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Russia

Etiquette and stuff





  • Men always shake hands on meeting while girls are nodded at (or ignored). Don’t take it personally, it’s a male thing I suppose.

  • Russians tend not to smile in public. This can be interpreted as unfriendliness but it’s a purely cultural thing. So again don’t take it personally if your winning smile is shot down with a disparaging glance, smiles are saved for friends!

  • Is that a fierce argument or a friendly chat? You can be excused for being confused but raising your voice here is not necessarily a sign of anger, just the Latin passion of the north. So if some old granny starts having a go at you in the street just ignore her, stand your ground and fling her one of your disparaging glances!

  • If invited to someone’s house never arrive empty-handed. Russians are very generous people and you will be plied with copious amounts of food and drink so for your own peace of mind bring something.

  • It is considered rude to point.

  • Russia is generally safe for foreigners as long as you don’t draw too much attention to yourself or flash your cash (I have a bad habit of dropping money in public, this does not go down well). You may attract a degree of curiosity and interest purely due to the fact that most Russians have not met foreigners, particularly outside the main cities, and will be keen to interrogate you! You may come across the odd relic from the Communist era who will order you to ‘go home’ but this is rare.

  • Unfortunately Russia can be quite a racist country. Non-whites are liable to be hassled more by the militia and some members of the public.

  • Another sad reality is that the militia target foreigners for bribes (the average wage of a militianer is $100 per month), particularly in Moscow and St Petersburg. If stopped the important things to remember are:
    Always carry your passport
    Make sure you are registered to stay in a hostel/hotel etc and can account for where you spent every night
    Have the number of your embassy/consul with you all the time

    If you are asked for a bribe the common advice is never hand over money. It is illegal, can land you in big trouble and simply encourages them to keep doing it. But when faced with a stony-faced, armed militia man, paying him off with a few dollars can seem like the logical option (I’m speaking from experience here having done it myself after a few drunken exploits). Chances are, if you have done nothing wrong and you aren’t drunk, after a few refusals they will take the hint and leave you alone. If you feel the situation is getting out of hand contact your embassy. Never sign anything.

    Hopefully you will enjoy a police-free Russia experience, but if you aren’t so fortunate look on the bright side - it’s a guaranteed good travel story for your mates back home... best not tell the parents though.


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