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How to Survive Queues in Russia?
Many popular interesting activities in Russia are accompanied with long queues before entrance. Russians don’t like to stay in long queues may be as many other nations in our world. But the reason is that in winter we have low temperatures and staying in queues is becoming more difficult. Sometimes you can see even people quarreling while somebody is trying to pass without waiting.
If you see queues don’t stress and keep calm while waiting for your turn. Charge your sell phone to help you kill the time as well. If you want to live your long queue for a short time for any reason ask people behind and back to you to remember you and to keep your place. Remember if they get inside when you come back you have lost your queue and should start from the beginning. In winter get your maximum warm clothes if you know that you are going to stay in a queue for a long time. For example, this winter (2016-2017) Moscow hosted exhibition of famous Russian artist Valentine Serov and people were waiting outside for hours to get in. Anyway Russian government agencies and some big companies like banks, insurance companies etc. are becoming more and more comfortable. There install electronic queues, so that you get your ticket, take a seat and wait for your turn. We also advice to avoid rush hours in public transport like buses or metro (weekdays from 7:00 to 12:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00) and to visit interesting locations early in the mornings or during weekdays when most of people work and you will not waste a lot of time in queues.
Russian Language – Survival Guide
When foreigners arrive in Russia first and foremost they face with Cyrillic language. Those, who have not been studying Russian language before, feel serious difficulties. We don’t write in Latin words (in English for example) names of most important locations, and unfortunately we have no translation. Thus in modern Russia start to appear language assistance for foreigners like information English speaking offices or subway English Language assistance it is still pretty difficult for a foreigner to navigate in Russia without knowing out Cyrillic alphabet and key words.
We recommend everybody who doesn’t speak and know Russian to learn Russian Cyrillic alphabet and some key words / Symbols like Вход (Entrance), Выход (Exit), Аптека (Pharmacy), Метро (Subway), Магазин (Store), Улица (Street) and others. It also helpful to get a good dictionary with pronunciation examples for your mobile phone (easy to find in phone applications stores) and to find Russian mate who will help you with linguistic barrier.
We love our country
Most of Russians are very proud of their country. We deeply respect national cultural, sport, political, science and economic heritage. We admire different personalities from Aleksander Pushkin to Vladimir Putin, from Ivan Susanin to Yuri Gagarin.
Of course we know and understand that inside Russia and outside our country in foreign relations there are some difficulties, but we don't like to discuss them with foreigners.
In order to avoid offending your Russian friends, colleagues or partners try to avoid disputes and discussions on economic, political and other inner social issues.
Meeting guidelines
In Russian traditions it is unpleasant to great somebody, shake hands or give something in hands through the doorsill.
Basically this non-transparent rule relates to entrance of the house or office areas. The tradition goes back to medieval and pagan times when people believed in ghosts and spirits protecting their homes and lives. Give hand to somebody through the doorsill meant that evil may attack you and bring conflicts between you and your guests.
In situations when the door separates you and a person you want to greet or to give something we advise you to enter first or to let him (her) go out to your area.
Be careful at roads
Some Russian drivers like to break the rules, feeling themselves very free and not thinking about how they may endanger other people. They speed, write messages on mobile phone while driving, do not use direction indicators, move on the red light, trick other drivers and scary pedestrians.
In Russia the more expensive car is the more its driver may violate the rules. Some rich drivers are sure that they can bribe police even if they are drunk (it doesn't work in modern Russia).
Anyway in cities not only rich people don't care about the rules so it means that you need to be careful all the time.
It is safer to avoid using a car at night, especially at weekend or on Russian holidays when some drivers are drunk and street racers visibly violate traffic rules.
Besides, Russian drivers don’t pay any special attention to foreign car or to red diplomatic car numbers as it is practiced in many other countries.
Be polite in public places
Since Soviet epoch Russian people usually give up their seats to the elderly people, pregnant women or women with children. It is an important part of national consciousness. The crowd always condemns impolite people and foreigners in particular.
Feel free to show your good and noble manner in public places and different waiting areas such as airports, train stations, polyclinics etc. Remember that pregnant women and elderly people also have priority in all queues like stores, pharmacies, museums and other places.
For this there are two reasons. First we like children and respect family life. Speaking about our grandmothers and grandfathers - they won for us Second World War and built then one of the strongest countries in the world. Aged people in Russia are inviolable and too strong respected.
Express
If man invites a girl or a woman somewhere usually he pays for her everywhere. It is our normal etiquette. These concerned in particular woman friends and work colleagues. It is unpleasant in our country when man is waiting for the girl to pay her part of the bill in restaurant or café.
We also advise to pay for a girl even if she suggests paying herself. Her noble idea to save your money is nothing but good manners.
Express
Don't whistle indoors
In Russia whistling inside the house, apartment or any other indoor area is a very bad sign. It means that a person who is whistling indoors will be unlucky and have no money. Remember, many Russians a very superstitious and believe in signs.
Communication tips
Russians don't feel easy talking to unknown people on public places, such as, fitness centers, cinemas, at work etc. It is our normal social behavior. We don’t greet our neighbors and in public places, such as metro railway for example we prefer to keep poker face.
With Internet Russians started to communicate more via Web. Even to find somebody for relations half of young people today use social networks ( the most popular in Russia are VK and Odnoklassniki – similar to Facebook) and dating applications such as Badoo, Tinder or Prince. But if you start conversation saying that you're from another country or ask for some help, 80% Russians will be very open. Russians are curious about foreigners and they like to help them.