Have you been to Russia?

cumulusjames

cumulusjames

cumulusjames

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Has anyone spent any time in Russia, proper Russia not just Moscow. I am interested in what the life and culture is like over there. I, like many peopel have this overwhelming desire to leave the UK. But I am not that well travlelled. I am in a situation that I could go anywhere in the world I want. But I dont know where. Russia sticks out because I used to spend a lot of time on a Russian social site and they seem to have a very good humour and are generally a bit barmy. I like that in a people.

So yeh if you know about the Russians I would love to hear your thoughts.
 
I love russia, very friendly people always willing to share vodka and food. Outside of the main cities you may find the language barrier a problem.
 
slambo69 said:
I love russia, very friendly people always willing to share vodka and food. Outside of the main cities you may find the language barrier a problem.
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I had a very brief stint learning russian, learning the writing, impossible, but the language I found ok. On this site I used to go on they seemed friendly.
 
seek said:
Have you considered Japan?
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I have, but I somewhoe feel they would very much view you as an outsider. I find japanese/asian people most attractive so it could work out. But I have never been there and do not know what they are like, I mean I like a drink, do they like a drink? I know the Russains like a drink!

and before anyone says it I know the french like a drink too. But I am not keen on the french or france in general.
 
i did st petersburg, moscow down to Omsk a fair few years ago, was a heck of a trek that country is bigger then you realise.

st petersburg and Omsk are amazing places, i didnt think much of Moscow tbh, but then capitals rarely do it for me.

all in all its a great country, it does scare the **** out of you the first time you visit as its very corporeal, so if youv never travelled outside the uk, france, spain before i suggest you try somewhere like america first to get used to the flight lengths and being in a different society structure.
 
Visited St. Petersberg and Moscow about 10 years ago. My impressions then were that Russia was a place of extremes. Extreme wealth and extreme poverty. Especially in Moscow.

I really liked St. Petersberg, thought it was a beautiful place. Moscow on the other hand felt edgier... don't know how else to describe it. Many of the buildings felt a bit old inside, decor from the 60s and 70s etc, though everywhere was clean and well maintained. I'm told by a Russian friend that much of the area around red square where we stayed has now been re-developed and is much more modern. In terms of the history and the buildings etc. though it's an amazing place.

In terms of the people, well it was only a 2 week trip, but basically I found them to be typically Russian! Many people seemed.. depressed, but then you realise it's just their demeanour, you certainly don't get bouncy enthusiasm or people springing to help you, but then some there still live in 60s communist concrete high rises, earning just enough to live on, while watching others amass fortunes so large they can easily buy small countries. Never seen so many clapped out ladas driving alongside limos / top end Mercedes etc.

It's a wonderful country to visit, however my suggestion would be to go as a tour group or at least with a few people rather than on your own. I don't think many native Russians would be hurt if I said that crime (pick-pocketing, gang related stuff etc) is pretty rife, especially in Moscow. As a group of 20, 5 people had their pockets picked while on the tram system alone! t's all down to that massive social divide.

Now I'm sure things have moved on in the last decade, and i really don't want to put you off. It's an amazing country with some extraordinary buildings and perhaps one of the most interesting and most colourful histories of any large human civilization. If you can g, you definitely should, know I'll be heading back as soon as I stop being a student and actually get myself a pay cheque!
 
Yeah I've been to St Petersburg, Murmansk, had a Russian girlfriend for 3 years and have quite a few Russian friends. They are generally quite cold until you get to know them but once you've spend a few hours with them they're great. Sometimes their logic and way of thinking is a bit different but that's just cultural really and expected considering their past. Don't expect to see many smiling faces on the street except from a few young people.

Russia is the most interesting place I've visited and look forward to going back sometime, wouldn't want to live there though.
 
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We spent a week in Tallin, Estonia before going on the overnight train to Saint Petersburg for a further two weeks. There's honestly nothing I can tell you about Russia if you're intending to emigrate, though. This probably isn't the best place to get advice on those kind of major life changes.
 
manic_man said:
Visited St. Petersberg and Moscow about 10 years ago. My impressions then were that Russia was a place of extremes. Extreme wealth and extreme poverty.
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those are the two demographics I like most. The very rich and the very poor i find are the most wonderfull people. That is my experiance in the uk, and I am VERY well travlled here. In the UK its the middle who are the ********. I wonder if that transaltes across the world? I am at the moment trapped in the purest form of middle class, a quaint village outside chelmsford. And i can tell you the people are ********, and the middle are possibly the most boring peoples who ever drew breath. My plans had been to move to brighton as it seems to have a mix of the very rich and the very poor.

if I had to choose I would ratehr live amongst the very poor than amongst the movers and shakers of london and new york. These people are dull and so self obsessed its unreal. Anyonegetting off a train at 7 - 9am in london in a suit is to be avoided at all costs.
 
I feel I need to go round the world to find the place I want to live. But I don’t have the means to do that. So the other option is to take a chance, choose a place and just **** off there. But that is very scary. All I know is that I do not like Britain at the moment. Everyone is morning into one another. People talk about diversity, I find this the least diverse place on the planet. The minorities stick to themselves and hate the indigenous peoples. The indigenous peoples are so focused on themselves they do not even notice if there is a minority about. People depend on the press to let them know what culture they are into and there is no humour because you might upset someone.
 
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