Thanks to Jane Keeler I found this wonderful travelogue “Russian Chronicles”. Lisa Dickey and David Hillegas come back to Russia and make the same trip they did in 1995 visiting the same places and interviewing people that met ten years ago. Apart from being a very interesting story teller Lisa Dickey is also very open minded. She is probably the first American mainstream journalist that is sincerely friendly towards this country. Her criticisms do not sound as mean finger pointing. No meaningless rants and preaching. Then she is probably the first journalist that openly accepts that life in Russia became much better in general. Not the usual ‘rich Russians are obnoxiously rich but most of the people live in poverty’ stuff one reads in Washington Post or Wall Street Journal.
My previous post was about Russian rudeness. Lisa Dickey’s last post is about Russian railway trains and over the top Russian “friendliness” one finds there. I prefer to travel by air but from time to time as I take a train I meet the same problems as JJ. Only she had to stand for America and answer questions about Bush politics but I have to defend Moscow and ‘filthy rich’ Muscovites who grab resources from all over the country.
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I live in Seattle and I am NOT from the NW actually from the eastcoast and having encountered the Russian "attitude" I can say stuff it!
I am an American my parents taught me disciplines and social grace like many other American children before.
Russians are stone face, unfriendly, lack social graces yes "hello" and a smile or a handshake exemplifies your part of a civil society.
Russians tend to be very pushy, cheap(tho you would know this from the BMWs) and lack vocal skills.
The argument that this is the standard modus apparandi is a load. You want to live in America you can lean to "adapt"!
Those who comment about American rudeness and the "fake" smile are obviously out to condemn the us for the minority of this behavior.
Just visit the mid west. People tend to be much more friendly, outgoing and patriotic people proud to be Americans and not afraid to show this on their faces.
I could do without the rude Russians. Stay in Russia and flaunt your angry frowns to your fellow countrymen.
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