FOOD...She went shopping for the first time at a Western style market. The carts were about 1/3 the size of those here. Things like apples were being sold in bags of 3, as was typical of other produce/items. Cost wise, she found the prices equivalent to here, for example she paid 500R for a 1kg meat roast. That works out to about $7.50/lb...quite exorbitant for anyone but the most well to do Russians. She filled the cart (she was buying food for her relatives whom she was visiting) and she found that everyone in the store was staring at her because apparently no one ever does this because of the cost. In the end, a full cart cost about 2000R (her relatives were quite shocked).
DRINKING...I just watched a video tape she made of her mom's 65th birthday party (that's why she was in Russia in the first place). There were many middle aged ladies and some babuskas, as well as some young women in attendance, along with 2 male doctors (mom is a nurse). Everyone was drinking pretty much non-stop. If you saw that kind of dringing here, you'd think the people were all alcoholics, but it is apparent that it is quite the norm in Russia. Lots of dancing (and some falling down). I found it most interesting that my wife kept commenting on how everyone was drinking too much (quite a change from her attitude when she first arrived in the USA).
QUID PRO QUO...She told me how several of the younger women in attendance would have sex with a man if the money was right (and these are considered good girls, not promiscuous women). They don't consider it prostitution...just a natural way of making ends meet. Personally, I don't make any value judgements regarding this behavior, it just is what it is. In Russia, a girl won't accept a dinner invitation from a man unless she plans to have sex with him...it is an understood transaction (dinner for sex). This is why some girls are still reluctant to accept a dinner invitation fom an American man, although most recognize that American men don't expect this quid pro quo (although they may HOPE that it turns out that way!).
HEAT...In the video, I was watching some of my wife's friends and their children. The two boys don't have any shirts on (bare skin) and the mom has only a thin dress on. This in the middle of the winter. You can just imagine how hot and uncomfortable it is in Russian apartments. If any of you guys ever visit during the winter, be prepared to roast your privates! You can always tell an American...he's the one who ISN'T all bundled up during winter or fall. My wife was so cold (in the house) her first winter here in New England, but now she finds it normal and can't stand the oppressive heat of Russian apartments in the winter.
Stevo
