilian-Portuguese in 2 months. She was fairly "normal". She remembers me with "What the fuck".

My "Kids".

Originally Posted by capecoddah

You're confusing an F-1 Student Visa (F-1 Student Visa: Education in the USA - ) (Student Visas ) with a J-1 Exchange Visitor ( J-1 Visa Basics | J-1 Visa).

2 different things.

F-1 is a visa to be a student in the USA.Work part-time.
J-1 is a visa granted to students to work and see the USA. Work full time for 3 months and travel 1.

Yes, you are correct about visa types but I still think that "granted" is the key word here

Originally Posted by Doomer

Yes, you are correct about visa types but I still think that "granted" is the key word here

"earned"...
Kids have to jump through a few hoops to get a J-1.
American Bureaucracy and Russian Bureaucracy together is a winning combination.

Originally Posted by capecoddah

"earned"...

I guess the joke didn't work

Originally Posted by capecoddah

J-1 is a visa granted to students to work and see the USA. Work full time for 3 months and travel 1.

Originally Posted by capecoddah

Kids have to jump through a few hoops to get a J-1.
American Bureaucracy and Russian Bureaucracy together is a winning combination.

That was precisely my point
Not every kid can get a J-1, so the Russian kids you see are probably above average. Don't underestimate American kids and don't overestimate Russian kids, in general

Originally Posted by Doomer

I guess the joke didn't work



That was precisely my point
Not every kid can get a J-1, so the Russian kids you see are probably above average. Don't underestimate American kids and don't overestimate Russian kids, in general

I know I get "The Cream of the Crop" Russian kids. I have a couple schools that "feed" me good candidates.
It's not as bad as it sounds. I want good employees. It's a process. A friend's daughter is being groomed for future employment. It's her ticket to the USA

American college students go to University because they are too stupid to flip burgers.
The "Top of the Class" Hospitality Major can't find Kansas or Antarctica on a map. Thinks Africa is a country. "How do I call 911?" Can't add, subtract, multiply or divide without a calculator and is attached to a phone 24/7.

Sorry about the rant, but welcome to my life.

In general.
My boss has also hired a Lifeguard that couldn't swim.