Cultural Observations: And the List Goes On

My list of observations was beginning to get quite long, so to spare you all the pain, I cut the thing in half. The following is another set of cultural differences I have noticed while in Russia.

Mirrors - Looking presentable at all times is a major concern in Russia. To help remedy the situation, there are a lot of mirrors everywhere. For example, there are two mirrors in the elevator in my apartment. At the university, there is a huge full-length mirror on our way to classes. If you need to check your hair or your make-up, you can easily find a spot to do so. I do not believe this obsession with presentation is because Russians are vain, I honestly just believe that they want to look nice, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Fashion - Women wear heels, men carry handbags. The women in Saint Petersburg can be very classy. Most wear either skirts or dresses and have on nice shoes, mainly something with a heel. Some heels are ridiculously high. I do not understand how some women walk, although I have seen a fair share of those who do have difficulty in their heels. At first, I felt out of place in my tennis shoes on the metro, because I looked scroungier; however, I quickly dispensed with that idea and chose comfort over fashion. Women also carry handbags and backpacks are a rarity. Tennis shoes AND a backpack, what am I thinking? The men in Saint Petersburg tend to dress decently too, but there is more variation in their styling then in the women's. You can see two guys standing next to each other in the metro, one in jeans and a t-shirt, the other in a suit. Also, man bags are a very popular item in Saint Petersburg. I believe this trend is a mix of a fashion statement and practicality.

Lines - Patience! Russians have a lot of patience. They are okay with waiting a while for the next metro train to come or in a long line at the store. However, when you see Russian lines, the word "patience" does not come to mind. A line in Russia is a glob, no single file, orderly fashion here. People just jumble together and hope for the best. Surprisingly, Russians adhere to who was first in line. When I was waiting for stamps in the post office, when a new lady would come in (there seemed to be a lack of males that day), she would claim a spot behind whoever was last in line and then go stand somewhere else in the room. Everyone knew who was in front and behind of them. At one point, when one girl tried to cut in line, some of the ladies started yelling. It was intense. All because of a spot in line. Anyway, since lines in Russia tend to be a glob, there is a lack of personal space. The little old lady behind you will come stand next to you while you are paying just to make sure she gets her spot. This is all an extremely normal procedure in Russia, and it can easily frustrate your average American who is accustomed to orderly, single file lines.

Medicine - Russians treat illnesses differently than Americans. In the U.S., we usually jack up on drugs and wait for it to pass. Russians resort to home remedies instead of the medicine cabinet. Now, I personally would rather take some medicine and wait for whatever it is to pass. However, when in Russia... A few weeks ago, I got a cold consisting of a sore throat and stuffy nose. I did have some medicine with me and was prepared to wait it out. However, once my host mom heard my coughs and sniffles, out came the home remedies. It was very sweet of her to take such good care of me and it was interesting to experience the home remedies we talked about in Russian class when learning vocabulary about being sick. For my sore throat, I was not to eat or drink anything cold, only hot items. So I was given hot tea, and then a bowl of honey and a bowl of jam. I was supposed to eat and drink all three items in order to feel better. My host mom also gave me some medicine to take as well. Before I went to bed, I was supposed to eat more honey and jam but with hot milk this time. It was all very strange to me, but it was definitely a Russian experience.

Flowers we gave to one of our professors

Flowers and Gifts - When going to visit someone, you bring a gift. It is a sign of appreciation and respect. Flowers and chocolates are the most popular. There are numerous stores that just sell little trinkets for Russians to take with them on visits. Every corner has a 24-hour "producty" and a flower shop. I love seeing fresh flowers all over and I think it is a wonderful and kind idea to give people flowers. You do not have to take a lot, 1, 3, or 5 flowers will do the job. (For those who caught on, one may only give flowers in odd numbers, even numbers of flowers are reserved for funerals only. Another Russian superstition.) And there are so many kinds of flowers to choose from! And all of the stores have multiple flower arrangements and ways to dress your bouquet up fancy if you wish. In order to show your appreciation, it is respectful to present your teachers with flowers on the last day of classes. So this past week we have been dealing out the flowers and gift giving. When we gave each of our teachers a bundle of flowers, their faces light up with gratitude and surprise; they thoroughly appreciated the gesture. It was definitely nice to participate in such a kind Russian tradition. The fresh flowers (and fruit) are one of my favorite things about everyday Russian life. It is so common to have fresh flowers on your table or to give someone a flower or three. In America, it seems flowers are reserved for special occasions, such as weddings and anniversaries. In my opinion, flowers brighten up life and should be more common in the States!

Student IDs - Student IDs are an absolute treasure trove in Russia! When we started university in St. Petersburg, we were given an official Russian Student ID. One, it is cool and official looking. No plastic ID cards here. Two, it gets you into almost everything for free or extremely discounted. Out of all the places I have gone sight-seeing at in Russia, I have had to pay to get in less than 5 times. It has saved me so much money. Instead of paying $8 to get in somewhere, I just show them my ID and in I go. My ID even got me into the world-renowned Bolshoi Theatre for $3! It is absolutely wonderful and I am very grateful to have it during my travels. Now, if only my student ID would get me into more places for free in the U.S., I would be set. I know we have many student discounts, but free is always better!

Newlyweds!

Weddings - In Russia, weddings are an extravagance of celebration. Weddings are a long, drawn out ordeal full of many traditions. For starters, the actual wedding is not held in a church. Instead, the couple is married in a government building. After the ceremony, if they so desire, the newlyweds may have a second ceremony in the church. Second, wedding celebrations last several days. The party usually lasts for two days, if not longer. The days are filled with amusement, dancing, drinking, and eating with friends and family. It is certainly tiring, but the fun and memories are guaranteed. Another tradition of Russian weddings is for the bride and groom to go around the city and take pictures at famous places. This is the tradition that I am the most familiar with, because almost not a day goes by that I do not see a newly married couple out taking pictures. The brides are, usually, quite beautiful in their fluffy, white or off-white dresses. (It has become a habit to rate the dresses as they pass by.) The grooms in their snazzy tuxes. And friends and family in tow with glasses of champagne and flowers. Russian weddings seem like a truly unique experience, from an American point of view, and they seem full of happiness and cheer. In the U.S., you usually do not see a newly married couple out and about, and it can be easy to forget that people are getting married all the time. This joyous occasion is not forgotten in Russia, where one is reminded of this celebration of love daily. Once home, I shall definitely miss passing by delighted and enamored newlyweds frolicking about town.