What Things Never To Do With A Digital Camera

14 Things You Should Never Do In Russia

Shutterstock

America is a "melting pot" of unlike cultures and ideas, and every bit a event Americans aren't (usually) super-sensitive about people who do things a bit differently than nosotros practise. But most of the earth's cultures evolved over centuries, sometimes millennia, and frequently in relative isolation. That's one of the reasons why people from other cultures can get so annoyed at American travelers — American travelers don't always get the whole cultural respect thing, and they do things that can come across equally stupid and rude.

That's why information technology'southward a good idea to do your homework earlier visiting any foreign nation. You don't actually want to piss anyone off, not just because it sucks to get into an atmospherics with someone whose language you don't speak, but also because you never really know what tradition dictates ought to happen to those who defy tradition. So just in case yous're planning a summer holiday to Russia (But why? Seriously, become to Paris.), hither's a list of the top things you should never practise while y'all're in Mother Russia.

Don't wear gloves when yous shake hands

Shutterstock

If you're going to be in Russia in the summertime, you don't take to worry too much near this dominion considering Russian federation is freaking hot in the summer and yous're not likely to be wearing gloves. Merely the rest of the time, Russia is similar a mild afternoon on Neptune and if you don't wear gloves your fingers might actually snap off when you try to take your phone out of your back pocket.

Nevertheless, in that location are occasions when you lot're simply not allowed to wear gloves, and no one in Russia cares how cold your wussy foreign fingers are. According to the Moscow Times, one of these occasions is whenever you are shaking easily. Merely why? Considering from the Russian perspective you are not wearing that glove out of a desire to accept a warm mitt, you are wearing it because you don't want to touch on the disgusting Russian person. Hopefully, you tin can see why that might be considered a scrap rude. And really, a handshake merely takes a couple seconds, and then you tin put your glove back on.

Never pass up a drink

Shutterstock

Be warned, if you are trying to stay away from alcohol, Russian federation is a terrible identify to travel. The Russians are friendly, generous, and they like vodka. Actually, that's not merely some horrible cliche.

So when y'all go to Russian federation, expect to be offered a drinkable. And according to PRI, when you lot go to Russian federation, don't expect that you tin can only say, "No thank you, I don't beverage" considering no one volition sympathize with or sympathize that for some people alcohol is a life-ruining strength of destruction — they will just call up you're being insufferably rude. (Tip: Some travelers say you can utilize the old "medico'due south orders" excuse to politely contrivance the alcohol without raising whatever eyebrows.)

Besides being obligated to accept alcohol when it's offered to you, you are likewise at take chances of finding out what the Russian infirmary organisation is like subsequently you become and so intoxicated that you need medical attending. Because the Russians will non just offer you lot i drinkable, they will go on to fill your glass until you lot either pass out or die. If you don't want that to happen, nursing your drinks while you're in Russia is a really adept thought. If you lot ever let your drinking glass become down to less than half full, expect a refill.

Don't exit empty bottles sitting on the tabular array

Shutterstock

The Russians are actually superstitious people — a 2013 poll found that more than half of the Russians surveyed believed in things similar omens, astrology, prophetic dreams, and bad luck.

One such superstition has to do with empty bottles, specifically, empty bottles that once had booze in them. According to the Moscow Times, Russians believe that an empty bottle left sitting on a table is an omen of financial hardship, or perhaps even grief and suffering. Don't worry, though, no one expects y'all to get upwards and deposit it in a recycling bin or anything — traditionally, yous just put it on the floor.

No ane is sure where this superstition came from, but it'south thought that Cossack soldiers brought it back from France after the Napoleonic wars. When eating in Parisian restaurants, the Cossacks figured out that their waiters would accuse them for the empty bottles on their table rather than for the full bottles they got from the bar, so they started leaving a few bottles on the floor to lighten the bill.

Don't tell "your mama" jokes

Shutterstock

For some reason, Americans savor "your mama" jokes, even though nigh "your mama" jokes are notoriously unfunny and offensive. And all the same in that location still seem to be thousands of variations of them and nosotros nevertheless all seem to accept at least 1 friend or family member who insists on telling the latest.

If you lot accept a "your mama" joke in your repertoire of funnies, you'll want to avert throwing it out as an ice-billow while yous're in Russia. Russians are most universally unamused by jokes most a person's mother, or even a person's father. In fact according to Russia Beyond, yous might be better off just not making jokes at all when you lot're in Russia because the Russian sense of humor doesn't really line upwardly with the American 1. You might even notice that some Russians are taking your jokes seriously because naught in their universe has ever prepared them for the stupidity of the American sense of humor, and therefore they don't actually know it when they see information technology.

Don't debate with a babushka

Shutterstock

Okay, so first of all, it's not "bab-OO-shka," it's "BAH-boo-shka." So don't say it wrong because the Russians will be pissed at y'all. And 2nd, respect the babushka. Babushka is a title and a status symbol. Babushkas are tough and terrifying and they are not agape to tell you lot exactly how you've offended them. Co-ordinate to Way to Russia, yous tin wait to be shoved aside, cut in front of, and by and large looked down upon by every babushka you run across, and you'd better not practice or say annihilation almost information technology because babushkas rule Russian federation.

If you don't know what a babushka is, you lot'd better know before yous go on that plane: A babushka is an elderly Russian woman. In fact Usa Represented says when a Russian woman becomes a grandmother, she achieves a kind of condition that's "something only curt of gaining sainthood."

So basically, what a babushka wants, a babushka gets. As a traveler who is not a babushka, yous are obligated to let her elbow you aside, cutting in front of yous, and yell at you for transgressions you don't understand considering you don't speak Russian. Be prepared.

Don't whistle indoors

Shutterstock

Most Western superstitions about bad luck are specific to the person who offended the tradition — everyone else is usually spared. Walking under a ladder, for instance, is a solo transgression. So is opening up an umbrella indoors. Only in Russia, violating the rules of superstition sometimes means dragging anybody else downwards with you, and then that's why you lot really do take to know all the Russian superstitions before you spend time there.

According to Savour Russian, you should never whistle indoors because for whatever reason, whistling is associated with financial hardship. It'due south especially bad course to whistle in someone else'southward firm considering information technology's not merely you lot who might suffer financial misfortune, simply besides your hosts.

Like most long-running superstitions, no one really seems to know for sure where this one came from. In the West we accept a like rule about non whistling indoors, but our rule is non attached to a bad-luck affair. Information technology'due south possible that the Russian superstition started out the same mode, and then morphed into "shut up already or you'll whistle all your money away!" Does it really matter, though? At least the Russians have a adept way to shut that annoying crap down.

Don't evidence upward empty-handed

Shutterstock

This is really only common sense no matter what state you're in — whenever you're invited to someone's home, you should bring a canteen of wine or a nice dessert to share with your hosts. If you're not already doing this, you lot might need to accept an etiquette class or just stay in America where y'all're free to show up to your friend's house bearing nothing but the words, "Where's the beer?"

According to Russia Beyond, when you lot're invited into a Russian habitation y'all're expected to bring something with you lot, typically a food or drink item that will be served with the meal. Make sure it's something you really enjoy — if you're not a wine drinker and you lot brought a bottle of wine, your hosts might be annoyed at you for refusing to partake.

There are some other do's and don'ts that household guests accept to think — for example, do bring booze but don't bring vodka considering your hosts might think you're insulting them. Exercise bring flowers for whatsoever women in the firm, but not yellow flowers or flowers in fifty-fifty numbers. If there are children in the home, it's customary to bring something for them, too, like a pocket-size care for or a fun activity. And perchance accept notes because that'due south style too much to remember.

Don't let a adult female conduct heavy things

Shutterstock

Here in the West, women pride themselves on their independence. Sometimes, Western women volition even become offended at offers of help because those offers, however well-intentioned, imply that they tin can't take care of themselves — which is one of the reasons why you don't see then many random acts of chivalry in the 21st century. Some of the states miss it and some of us don't, but generally speaking offering to hold a door or behave something heavy for someone just because she's female person isn't really a thing anymore in America.

In Russia, though, this make of chivalry hasn't ever gone out of style. Co-ordinate to Russia Beyond, the Russians believe that a man has a responsibleness to help a woman out when he sees her carrying something heavy. If yous're a woman traveling in Russia, information technology'due south a good idea to merely have the help when it'south offered — the Russians don't hateful to imply that you tin can't take intendance of yourself, they're just genuinely trying to help. If you're a man traveling in Russia and y'all meet a woman struggling with something heavy, yous should also offer to help. And if she'southward your traveling companion, you're probably non going to make many skilful impressions with the locals if yous let her struggle with her own suitcase.

Don't have an offer of kindness until it'south been offered several times

Shutterstock

You've almost certainly seen this play out in a sitcom: Person A offers to do some kindness for Person B. Person B refuses, and Person A says, "No, actually I insist." Person B refuses again, and so on and so forth until everyone is mad at each other. In Russian federation, this is all part of the tradition of gift giving.

According to Earth Speaking, when someone in Russia offers you a gift, you should never, always take outright, even if it's something yous actually need. Instead, you should permit the person offer a 2d time, and and so you should reject over again. If that person is really serious about giving you a souvenir, he or she will offering a third time, and at that bespeak it's probably okay to say yeah. But information technology's definitely not polite to just bound on the offer immediately — you must at least make a show of being unwilling to accept the gift, so the other person tin can brand a evidence of beingness willing to give it to you.

Don't criticize Russia

Getty Images

In the West, peculiarly in America, nosotros honey to talk about politics, and we peculiarly dear to criticize our authorities and our politicians. We all consider ourselves to be patriots, but other than that nosotros're pretty polarized about which way the nation appears to be moving and which politicians are most responsible for "destroying our land."

It'south kind of natural to have some of that with you on vacation, but if your destination is Russia, Travel Mono recommends keeping any criticism of Russian politics that you might accept tightly nether wraps. So no comments well-nigh Russian election interference, don't mention Crimea, and definitely don't make fun of shirtless Putin on a horse.

Russians are also very patriotic, but to them, patriotism means not making fun of or criticizing the government and its leaders because that's non existence a good denizen and as well because the the government might put their families in a penal colony. And it's especially obnoxious to them when a pretentious Westerner shows upwards, eats all the food, sees all the sights, and complains most Putin. So just don't practice information technology. There are plenty of other things to talk about when you're in Russian federation, like "Why is information technology and then damned cold all the fourth dimension?" and "Why do all those buildings look like they're topped with scoops of ice cream?"

Don't wearable shoes indoors

Shutterstock

Russians don't believe in wearing shoes indoors. In that style, Russia is similar to a lot of Asian countries, where shoes in living spaces just don't compute. It actually makes a ton of sense, really, and information technology kind of seems strange that it hasn't actually dawned on all cultures how gross it is to walk effectually the firm in your shoes. Your abode is supposed to be a respite from all the filth and germs of the real earth, and nothing you article of clothing on your body is quite every bit filthy and germy every bit a pair of shoes.

According to Russia Across, you should always leave your shoes in the hallway whenever y'all walk into a Russian home. Well-nigh Russians keep slippers on hand specifically for their guests considering putting your feet where someone else'southward sweaty, athlete'south human foot-covered toes have been is marginally less gross than tracking germs all over the house.

Russians are and then germ-averse, in fact, that they will usually modify into "firm wearing apparel" when they come domicile from work considering their business firm clothes are cleaner than anything they wore around the city during the day.

Don't sit down on public ship

Shutterstock

After a long, hard day of sightseeing, being forced to drink alcohol, and not proverb annihilation bad about Vladimir Putin, you might be looking forward to jumping on the Metro just so you can sit down for a few minutes. Not so fast, though. Many urban center-dwelling Russians use public transportation, and public transportation is often at capacity. Then on a crowded train there'south always going to be someone who needs that seat, and in the eyes of the Russians, it is terribly uncouth and selfish for you to assume that information technology'due south you, unless you fall into one of the following categories: Yous are elderly, yous are disabled, y'all are a child, or you are pregnant.

According to ITMO.news, failure to surrender your seat for someone in one of these groups is a gigantic faux paus, and you might really become told off (in Russian!) for being a selfish jerk. That's totally not worth resting your anxiety for a few minutes.

Don't smile

Shutterstock

Popular culture sometimes portrays the Russians every bit beingness kind of gloomy, or maybe even aroused all the time. There are plenty of goofy explanations nigh why this might be — perhaps it'south because they're then freaking cold all the time or perhaps it'due south considering they've finally realized that all their buildings are topped with snow and not scoops of ice cream. But information technology's really a misconception that Russians are perpetually in a bad mood — they're not, they're just very selective smilers.

According to the Atlantic, the Russians feel like they shouldn't smile unless they have a reason to. In fact this is even written into their civilization in the form of a proverb, which loosely translated means "laughing for no reason is a sign of stupidity." So grinning at strangers is considered weird, and uncouth, and possibly even disingenuous. Instead, the Russians believe that y'all should reserve your smiles for your family, friends, and occasions when you lot have a skilful reason to smiling.

Don't leave without your passport

Shutterstock

For the most part, Russia is a friendly and hospitable place. Just Russian federation is not exactly the state of the free, the home of the unrestricted traveler. According to Russia Across, the Russian police can end anyone at any time for the sole purpose of "checking papers," just like in every movie you've always seen where American travelers go into trouble in countries that aren't the USA. And yes, police do tend to do this based on profiling — if you don't wait like a Russian, you're probably going to get stopped. And if y'all don't take your passport, you lot might even be taken into custody. Also, you'll probably soil yourself because you won't have any thought why you're being taken into custody because you don't speak Russian.

The Russian constabulary can hold you for upwards to three hours while they endeavour to effigy out who you are, and that can seriously interfere with your plans to tour the Peterhof Gardens and Fountains or the Museum of Vladimir Putin. Then don't leave your passport in the hotel because you'd rather travel lite — you truly do not know when you might need it.