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14 Things Y'all Should Never Do In Russia

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America is a "melting pot" of different cultures and ideas, and every bit a issue Americans aren't (normally) super-sensitive about people who do things a bit differently than we do. Only well-nigh of the world's cultures evolved over centuries, sometimes millennia, and often in relative isolation. That'due south one of the reasons why people from other cultures can become then annoyed at American travelers — American travelers don't ever get the whole cultural respect thing, and they do things that can come across as stupid and rude.

That's why it'southward a skillful idea to do your homework earlier visiting any foreign nation. You lot don't actually desire to piss anyone off, not just because it sucks to get into an altercation with someone whose linguistic communication you don't speak, but besides because you never actually know what tradition dictates ought to happen to those who defy tradition. And then merely in case you're planning a summertime vacation to Russia (But why? Seriously, go to Paris.), here's a listing of the top things yous should never do while you're in Female parent Russia.

Don't wear gloves when you shake hands

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If you're going to be in Russia in the summer, you don't have to worry besides much nigh this rule because Russia is freaking hot in the summertime and you're not likely to be wearing gloves. But the residual of the time, Russian federation is like a balmy afternoon on Neptune and if you don't habiliment gloves your fingers might actually snap off when you try to accept your phone out of your dorsum pocket.

Nonetheless, at that place are occasions when you're only not allowed to wear gloves, and no 1 in Russian federation cares how cold your wussy strange fingers are. According to the Moscow Times, one of these occasions is whenever you are shaking easily. Simply why? Because from the Russian perspective you lot are not wearing that glove out of a desire to take a warm paw, you are wearing it considering yous don't want to touch the icky Russian person. Hopefully, yous can encounter why that might be considered a fleck rude. And really, a handshake only takes a couple seconds, and then y'all tin put your glove back on.

Never turn down a drink

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Be warned, if you are trying to stay abroad from alcohol, Russia is a terrible place to travel. The Russians are friendly, generous, and they like vodka. Really, that's not just some horrible cliche.

Then when you get to Russia, expect to be offered a drink. And according to PRI, when y'all go to Russian federation, don't expect that you can just say, "No cheers, I don't drink" because no one will understand with or understand that for some people alcohol is a life-ruining forcefulness of destruction — they will simply think you're being insufferably rude. (Tip: Some travelers say yous can use the old "doc'southward orders" alibi to politely dodge the alcohol without raising whatever eyebrows.)

Too being obligated to accept alcohol when it'south offered to you, you lot are likewise at take chances of finding out what the Russian infirmary system is like after you go so intoxicated that you need medical attention. Considering the Russians will not but offer you one drinkable, they will continue to fill up your glass until yous either laissez passer out or die. If y'all don't want that to happen, nursing your drinks while you're in Russia is a really skilful idea. If you ever let your glass become downwards to less than half total, expect a refill.

Don't leave empty bottles sitting on the table

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The Russians are really superstitious people — a 2013 poll plant that more than than half of the Russians surveyed believed in things similar omens, astrology, prophetic dreams, and bad luck.

One such superstition has to do with empty bottles, specifically, empty bottles that once had alcohol in them. According to the Moscow Times, Russians believe that an empty bottle left sitting on a table is an omen of financial hardship, or possibly even grief and suffering. Don't worry, though, no one expects you to get upwardly and deposit it in a recycling bin or annihilation — traditionally, you just put it on the floor.

No one is certain where this superstition came from, but it's thought that Cossack soldiers brought it back from France after the Napoleonic wars. When eating in Parisian restaurants, the Cossacks figured out that their waiters would charge them for the empty bottles on their table rather than for the full bottles they got from the bar, and then they started leaving a few bottles on the floor to lighten the neb.

Don't tell "your mama" jokes

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For some reason, Americans enjoy "your mama" jokes, fifty-fifty though nearly "your mama" jokes are notoriously unfunny and offensive. And yet there still seem to be thousands of variations of them and we still all seem to accept at to the lowest degree i friend or family member who insists on telling the latest.

If yous have a "your mama" joke in your repertoire of funnies, you'll want to avert throwing it out as an ice-breaker while you're in Russian federation. Russians are almost universally unamused by jokes about a person'southward female parent, or even a person's father. In fact according to Russia Across, you lot might be better off just not making jokes at all when yous're in Russian federation because the Russian sense of humor doesn't really line up with the American 1. Yous might even notice that some Russians are taking your jokes seriously considering zilch in their universe has ever prepared them for the stupidity of the American sense of humor, and therefore they don't really know information technology when they see it.

Don't contend with a babushka

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Okay, then get-go of all, information technology's non "bab-OO-shka," it's "BAH-boo-shka." So don't say it wrong because the Russians will be pissed at you. And 2nd, respect the babushka. Babushka is a title and a status symbol. Babushkas are tough and terrifying and they are not afraid to tell y'all exactly how you've offended them. According to Way to Russia, yous tin look to be shoved aside, cut in front of, and generally looked down upon by every babushka you see, and you'd better not practice or say anything about it because babushkas rule Russian federation.

If you lot don't know what a babushka is, yous'd amend know before you get on that plane: A babushka is an elderly Russian woman. In fact US Represented says when a Russian woman becomes a grandmother, she achieves a kind of condition that's "something just short of gaining sainthood."

Then basically, what a babushka wants, a babushka gets. As a traveler who is not a babushka, you are obligated to let her elbow you aside, cut in forepart of you lot, and yell at y'all for transgressions yous don't understand considering you don't speak Russian. Be prepared.

Don't whistle indoors

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Most Western superstitions about bad luck are specific to the person who offended the tradition — everyone else is usually spared. Walking under a ladder, for case, is a solo transgression. So is opening up an umbrella indoors. But in Russia, violating the rules of superstition sometimes ways dragging anybody else down with y'all, then that'southward why you actually do have to know all the Russian superstitions before you spend fourth dimension there.

Co-ordinate to Savour Russian, you should never whistle indoors because for any reason, whistling is associated with financial hardship. It's particularly bad form to whistle in someone else'southward house because information technology'due south not but you who might suffer fiscal misfortune, but also your hosts.

Like near long-running superstitions, no 1 really seems to know for sure where this one came from. In the West nosotros have a similar dominion about not whistling indoors, but our rule is not attached to a bad-luck thing. It'south possible that the Russian superstition started out the same fashion, and and so morphed into "shut up already or you lot'll whistle all your coin abroad!" Does information technology really matter, though? At least the Russians have a skilful manner to shut that annoying crap down.

Don't testify up empty-handed

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This is actually just common sense no matter what country you lot're in — whenever you're invited to someone's abode, you should bring a canteen of wine or a nice dessert to share with your hosts. If you're non already doing this, you might need to take an etiquette grade or just stay in America where you're free to show up to your friend's firm bearing nothing but the words, "Where's the beer?"

According to Russia Beyond, when you're invited into a Russian home you're expected to bring something with you lot, typically a food or drink item that will be served with the meal. Make sure it's something you really relish — if you're not a wine drinker and you brought a canteen of wine, your hosts might be annoyed at you lot for refusing to partake.

In that location are some other do's and don'ts that household guests accept to call up — for example, do bring booze but don't bring vodka because your hosts might think you're insulting them. Exercise bring flowers for any women in the house, but non yellowish flowers or flowers in even numbers. If there are children in the abode, it'southward customary to bring something for them, too, like a small treat or a fun activity. And maybe take notes considering that's way too much to remember.

Don't allow a woman bear heavy things

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Here in the Westward, women pride themselves on their independence. Sometimes, Western women will even go offended at offers of assist because those offers, however well-intentioned, imply that they can't have care of themselves — which is one of the reasons why you lot don't see so many random acts of knightly in the 21st century. Some of u.s. miss it and some of us don't, but generally speaking offer to concord a door or carry something heavy for someone simply because she's female isn't really a thing anymore in America.

In Russia, though, this brand of knightly hasn't e'er gone out of manner. According to Russian federation Beyond, the Russians believe that a man has a responsibility to help a woman out when he sees her conveying something heavy. If you lot're a adult female traveling in Russia, it's a good idea to simply accept the assistance when it's offered — the Russians don't mean to imply that y'all can't take care of yourself, they're just genuinely trying to help. If you're a man traveling in Russia and you lot encounter a adult female struggling with something heavy, you should as well offer to assist. And if she'south your traveling companion, you're probably not going to brand many good impressions with the locals if you let her struggle with her ain suitcase.

Don't have an offering of kindness until information technology's been offered several times

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You've almost certainly seen this play out in a sitcom: Person A offers to do some kindness for Person B. Person B refuses, and Person A says, "No, really I insist." Person B refuses over again, and so on and then along until everyone is mad at each other. In Russian federation, this is all function of the tradition of souvenir giving.

According to World Speaking, when someone in Russia offers you a gift, you lot should never, ever accept outright, even if it'south something you actually demand. Instead, you lot should let the person offer a 2d time, and and then you should refuse over again. If that person is really serious virtually giving y'all a souvenir, he or she will offering a third time, and at that bespeak it's probably okay to say aye. Merely it'south definitely not polite to just jump on the offer immediately — you must at least make a bear witness of being unwilling to accept the gift, and then the other person can make a show of being willing to give it to you.

Don't criticize Russia

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In the Due west, especially in America, we love to talk most politics, and nosotros specially love to criticize our government and our politicians. We all consider ourselves to be patriots, but other than that we're pretty polarized nearly which way the nation appears to be moving and which politicians are most responsible for "destroying our country."

It's kind of natural to take some of that with y'all on holiday, just if your destination is Russia, Travel Mono recommends keeping whatever criticism of Russian politics that you might have tightly nether wraps. Then no comments about Russian ballot interference, don't mention Crimea, and definitely don't make fun of shirtless Putin on a horse.

Russians are besides very patriotic, but to them, patriotism means not making fun of or criticizing the authorities and its leaders considering that'due south non being a good citizen and also because the the government might put their families in a penal colony. And it'south especially obnoxious to them when a pretentious Westerner shows upwardly, eats all the food, sees all the sights, and complains about Putin. So only don't do it. There are enough of other things to talk nearly when you're in Russia, like "Why is information technology so damned cold all the time?" and "Why practise all those buildings look like they're topped with scoops of ice cream?"

Don't article of clothing shoes indoors

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Russians don't believe in wearing shoes indoors. In that manner, Russian federation is like to a lot of Asian countries, where shoes in living spaces simply don't compute. Information technology really makes a ton of sense, really, and it kind of seems strange that information technology hasn't actually dawned on all cultures how gross it is to walk around the house in your shoes. Your home is supposed to be a respite from all the filth and germs of the existent world, and cipher you wear on your body is quite equally filthy and germy every bit a pair of shoes.

According to Russia Beyond, you lot should ever leave your shoes in the hallway whenever yous walk into a Russian abode. Most Russians go along slippers on paw specifically for their guests because putting your feet where someone else's sweaty, athlete's foot-covered toes have been is marginally less gross than tracking germs all over the house.

Russians are so germ-averse, in fact, that they will normally change into "business firm clothes" when they come up home from work because their house clothes are cleaner than anything they wore around the urban center during the day.

Don't sit on public send

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Afterwards a long, hard twenty-four hours of sightseeing, being forced to drink alcohol, and not saying anything bad about Vladimir Putin, you might exist looking forward to jumping on the Metro simply so yous tin sit down down for a few minutes. Not so fast, though. Many city-domicile Russians use public transportation, and public transportation is frequently at capacity. So on a crowded train there's always going to be someone who needs that seat, and in the eyes of the Russians, information technology is terribly uncouth and selfish for you to assume that it'southward you, unless you autumn into i of the following categories: You are elderly, you are disabled, you are a child, or you are meaning.

According to ITMO.news, failure to give up your seat for someone in ane of these groups is a gigantic faux paus, and you might really get told off (in Russian!) for beingness a selfish wiggle. That's totally not worth resting your feet for a few minutes.

Don't smile

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Popular culture sometimes portrays the Russians as being kind of gloomy, or perhaps even angry all the time. In that location are enough of goofy explanations near why this might exist — perhaps it'due south because they're then freaking cold all the fourth dimension or perhaps it's considering they've finally realized that all their buildings are topped with snow and not scoops of ice cream. But it's actually a misconception that Russians are perpetually in a bad mood — they're not, they're just very selective smilers.

According to the Atlantic, the Russians feel similar they shouldn't grinning unless they have a reason to. In fact this is even written into their civilisation in the class of a proverb, which loosely translated means "laughing for no reason is a sign of stupidity." So smiling at strangers is considered weird, and uncouth, and possibly fifty-fifty disingenuous. Instead, the Russians believe that y'all should reserve your smiles for your family, friends, and occasions when you have a adept reason to smile.

Don't go out without your passport

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For the most part, Russian federation is a friendly and hospitable place. Just Russia is not exactly the land of the free, the home of the unrestricted traveler. Co-ordinate to Russia Beyond, the Russian police force can stop anyone at any time for the sole purpose of "checking papers," but like in every movie you've ever seen where American travelers get into trouble in countries that aren't the USA. And aye, law do tend to practice this based on profiling — if yous don't look similar a Russian, you're probably going to get stopped. And if y'all don't have your passport, you might even be taken into custody. Also, you lot'll probably soil yourself considering you won't have any idea why y'all're being taken into custody because you don't speak Russian.

The Russian police can hold you for upwards to three hours while they effort to effigy out who yous are, and that tin can seriously interfere with your plans to tour the Peterhof Gardens and Fountains or the Museum of Vladimir Putin. And so don't leave your passport in the hotel because y'all'd rather travel low-cal — you truly do not know when you might demand it.

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Source: https://www.grunge.com/153696/things-you-should-never-do-in-russia/