Europeans about Moscow: what infuriates, what surprises, and what causes envy
By the will of fate, I constantly communicate with Europeans, many of whom often visit the capital of Russia for work or have been to Moscow as tourists. In today's material I decided to summarize the curious moments that surprise, delight or frankly annoy the Europeans when visiting the capital of our Motherland.
However, many moments cause people of Europe and sincere envy, they say, why is it wrong with us?
What annoys and enrages Europeans?
1. Cyrillic
Many people have no idea that Cyrillic for a European is the same as hieroglyphs for us. Of course, now there are duplicate signs in Latin on the subway and on street signposts, but on the whole the situation with the inscriptions is still very difficult.
If you have a familiar European who is going to visit Moscow, teach him to identify the following words: “entrance”, “exit”, “transition”, “ticket office”, “restaurant”, “cafe”, “club”, “museum”, so you greatly facilitate the life of man.
2. Almost no one speaks english
The claim mainly relates to police officers, cashiers on the subway, sellers in stores, taxi drivers, waiters in cafes, restaurants and McDonalds and other service workers.
3. There is no bidet in hotels and apartments.
Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese and other representatives of the countries of southern Europe, where baths in houses are a rare phenomenon and mainly shower cabins are available, but there is a bidet even in the last bedbug, it is very frustrating that bidets are often absent in Russian hotels and apartments. But the Scandinavians do not care, they have a bidet, too, is not particularly in the course.
4. Long distance
Two hours every day to work? Three hours in traffic? What do you want, it's a metropolis!
5. Sad faces
Yes, Russians rarely smile, by the way, it is not Europeans who are especially annoying, but Americans and Australians, we have to explain, we have other “mimic traditions”, and the articulation of the sounds of Russian is not very well combined with smiles. And, in general, these gloomy faces around you do not wish evil, we just express our emotions differently.
6. Russian driving style
They like to compare it with a computer game, which is curious, some expats adopt the Russian style of driving a car, others (by the way, often Italians) even when moving to the capital for permanent residence behind the wheel try not to sit down with the word "never."
7. The lack of subway machines selling tickets with a large number of trips
Well, of course, that you can buy a ticket for one or two trips in the machine, but if you need a ticket for 20 trips, you have to go to the grandmother-cashier, and she ... see item No. 2.
8. Bad environmental situation
Many people sincerely say: "I really like Moscow, but you have nothing to breathe at all." True, to my remark: “Why didn’t you go to the Alps, where you can eat air with a spoon?” - they answered: “It’s very boring there.” So what? You can not get something without sacrificing something.
What surprises Europeans?
1. The custom to give place in the subway to older people, passengers with children and pregnant women
And, by the way, it is surprising in a positive way, many consider this to be a real indicator of courtesy and respect, so let's continue to be polite!
2. The number of people reading in public transport
True, since the ubiquitous wifi appeared in the metro, the number of people with books diminished. It's a pity! This we compare favorably with the inhabitants of the subway, for example, in Paris or Milan.
3. Oddly enough, but ... security
“Why is it considered dangerous in Moscow?” I saw in the subway a lot of people who climbed without fear in iPhones and iPads, in Paris they would have been robbed, ”a French friend told me.
Also, Moscow seems to be an absolutely safe place for many Spaniards, Swedes and Italians, I think, the fact is that before arriving in the capital of Russia, they imagined something quite scary, some sort of Chicago 20-30-s of the last century. When I say that in sleeping areas and suburbs everything is not at all so welcoming, they suggest that I take a stroll through European dysfunctional or immigrant neighborhoods. Ok, convinced.
4. A large number of expensive cars
With one Englishman, I somehow had a funny dialogue: “Oh my God! I just saw as many as three Maybachs in one parking lot! ”“ Of course, this is Moscow, not London! ”, But seriously, the concentration of cars in the city center costing more than 15 000 euro causes serious confusion for Europeans, in Europe, for example, the most popular cars are economical Opel, Fiat, Ford, Renault, and so on.
5. The need to take off shoes when entering the house
The custom of taking off the clothes on the threshold of some is surprising, others - it is alarming, because in most European countries this is not accepted. But perplexity lasts, as a rule, only until the first snow, then an understanding of necessity comes. But the Swedes custom to take off shoes at the entrance to the house does not cause questions, because they, too, in the houses all slip out or change their shoes in slippers.
6. How do people dress in the subway and on the streets
Not only strangely dressed people in the subway are impressed, but also the girls at the parade and heels early in the morning. No less surprising is the fact that our girls have make-up and manicure - in Europe they are attributes of a festive, not a casual look. But as a rule, no one pays much attention to the guys in the workouts, and there is plenty of such kindness in the subway and on the streets.
7. Separate bathroom in the apartments
A bath in one room, a toilet in another, this causes serious confusion for many Europeans. “Well, ok, maybe this is convenient, but why then there is no sink in the toilet to wash your hands, and where is the bidet?” What to do, get used to it!
8. The presence of sofas in the apartments
"Do your parents really sleep on this 10 for years?" "Yes!" "Why not on a bed?" "For a bed, we need a bedroom, and so we have a bedroom and a living room." “But you have three rooms in the apartment!” “Two, the kitchen does not count.” "Very strange!"
By the way, in Europe, sofas are mostly not folding, and indeed the idea of assembling and reassembling the sofa every day seems to many Europeans absurd, “It’s better narrow and small, but a bed,” the vast majority of Europeans think.
9. Ground floor and electric cookers in the apartments
Everywhere in Europe, the first floor is zero, the “first” floor, in our understanding, I met only in Iceland, and the 1 number on the elevator button at first confused foreigners. No less surprising cause electric stoves in apartments. "Do you really cook on them?" What about gas? You have a lot of it, we constantly buy it from you! ”We have to laugh that all the gas went to Europe for sale.
10. Custom to open the door for a girl, to give a coat and to help with weights.
Yes, unfortunately, in Europe courtly manners almost completely died out, many Russian girls meeting with Europeans have to teach their boyfriends of gallantry from scratch.
11. And where is the vodka and the phrase "To health"?
At the first joint visit to a bar or a party, Europeans immediately have a question: “Why does no one drink vodka and say the sacramental phrase“ To health? ”
We have to explain that “to health” in Russia is usually spoken as an answer to the cue: “Thank you, everything was very tasty,” and in the form of toast it was used only in Hollywood films of the Cold War period. And many of us do not drink vodka at all, usually in this case I say: “This is like the Icelandic dried shark Haucarl, it is also eaten, but not all and not every day,” the argument, by the way, works fine.
12. After 22 years, many have already graduated
“How can you work as a PR director / manager / editor? You're so young! ”“ Well, I’m not so young already, I’m 28 years old. ”“ Just 28? ”Is a typical dialogue of a strong, independent Moscow resident with a European. In Europe, universities are not expelled for failed exams, paid for one more year of study and sleep / study calmly, pass exams later.
As a result, the majority of European youth are in a state of happy student life up to 27-28, and sometimes up to 35 years. While studying or after graduating from university, young Europeans love to go on long journeys: look at the world and show themselves, while earning in addition, for example, bartenders or waiters. Most of the career begins to seriously think closer to 30. What is the PR director in 28 years!
13. The fact that we believe that children should not be started without marriage
In most European countries, people have long ceased to think that children should be born only after the wedding; even in a conservative by European standards Italy, the majority of couples have one, or even two children, living in a civil marriage, but not entering into official relations, unless, of course, we do not consider joint loans to be such. Therefore, the Russian principle: first, the wedding, and children - then, Europeans often cause the most sincere bewilderment.
14. Appeal by name and patronymic
Firstly, in the European countries there is no middle name, and secondly, it is not easy for Europeans to pronounce them. The exception is Icelanders, who have a middle name, but they are used, as we have surnames, and the phonetics of the language is not inferior in complexity to Russian. But they also wonder why, when communicating with the older generation, it is necessary to use middle names in speech. What to do, tradition!
15. That we have a speeding plug
The fact that no one is fined for speeding 10-15 km / h in Russia is a shock for Europeans. In Europe, speeding is speeding, without any “permissive plug”.
What causes keen jealousy?
1. Mode of operation of shops, cafes, restaurants, beauty salons and so on
Open to 22.00 Zara store on Kuznetsky Most, a café operating around the clock, with breakfast until one o'clock and soups at any time of the day or night; beauty salons and 24-hour grocery stores open on Mondays and Sundays - this is not just envy, it puts Europeans in a stupor.
Comments have been heard on this topic a variety of: "French trade unions would go crazy!" "God, I really can buy jeans at nine o'clock in the evening? I have to do it, otherwise they won't believe me! ”“ Do you have a kitchen after 22.00 in an institution? Incredible! ”
Unfortunately, in most European cities on Sundays almost everything is closed, and the shops finish their work not in Moscow early, of course, the large grocery chains are open to 21.00, but mostly the shops' working day ends in 19.30 - 20.00. There is no Moscow possibility of practically round-the-clock consumption of all kinds of services in the old Europe.
2. Central heating in the apartments
“Why are you wearing a T-shirt, if you have minus 10 on the street?” I had heard this question repeatedly during Skype conversations. Unfortunately, in Europe, the houses have a central heating system that is not the same as in Russia. In houses connected centrally, they drown poorly and mostly in the evening hours, and in private houses you have to pay for each battery and, by the way, quite a lot.
Therefore, the majority gets used to the cool temperature in the apartment since childhood, froze - just put on another jacket. By the way, I have repeatedly heard from Italians that they were shocked by the Russian custom of opening the window in winter in order to air the room and let in cold air if it is too hot at home.
“What a waste? Isn't it easier to just turn off the batteries? ”Asked my friends. In terms of heating, as we are, only Icelanders are lucky, they also always have houses in the winter - heat, because people live on natural energy sources, and therefore they use hot thermal water to heat their houses.
3. Cheap internet and ubiquitous WIFI
Wifi at cafes and airports is, of course, wonderful, but wifi on the subway is a miracle of wonders. And Europeans are simply discouraged by the prices for home Internet in Moscow; in Europe, Internet tariffs are at least 20 euros per month.
4. Amazingly beautiful girls
Sorry, but could not fail to mention! More precisely, I was urged to express sincere admiration for the beauty of Russian girls, the acquaintances Italians, French, Germans, Portuguese, Swedes and even Icelanders! Scandinavians, by the way, were pretty surprised, it seems that they, too, have girls - beautiful and there are many blondes, but nonetheless.
5. Big city rhythm
The main thing that causes envy among Europeans is the rhythm of a big city. The explanation that this is inevitably accompanied by the fact that Muscovites are completely absent from the notorious comfort zone usually does not lead to anything, and the counter argument is always the same: “But everything is constantly changing and living is not dull for you!” where it is interesting, there is not easy, the minuses are a logical continuation of the merits, and for comfort and relaxation you need to go to the old Europe, there are all conditions for this.
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