Thread: If I was to take a trip to Russia

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

LOL. How many americans have been killed in Russia the last 10 years? How many went insane? Once you go to Russia with 2 years intent, it doesn't mean you are locked to the kremlin with a ball and chain, he can leave whenever he wants. He is not selling his soul, here!

LOL. How many Americans have actually GONE to Russia inthe last 10 years? All I'm saying -- and the several other people above me are saying -- isthat 2 years is nuts. You're right he can leave when he wants, but he'll just be flushing money and credits down the toilet. And I still think that any program that accepts a person for a two year block of time without any Russian background is suspect.

I dont worry about the money, I have saved and bugeted very well to make what i have now. I think I'll be fine,I just need enough to see how much fun I can have, thats what I'm saving for.

The school is through my church here, but It you're right it is a bit skeptical on funds.

Why does everyone think I'm a scared little rabbit? I think I said it was a "Rumor",anyway, we both know its false.

I think what he meant by"Russians and Americans dont theink the same" was that Americans think in a way that makes us seem high and mighty. Althought I dont know if this is true or not does anyone have anything to contribute to this.(I hope this doesnt offend anyone )

Thankyou,All

Originally Posted by Sir Krist

Why does everyone think I'm a scared little rabbit? I think I said it was a "Rumor",anyway, we both know its false.
Thankyou,All

Sir Krist,

It was the way you asked your initial questions...particularly about Americans getting beaten and killed. This indicated, I think to most of us here that you were naive about Russian life, that you had been fed media news/propaganda/myths, whatever you want to call it, that gives an inaccurate or skewed view of Russia and it

now that you are planning this trip to Russia - a.k.a. "the new and unknown", maybe you would like to hear some predjudices about Americans, just so you are prepared for the best, or the worse.....
- of course this doesn't mean that just because you come from America, that you will be prejudged, but many Russians are pretty etnocentric, and they do have an opinion on Americans. And ofcourse this doens't go for all Russians, but probably many of us:

the 30+ generation thinks Americans are: superficial, materialistic, act as if they are superior, loaded(is if it was bad), loud and rude (funny that should come from Russians:P)

young generation think that: America is a country of future,Americans are pretty cool, but their president looks like a monkey....
and many Russian ladies would concider an American as a good potential husband....

......this "information" is from personal experience of living in a Russian environment for 18 years....

hope this message doesn't offend you, and you will have an awesome trip, but this is "a note just in case"......


(hope I'm not gonna be executed in here, for this message)

:P

Originally Posted by RussianHoney18

(hope I'm not gonna be executed in here, for this message)

:P

No, no execution...maybe a birch-twig flogging in the banya (just kidding!)...but yes, I think this is good advice for him.

I think this is a good piece of info. I know the common American stereotype is that all europeans hate us - but this isn't really the case. I found people in Russia to be more curious about my background than prejudiced - and save for the angry women working the kiosks most people were pretty friendly and welcoming towards me.

To be honest I think the thing that helped me get along with people the most was that I knew at least a little bit of Russian. Granted, i'm not fluent by any stretch of the imagination, but I was surprised at how much people respected the fact that I at least knew how to make basic conversation. I think the best advice I have for anybody wanting to know what they can do to prepare for a trip to Russia is to at least learn the basics of the language. Not only will this help you earn the respect of other people - but i think you'll find that if you know the basics your knowledge of the language will explode after only a few weeks.

By the way, do you know in which city you'll be staying? Apologies if you've answered this already.

tdk

I can imagine how flattered the Russians must have been to hear a foreigner speak their native language........
......I'm only used to hear "Dosvedaniya" and "vodka" from foreigners

Absolutely tdk, and RussianHoney,

This has also been my experience...knowing some Russian, and honoring Russia by speaking the language, really warms some Russian people up to a foreigner, especially an American. I think it

Originally Posted by Dobry

not-so-friendly Russian (especially at kiosks, ticket offices, hehe)

I dont know what is wrong with these people. Underpaid and unhappy? I remember once thinking, that's it, I am outta here. And here I am.

Originally Posted by adoc

Originally Posted by Dobry

not-so-friendly Russian (especially at kiosks, ticket offices, hehe)

I dont know what is wrong with these people. Underpaid and unhappy? I remember once thinking, that's it, I am outta here. And here I am.

Hehe, "touche

Sir Krist-
Can you tell us:
What school is this? What city are you planning to go to? Is it a scam? Do you know how much a US passport will cost ya? Why do you ask about a short time if you're going to be there two years?

Are you going to stay there for two whole years and not come back for school breaks, etc.?
How much Russian do you know, anyway? How much Russian culture do you know (sounds like not much from what you wrote).

Do you know what to shout when a band of gypsy kids surround you and start grabbing for your pockets? Can you order something from a menu?

I spent a month there in 2003, mostly Moscow, but about 5 days in Piter. And twice before that. Speak fluent Russian, read it too. Even so, I was wandering around in a daze (wonderful though it was), but managed to visit the Третьяковка and some other museums, parks etc. If you will be in M or SPb, I hope you have grown up in or around a large city.

If a cop spots you starting to enter Red Square and shouts Эй, налево! would you know what to do? If you sit down on a park bench and a lady on the next bench says Не курите! would you know how to answer? These both happened to me.

Get yourself in good physical shape. You will be walking 2-4 miles a day. Not kidding. Don't drink tap water. Get a good digital camera, learn how to use it before you leave. Extra memory and rechargeable batteries, and recharger.

Start posting here in Russian.

Here's a start for different менталитеты. You will receive your visa a week or so before you leave; they won't send it earlier. Until then, you will be wondering whether you will actually be allowed into Russia and whether you should have really bought that nonrefundable plane ticket. And you won't find out anything from the embassy, assuming someone answers the phone!

Just some food for thought. Also check out the forum on expat.ru. The other sites mentioned will be very helpful too. Удачи! When will this be anyway?

Excellant post chaika

Originally Posted by chaika

If a cop spots you starting to enter Red Square and shouts Эй, налево! would you know what to do?

a) Бегай!
или
б) "Чего? Ну, ладно. Сколько "штраф"?"

If you sit down on a park bench and a lady on the next bench says Не курите! would you know how to answer?

Ах! Давай курим что-то силнее, баба! Гашиш хочешь?

[quote]
Get yourself in good physical shape. You will be walking 2-4 miles a day. Not kidding.quote]
You're right of course, but you'd have to be a)handicapped or b)a totally and hideously obese lard-arse not to be able to hack that. It's not running the Boston Marathon (this coming from someone who wasn't exactly a physical specimen prior to go to Piter and walking to the 3 or 4 miles to school and back everyday). Otherwise, I think you're spot on, all my snide remarks aside.

Originally Posted by chaika

Sir Krist-
Can you tell us:
What school is this? What city are you planning to go to? Is it a scam? Do you know how much a US passport will cost ya? Why do you ask about a short time if you're going to be there two years?

Are you going to stay there for two whole years and not come back for school breaks, etc.?
How much Russian do you know, anyway? How much Russian culture do you know (sounds like not much from what you wrote).

Do you know what to shout when a band of gypsy kids surround you and start grabbing for your pockets? Can you order something from a menu?

I spent a month there in 2003, mostly Moscow, but about 5 days in Piter. And twice before that. Speak fluent Russian, read it too. Even so, I was wandering around in a daze (wonderful though it was), but managed to visit the Третьяковка and some other museums, parks etc. If you will be in M or SPb, I hope you have grown up in or around a large city.

If a cop spots you starting to enter Red Square and shouts Эй, налево! would you know what to do? If you sit down on a park bench and a lady on the next bench says Не курите! would you know how to answer? These both happened to me.

Get yourself in good physical shape. You will be walking 2-4 miles a day. Not kidding. Don't drink tap water. Get a good digital camera, learn how to use it before you leave. Extra memory and rechargeable batteries, and recharger.

Start posting here in Russian.

Here's a start for different менталитеты. You will receive your visa a week or so before you leave; they won't send it earlier. Until then, you will be wondering whether you will actually be allowed into Russia and whether you should have really bought that nonrefundable plane ticket. And you won't find out anything from the embassy, assuming someone answers the phone!

Just some food for thought. Also check out the forum on expat.ru. The other sites mentioned will be very helpful too. Удачи! When will this be anyway?

It's highly unlikely you won't be allowed into Russia. If you don't have a criminal record and don't have HIV, you'll be fine.

When I applied for a visa for a month's stay, I had to provide a doctors certificate stating I was in good health, a letter from university and other stuff.

When I got to the consulate desk, I provided all this stuff and the woman leafed through it, took the main form, invitation and money and said "don't need the rest".

Originally Posted by Barmaley

Ах! Давай курим что-то силнее, баба! Гашиш хочешь?

Tell this to a policeman and have a very refreshing experience.

Ах! Давай курим что-то силнее, баба! Гашиш хочешь?
А! Ну давай покурим что-нибудь (чё-нить) посильнее! Гашиш хочешь?
Баба - так, обычно, никто не обращается, даже если хочет нагрубить.

Originally Posted by chaika

If a cop spots you starting to enter Red Square and shouts Эй, налево!

Yeah, cops are very polite in our country!

Да, русские вообще очень вежливые люди. Они всегда прилагают все усилия помогать тем, кто нуждается в какой-нибудь помощи.

Originally Posted by tdk2fe

I think this is a good piece of info. I know the common American stereotype is that all europeans hate us - but this isn't really the case. I found people in Russia to be more curious about my background than prejudiced - and save for the angry women working the kiosks most people were pretty friendly and welcoming towards me.

To be honest I think the thing that helped me get along with people the most was that I knew at least a little bit of Russian. Granted, i'm not fluent by any stretch of the imagination, but I was surprised at how much people respected the fact that I at least knew how to make basic conversation. I think the best advice I have for anybody wanting to know what they can do to prepare for a trip to Russia is to at least learn the basics of the language. Not only will this help you earn the respect of other people - but i think you'll find that if you know the basics your knowledge of the language will explode after only a few weeks.

By the way, do you know in which city you'll be staying? Apologies if you've answered this already.

tdk

I wish to talk to a foreigner rather in English than in Russian. I've been fed up with Russian language!!! I've been speaking in Russian for almost 24 years!!!

I'd wish to talk to a foreigner rather in English than in Russian. I'm fed up with the Russian language!!! I've been speaking in Russian for almost 24 years!!!

Лол, это главная проблема, которая возникает у тех, кто хочет учить язык другого. На каком языке говорить? Обычно, когда я говорю с людьми по интернету, нам некогда делить время между двумя языками.

Также, когда я говорю со своими русскими друзьями, они думают, что говорить на русском потеря времени, потому что им надо говорить медленно и т.д... так что скоро переключают обратно на английский. Они не высоко ценят то, что я изучаю русский.

если у тебя есть время, пожалуйста, исправь мои ошибки!!