9 things that SURPRISE foreigners in Russia
We asked several expats and it turned out that many were pleasantly surprised by the same things – safety, hospitality, the level of service and even the sense of freedom. And that’s not all!
1. Russians rarely smile, but they are hospitable
Hospitality at the Shushenkoye museum-reserve in Krasnoyarsk Krai
“At first, I was surprised that Russians rarely smile (in China, almost everyone smiles). Then, I found out why. As they say: ‘Laughter for no reason is a sign of foolishness’,” says Huibin from China with a smile.
Russians, indeed, rarely smile at strangers, but they always try to help in any way (especially, in the provinces). They might even invite a stranger to their home and feed them.
2. Green cities
Zaryadye park in Moscow
Houyu, another Chinese man living in Russia, is surprised by the high level of greenery in Russia, especially in Moscow: “In China, green areas are usually only in parks and there are few parks in cities!”
Foreigners are also amazed by the abundance of forests in Russia and that forests can exist within city limits.
3. Safety
Late night in Moscow
Many foreigners talk about safety on the streets. Bojana, a Serbian woman, is confident: “I can walk alone at 3 a.m. and feel completely safe.” Before coming to Russia, Saurabh from India was sure he would encounter the Russian mafia almost as soon as he stepped off the plane. He was pleasantly surprised to find that, even at night, Russian cities are quiet and peaceful.
4. Pedestrian comfort
A crosswalk in Moscow
Traffic rules work well in Russia: roads have clear markings, sidewalks are wide enough for walking and cars almost always stop at pedestrian crossings to let people cross. People from both Asia and the Middle East, as well as many Europeans, speak about this with surprise.
5. Cleanliness
Employees of public utilities wash the sidewalks on Tverskaya Street in Moscow
According to Sophie from France, no matter whether it’s the city center or the outskirts, everywhere in Russia is clean. “The sidewalks are cleaner than in Paris!”
6. 24/7 stores & restaurants
Sophie was especially surprised by 24-hour flower shops. “I was told that this is so husbands who’ve had a bit too much to drink at gatherings with friends can buy flowers before coming home!”
Summer veranda in a Moscow restaurant
The fact that you can have breakfast at 4 p.m. or dinner at 2 a.m. amazes many foreigners. The French say they have to warn Russians visiting France to plan their time carefully, because restaurants there operate strictly on a daily schedule.
7. Digitalization and service
A delivery robot
Modern banking systems and deliveries of everything under the sun work faster and more efficiently than in many other countries, which amazes the French, for example.
Serbians are also impressed by the overall digitalization: you can book a doctor’s appointment online, while important documents and certificates can also be obtained online.
8. Hot in winter, cold in summer
BoogelWoogel costumed festival in Rosa Khutor
Sounds like a paradox? Many foreigners are surprised that Russia is not as cold as they imagined. It’s not cold everywhere and you can escape the frost quite well in the southern regions. Moreover, in winter, apartments are heated so heavily that Russians have to… open the windows.
In summer, air conditioners are practically everywhere, even in trams and the subways.
9. A sense of freedom
Steppe in the southern Siberia
Erwann, a Frenchman, is struck by a kind of freedom that is almost impossible in Western Europe, the kind offered by vast, uninhabited expanses.
“In Russia, it’s easy to realize how small a person is in the face of nature. I remember a woman from Kalmykia, a land of endless steppes and deserts, who told me that, once, when she visited [the French town of] Biarritz, she thought: ‘It’s very beautiful here, but where is the nature? Where are the wild animals?’ I think that captures the contrast perfectly.”
