Cultural Clash America-Russia

[juio99]

Someone sent me this.  I have experienced much of it and agree with its authenticity.  JR

- - - - - - - -

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PEOPLE OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION
(FSU) AND AMERICAN PEOPLE.

The purpose of this guide is to help Americans and people from FSU prepare for the
cultural and social differences they will encounter.  By understanding some of the
cultural differences and their meanings, it may be easier to understand your foreign
counterparts and have a more pleasant visit with fewer misunderstandings.

These observations are generalizations.  You can find exceptions to everything listed
here.  The observations were provided by individuals who have spent considerable time
in both America and the FSU.

Shopping:
In the FSU, it is common to shop every day for grocery items.  Homes are smaller,
storage is scarce, refrigerators are smaller.  
In America, it is common to shop once a week for grocery items.
In America, most shops will accept items returned for either a refund or a store credit.
In the FSU this is virtually unheard of.
In the FSU, it is difficult to find single items in large packages.  
In America, the "Super Jumbo Size" is often available for any product.
In America most people buy many items and items large in size then put them into a car
and take them home.  
In the FSU most people do not have cars and must carry their items home either
walking, via public transit, or via taxi, so they purchase fewer and smaller items.
In the FSU, it is common to view, consider, and reconsider even a small purchase many
times before actually buying it.
In America, purchases are often very quick, even on impulse.
In America, store clerks are expected to be friendly, cheerful, and offer assistance.
They will ask you if you are enjoying your day, if you found everything you sought, and
may suggest alternatives to what you are purchasing such as a similar product that is at
a lower price.  
In the FSU, store clerks often look like their cat just died and only assist when directly
asked.
In America, products are openly displayed and may be picked up, observed, touched,
and closely examined by customers without a store clerk's assistance.  
In the FSU most products are behind counters and can only be physically touched
when provided by a clerk.
In America, most stores allow a customer to shop and gather all items from many
different areas of the store to be purchased at the same time at one centrally located
cashier.
In the FSU it is common to be required to purchase each item at a cashier in that item's
department.
In America, items are placed in bags supplied by the store.  
In the FSU, you bring your own bag.
In America the currency nearly always used is the United States dollar.  Other currency
may be used (there is no law against it) but this rarely occurs.  
In the FSU, most people keep much of their money in western currency such as the US
Dollar or the German Mark.  These "foreign" currencies are exchanged into Rubles just
for the purpose of making a purchase.  Although it may be illegal to use any currency
other than the Ruble, many businesses accept the US Dollars or the German Marks
directly for purchases.  It appears that people of the FSU have little faith in the stability
of their local Rubles and rely on the stability of foreign currency.

Transportation:
Except in large crowded cities, everyone in America owns a car.  Even the very poor.  
In the FSU, relatively few people own a car.  Public transport such as trolleys, busses,
and subways are inexpensive, on time, and go just about everywhere about every five
minutes.  
Except in large crowded cities, public transport in America consists mostly of busses
and is often inconvenient with regard to route location and time between arrival.  In
much of America, when it snows people put on studded tires, tire chains, drive very
slowly, or stay inside.  
In the FSU they drive their little Ladas and Volgas without regard to snow and ice.
In America, hitchhiking (accepting a ride in a car from a stranger) is dangerous and
done only by the very poor.  In nearly all cases payment for the transportation is not
expected.
In the FSU virtually all drivers will offer a ride to anyone and virtually all people of all
classes ask and accept.  It is appropriate for the hitchhiker to reimburse the driver and
this is usually negotiated before getting into the vehicle.

Friends & Family:
By the standards of the FSU, American friends are barely casual acquaintances.  By
FSU standards, a friend is someone who can arrive at your doorstep at 3 AM to talk for
five hours about a problem and you will not regard this as the least bit inconvenient.  In
fact, you will prepare breakfast, call into work as being sick, and disregard your spouse
and family until your friend feels better.  
Although this may happen in America, it is the rare exception, not the rule.
It is very difficult for a woman of the FSU to accept her male spouse's female friends.  It
is very difficult for a man of the FSU to accept his female spouse's male friends.  
Americans tend to be much more accepting and less suspicious of such friendships.
When American friends talk, the mood is often light and much humor may be involved..
When FSU friends talk, it is often that every word is deeply meaningful and filled with
emotion.
Americans tend to talk at a distance, such as across a dining table, and often loud
enough that others nearby may hear.  
People of the FSU often move in very close together and talk in somewhat hushed
tones.
If someone in the FSU knows an employer, it would be expected that the person would
ask the employer to hire his/her friend without regard to an employment application,
human resources interview, or comparative evaluations.  In essence, "get him the job."
In America, such demands would assure that the friend would not be hired and the
person making the request may find his/her own job in jeopardy.  Professional
references and referrals are common and acceptable in America, but they are more
often made as polite suggestions and the person seeking employment will go through
the same process as every other applicant.
To say that FSU families are close is an understatement.  By comparison to American
families, FSU families never leave the womb.  In the FSU it is common that elderly
parents and grandparents live with married children.  
In America, elderly parents and grandparents are placed into senior care centers where
they are visited by family members.
In the FSU it is not unusual that the child of a divorced woman live with and be raised
by the grandparents full time, rather than live with the mother.  This allows the mother to
work to support the children and grandparents.  
In America, most divorced women are able to earn enough to pay for childcare and
keep their children in the same home with them.
In the FSU, a divorced parent will often delegate care of children to grandparents while
working.  In America a working parent will more likely delegate raising of children to
paid child care workers during the working hours.
In America, it is not uncommon for the man to get custody of the children following a
divorce.
In the FSU, this would be very rare.

Medical Services:
When you visit a doctor in America, you will see the actual doctor for maybe 10 minutes
with all other services provided by associates and technicians.  You will be provided
medicines of the highest quality and diagnostic equipment will be the latest state of the
art.   The services will be very costly and most likely paid by a private insurance.
In the FSU your doctor may not have available something as simple as penicillin and
technology will be at least 30 years behind western facilities.  But the doctor may spend
as much as an hour with you talking about your problems and concerns.  
In America, medicine is very much about technology and efficiency because the doctor
needs to get to the next patient as soon as possible.
In the FSU, medicine is about care and compassion because that is often all they have
to offer.  Healthcare is nationalized and free, but read about "for the doctor" below.

Income:
Very few people in the FSU earn what they "officially" earn. It is not unusual to find
someone in the FSU who officially earns $80 a month wearing a $2,000 fur coat.  Just
about everyone in the FSU earns significant amounts of their actual income in an
underground economy of services and products that are not officially reported, taxed, or
sanctioned.  
In America, it is unusual to find someone who significantly under reports his/her income
or is involved in such underground activity.  When discovered, this activity is met with
fines, penalties, and jail time.
In the FSU, it is inappropriate to question how someone earning $1,200 a year can
wear a $2,000 coat.
In America, such inconsistency would most likely subject the person to governmental
scrutiny.  
In America it is not unusual for someone to suggest that their earnings are in a
particular range.  In the FSU you would only hear the official number, not the real
number, and you never ask.
The reason for this underground economy is that the people of the FSU are survivors
and will do what they must to survive.
A policeman in many FSU countries earns about $60 a month.  Even in the lowered
economy of the FSU this is not enough to survive.  Many of these policemen are young
and with new growing families.  They must survive.  To supplement their income, they
will go to businesses in the area they are authorized to protect and suggest that if the
business expects the policeman to arrive in a timely manner if someone were to, say,
break the business' windows and loot the store, it may be appropriate to pay an
extra amount each month directly to the officer .  This would assure that such events
would not occur.  It is intimated that refusing to pay would insure that such events would
occur.  So the businessman pays an amount each month to local police and the
windows do not get broken.
By western standards this would be considered a shakedown, be abhorred, and the
public would demand the policeman's arrest and prosecution.  
By FSU standards, the policeman is receiving from the people he is authorized to
protect an amount appropriate for the services he is providing.  The government
provides the policeman with authority, but not the pay.  The policeman uses the
authority to collect enough to survive from the people he protects.  Is this system ripe
for abuse?  You bet.  But until the government can afford to pay it's peace officers
enough to survive, they will continue to use this system.  
Such underground income is not always such a nefarious arrangement.  As an
example, doctors officially earn about $100 a month from the socialized healthcare
system, however there is a custom of "something for the doctor".  It is understood that
when you visit a doctor for something like a surgery, you provide additional cash in
appreciation of the service the doctor provides.  This is illegal and officially is not
suppose to happen, but it is understood by doctor and patient that it is appropriate.  In
this manner, a doctor may earn as much as $500 per month.  This is more than 95% of
the citizens of most FSU countries earn.

Illegality, Bribes, Corruption:
In both America and the FSU, you will find many people doing things that are illegal,
officials taking bribes, and corruption in all levels of government.  The difference is in
the degree to which it occurs, the level of acceptance, and the public response when it
is revealed.  In the FSU, such activities are generally accepted as the way of life.
In America the same activities are more likely to be met with righteous indignation by
citizens and arrests by police.
In the FSU, virtually everyone does something that is illegal virtually every day.  It may
be as simple as paying for a product with foreign currency, selling home made items
without a license, or earning taxi fare without being a registered taxi or taxi driver.  It is
not that the people of the FSU are scofflaws.  Not at all.  It is that the people of the FSU
are survivors.  They do what they must, to be able to survive.  Sometimes laws in the
FSU are ridiculously restrictive.  Sometimes multiple laws are mutually incompatible and
if you are not breaking one, you are breaking the other..  To change such
circumstances is beyond the ability of the average FSU citizen or even public special
interest groups. It is more important for an individual to house, clothe, and feed one's
family than to pay attention to laws created by a system that often does not consider its
constituents.  To measure these activities by western standards is to not understand
the realities of life in the FSU.
In America it is easy to survive.  The federal minimum wage is enough for a single
person to live with reasonable comfort.  With a strong economy, virtually any American
who wants to work can work and can be paid well.  
In the FSU jobs pay poorly, have few benefits, and seldom provide moral or financial
satisfaction.  
In America it is not necessary to break laws to survive.  
In much of the FSU, it is an accepted requirement.
In America, an attempt to bribe a peace officer is much more likely to give you
additional jail time than the freedom you are attempting to purchase.  
In the FSU, it is hard to imagine a peace officer who would not accept a bribe.  
Never attempt to bribe a peace officer in America.  
Always attempt to bribe a peace officer in the FSU.
In America the tax collection system is relatively stable and corruption is very rare.
Most income is reported, taxed, and the taxes are used to provide services to the
public.  
In the FSU most income is under reported due to its black market nature.  If you are
audited by the tax collection system you are very likely to be able to negotiate yourself
out of the situation with a bribe.
In America, if an employee does not get paid on time, state and federal regulators will
act swiftly and may even seize the assets of the employer until the employee is paid.  
In the FSU it is possible for an employee to not be paid for several months and never
be paid for this labor.  The FSU employer simply bribes the local regulating officials.
 
Drinking:
In America, several drinks per day of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, hard liquor, etc.)
is considered as alcoholism.
In the FSU,  alcoholic beverages are often consumed in large quantities every day.
In the FSU, virtually every dinner will include an alcoholic beverage.  
In America people will go for weeks or months without a drink of any kind.  Some never
ever drink.  In America, it is necessary to be over the age of 21 to purchase or drink all
alcoholic beverages, however in some states beverages with low alcoholic content may
be available to someone over the age of 18.  
The FSU has no age restriction on purchasing or drinking alcoholic beverages.
In American you can be arrested for drinking alcoholic beverages while driving.  In
some circumstances, the driver can be arrested if anyone in the car is drinking even if
the driver is not.  In some states, the driver can be arrested if a container of alcoholic
beverages is in the car with the driver, even if the driver is not drinking.  
In the FSU there is no restriction on drinking and driving.
In America, a person (often depending upon gender) who drinks more than one or two
glasses of wine at dinner may be considered an excessive drinker.  
In the FSU, nobody counts.
In America, about the only time someone proposes a toast is at a wedding or a
business function.
In the FSU, a toast every 20 minutes throughout dinner is perfectly normal.
In America, a toast is often as short as possible and often includes humor.  
In the FSU, a toast can be very long and serious.  In the FSU, the third toast is about
love.  
In America, you rarely ever get to a third toast.

Superstitions:         
Maybe 100 years ago, Americans held to some superstitions.  Today, very few
Americans even talk about superstitions.
If a back cat crosses your path, it is a sign of impending bad luck.
Walking under a ladder is inviting bad luck.
Breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.
If you spill salt, you will have bad luck unless you take a pinch of the spilled salt and
toss it over your shoulder.
When speaking of good fortune, knocking on wood twice will keep the good fortune
from leaving.
     
As a general rule, people from the FSU take superstitions very seriously.
Wearing shoes beyond the foyer is bad luck.
Never whistle in the house.  It means economic bad luck.
An empty bottle should never be placed on a table.  Place it on the floor or dispose of it
instead.
If you leave the house and forget something, do not return to retrieve it.  Have someone
else return to retrieve the item.  If you must  return, look in a mirror before leaving the
house a second time.  Looking in the mirror will save you from bad luck. This
superstition is very well known in Russia.
When pouring from a bottle, always poor with your hand over the bottle, fingers pointing
down.  Don't ever pour with your palm underneath the bottle, fingers pointing up.
When you leave your house going to important meeting, take note of the first stranger
you meet.  If the stranger is a man, your meeting will go very well.  If the stranger is a
lady, you probably will not have any luck at all today.  This is a new variation of old
Russian superstition that if you meet a lady with empty buckets, you will have no luck
today, if the lady's buckets are full of water, you will have good luck.  
Never sweep a floor around another person's feet - it can shorten the person's life.
Each swipe with the broom takes one year of life away.

General Observations:
In the FSU, being late for a social engagement and even a business appointment is
generally accepted.  
In America, being late for a business appointment is not acceptable at any time.  In
America, being late for a social engagement is considered rude and insulting.
Americans make many plans well in advance of an event.  
In the FSU plans are often not made until the very last moment.
Americans take even casual commitments very, very seriously.  A person who says
s/he will do something but does not actually do the task would be thought to have a
character flaw.
In the FSU, commitments are more like suggestions.  If someone from the FSU says
they will do something but does not, it often goes unnoticed.
Many American women earn good money and will gladly split date costs with the man
or alternate as to who pays.  
FSU women expect the man to pay for everything, even if she makes as much money
as the man.
Americans will look for bargains and do not believe that higher cost always means
higher quality.
FSU people tend to think that the more you pay for something, the better it must be.
Those who seek to save money in America are considered good money managers.
Those who seek to save money in the FSU are considered to be greedy, stingy and
cheap.
Americans value truth very, very highly.  Someone who is found to misrepresent the
truth or outright lie is scorned and often ostracized.  
It would be inappropriate to say that people of the FSU lie, but it is common to find that
representations are not exactly as they are presented.  It is not so much that the people
of the FSU will tell a lie, they just will not respond if the truth is something they do not
wish to reveal.
If you ask an American about something which they don't want to reveal, they will tell
you it is none of your business.
If you ask someone from the FSU about something they don't want to reveal, they
simply will not respond.
In the FSU, washing the dishes often means just rinsing them with running water.
Seldom is soap or a sink of soapy water used.  
In America, dishes are washed in a sink full of hot soapy water then rinsed with clear
tap water.  That is, of course, unless the American has an automatic dishwasher, which
most do.
In most of America, you can drink the water directly from the faucet.  Not only is it
clean, but it probably has fluoride in it to help promote healthy teeth.  
In the FSU tap water is seldom used for drinking.
In America, most people dress for comfort and do not care much about what other
people may think about their dress.  The mentality is that inner substance of the person
is what is important, not outward appearance.
In FSU, many people are extremely concerned about their outward appearance and
what total strangers might think of their dress.  This is inconsistent with their much
claimed ‘depth of soul.’  Perhaps a re-reading of Dostoevsky is in order.

[SteveM]

... in response to Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by juio99 on Jul 1, 2002

Loved reading this, but one item needs correction:

In the FSU there is no restriction on drinking and driving.

All of my and my wife's FSU friends report just the opposite.  Having one drink and driving makes an accident your fault, even if the other driver caused it.  Being pulled over with any alcohol on your breath is similarly feared.  Even our friends who like to drink the most are saintly about abstinence when it is their turn to drive.

Maybe our neck of the woods over there is not typical...

[Stan]

... in response to Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by juio99 on Jul 1, 2002

Tanya's, (my wife) fovorite stereotype is that cereal commercial where the Russians are in their dacha and Dadushka comes back with the cereal and everybody starts dancing and saying "Oofdie"! She just couldn't believe it! I always have to point out that this is "Hollywood's" version of everything or some "clever" marketing campaign,, not reality. Most of the masses follow over the cliff. But there are a few who know the difference.(Or try to)

I am gross and perverted
I'm obsessed and deranged
I have existed for years
But little has changed
I am a tool of the Government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you

I may be vile and pernicious
But you can't look away
I make you think I'm delicious
With the stuff that I say
I am the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I am the slime oozin' out
from your TV set

1973 Frank Zappa

[yoe]

... in response to Re: Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by Stan on Jul 3, 2002

that American Cinema and television could not exist without the Russians. When she first came and heard Russian on this commercial she was amazed-I told her he was the 'bad guy'. It is like the old cowboy and indian themes. There are good guys and bad guys. Th Americans are the good guys and everyone else is the bad guys! But if you look at television a large majority throw in a Russian-for a little darkenss.
Joe

[yoe]

... in response to Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by juio99 on Jul 1, 2002

what planet are you from. Have you checked out how much Americans spend on clothes? Cheap stupid clothes that have childish sayings like, "I am with Stupid" and the arrow points up. I think if yours is wore our yuou can go to Walmart and get a new one.
Americans are fat and lazy-I did not make this up-to a large degree. They wear these clothes beause they are fat and lazy. The Russian people I have met have few high quality clothes. They keep them clean and nice.
And if you think that fluoride in your water is good-check again einstein it is poison. And most of our countries water is suggested to be filtered.
Here is my favorite,
"Americans value truth very, very highly. Someone who is found to misrepresent the
truth or outright lie is scorned and often ostracized."
How stupid are you. By laying a list of lies and generalizations you are not only a contradicotry fool but well that is exactly it!

"Many American women earn good money and will gladly split date costs with the man
or alternate as to who pays." huh?

Here is another favorite,
"If you ask an American about something which they don't want to reveal, they will tell
you it is none of your business." Have you watched Jerry Springer................I think maybe you should see about being a guest. I would challenge you to find one FSU Gal who talks about her private lives to an aquaintance let alone a friend..............
I hate to be harsh but this is probably the stupidist post-even more than mine-that I have seen for a while. Stan's wife was generous to give you 1/3 accuracy. I give you a 100% poop!
Joe

[juio99]

... in response to Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by juio99 on Jul 1, 2002

To add some fuel.  This list was sent to me by a Russian woman who is now living in the USA.  She said the items were fairly accurate from her experience and viewpoint.

I sent the list to 6 RW who are still living in Russia.  Four of them have already commented that they loved the 'looked like the cat just died' item and that it described the situation perfectly.

For those concerned about sensibilities of the Russian readers, let me again remind you that my lady friends are over age 40.  They are not so nearly 'thin skinned' as some younger persons might be and are perfectly willing to discuss these types of issues in a straight forward manner.

Regarding the shopping.  Even in the largest cities, you will still find the small shops that many Russians visit for food to operate in the manner described.  True they also have western style supermarkets.

And thanks to Dudeman for reminding everyone about the beginning sentences in the original post.

JR

[johnnydudeman]

... in response to Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by juio99 on Jul 1, 2002

Good and interesting post.  Juio said they were just "observations" and "generalizations" so I'm sure no one expects everything to be exact.  There were also a few exaggerations but, overall, its generally pretty accurate.

[Apk1]

... in response to Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by juio99 on Jul 1, 2002

My wife had a good laugh over this "list", but she agreed with Stan's wife...about 1/3 is accurate.

Her comment: while many russians do live in small villages and do not have many conveniences, those that live in large cities like Moscow have "everything" we have here in USA....shopping malls and supermarket grocery stores. There are still "soviet era" stores, shelves behind the counter...but not preferred.
Maybe some families raise thier children to believe in superstitions, not all do...probably common in some parts of the FSU (ukraine)...not common in others.
To cateragorize that all Russians are drunks and drink vodka every day is just another stereotype, some families do not allow alchohol in thier home, and do not drink at all. To say that all police are corrupt is inaccurate...for a policeman to accept a bribe is illegal, a person attempting to bribe an honest one will be in trouble...but it does happen...to those that are dishonest themselves. Russians save money better than we Americans do, maybe the younger girls do not...again it is how a person is raised.

She did not comment on each item...the list is way to general to catergorise as "all of the FSU"...some things she says do still occur.

[johnnydudeman]

... in response to Re: Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by Apk1 on Jul 2, 2002

Okay, APK, not ALL, but many many many Russian police are corrupt and extort bribes...and the Russian people have generally just accepted this as a way of life or a cost of doing business and that's not inaccurate.  You know those cops you see standing in the street directing traffic with their striped batons?  Well they make very low wages and have lots of authority.  And guess what?  Low wages plus authority plus lack of supervison often makes fertile ground for corruption.  Those cops you see in traffic can stop and detain drivers on a whim and the driver can either pay them now or pay them later (and they don't need no "reasonable suspicion" to detain, or "probable cause" to arrest).  

There's an interesting article in the Moscow Times online which indirectly addresses this.  Its about police corruption in Russia and new legislation attempting to curb this problem.  Its recognized by the State Duma so I guess its not just an American generalization of Russian stereotypes.  You can see it at http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2002/07/02/011.html or you can go to Moscow and see it firsthand.

[Apk1]

... in response to To say that all police are corrupt is in..., posted by johnnydudeman on Jul 2, 2002

The cops on the street...make the "most" money of them all!
From what my wife told me, policemen will turn down a cushy desk job to keep thier street post...you do not need to figure out why! Yes, everyone knows corruption is rampant...
But the laws on the books make it illegal, even attempting to bribe the wrong guy (honest) will land you in jail.

Russia wants to join the WTA, and will not untill such corruption and pirating of software and intellectual property is curtailed. It may take years, but there will be a crackdown on corruption. It may take a bloody street war against the Russian mafia to eliminate graft, right now the mob controls the police. It is no different than what is happening in Mexico...it will take time to fix years of corruption at all levels.

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Re: Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by Apk1 on Jul 2, 2002


About Stores:

When I was in Kiev (Ukraine's answer to New York) every store we went in had things behind the counter. Not clothing, but virtually everything else: Stereo equipment, guitars, bread, juice, coke... almost everything we had to ask for.

About Superstitions:

I would think that this would vary greatly. Victoria is not superstitious at all. I asked her once what she thought of superstitions, and she answered: "I don't believe in them. I believe in God." And then pointed out that we were staying in apartment 13!

About Bribes and Police:

My best friend is a cop. In some cities, "being on the take" is a very accepted way of life And I am not talking about Russia, I am talking about the USA!

So... I think that although the list is thought-provoking, as most generalizations... it is not completely accurate...

[Apk1]

... in response to Re: Re: Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by MarkInTx on Jul 2, 2002

I have not been to Ukraine, but my wife has. Russia is much different she tells me....I have been to only 3 cities in Russia, each is different in thier own way...but alike in many ways. Moscovites live like any US big city, complete with traffic jams and congestion...and all the modern conveniences. I saw the "old" soviet era grocery store when we were at her datcha, and I saw the modern supermarket near her home.

I think it would be prudent "not" to rub a FSU woman's nose into this so-called list of cultural differences....many would be offended. You would be suprised just how "modern" these women are...thier lifestyle is a bit different back in thier home country, but I would not say these are "cultural" differences...just economic circumstance, that varies from family to family...and each is different.

My wife was offended that she was "stereotyped" by such a list...but she knows that some is true for most people in the FSU.

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by juio99 on Jul 1, 2002

JR,

In general I think the list made for interesting reading.

My problem with it (and I suspect Stan's wife's problem with it) was that it was clearly written with some American smugness.

Although it appeared to be fair, sometimes the true feelings came through.

If it were re-written slightly, I think it would be more useful.

For instance:

"In the FSU, store clerks often look like their cat just died and only assist when directly asked."

Really doesn't need the "cat just died" part. That would offend me, if I were from the FSU, and is not needed. You could simply say:

"In the FSU, store clerks generally only assist when directly asked."

And it would be informative, without being offensive.

Also, this one sticks out:

"In America, most people dress for comfort and do not care much about what other people may think about their dress. The mentality is that inner substance of the person is what is important, not outward appearance."

OH... GIVE ME A BREAK!

The mentality is nothing of the sort. The mentality is: "I don't give a sh#t!"

Inner substance... yeah.. right... So, I should look at the guy with ripped jeans and a t-shirt that reads: 'Help I've fallen, and I can't reach my beer!" and think: "I'll bet he has great inner substance!"

What a crock!

And to say that an RW who wants to look her best has no "depth of soul" is insulting.

So... not a bad ppost... but before I would send it to a woman who lives in the FSU, I would rewrite it...

[Stan]

... in response to Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by juio99 on Jul 1, 2002

Guys,I don't really think that it's an exelent post! 1/3 of that is likely to be a true,but generally it's a BALONY!!!Some of you have been there for a couple times, and that is why you dare to think that you know us russians so well? Russia is Vodka, Siberia and Bears?!! It is so sad!

[juio99]

... in response to Re: Cultural Clash  America-Russia, posted by Stan on Jul 2, 2002

You may have some good points to add, but I don't know what they are.  This post never said "Russia is Vodka," and it never mentions "Siberia and Bears."

Also, as I understand it, the list was mostly compiled by Russians who had spent time in the USA, not by ignorant Americans as you seem to imply.

I sent this to several ladies in Russia, and they have said it is "right on" as far as they know.

JR