Russia
Regardless the geographical proximity to Europe cultural and historical divergence dominates the relationship between Russia and the European Union. The following article does not focus on the political background but rather describes my personal impressions gained during a semester in Moscow. It has to be taken into account that my experiences reveal not only Russian particularities but also give away my European – specifically my German – background.
Even before the beginning of the semester in Russia I bumped into a language barrier. At the Russian Embassy in Germany they refused to talk to me in German which really impaired a successful communication. I had to learn from the early beginning that it is essential to have a native speaker around, at least when coping with the Russian bureaucracy.
Eventually I got the Visa at the embassy. Then after arriving at the dormitory in Moscow I became to understand the perceived difference between the strangers and native Russians. The building was quite old and worn out. Only two out of the 15 floors have bee renovated. These floors were reserved only for foreign students. This preferential treatment only provides the basis for an overall sceptical attitude of Russians towards strangers.
Another aspect which appeared to be strikingly different from what I was used to concerned the abidance of rules. Bureaucracy does not only dominate the process of obtaining a visa but describes all official processes. However in contrast to the fixed rules in Germany, Russian rules appear to be a lot more flexible. Professors at the university had the freedom to take the exams even months earlier in order to enable some students to leave for an internship.
Further more one major issue in Russia is the security. This preference is visible everywhere. I was used to a thorough body check only at airports. In Russia it is a norm to check visitors at public places, such as museums and the Kremlin. In the metro the милиция (Militsiya) patrols regularly. Every weekend a military parade presents a patriotic Russia in the Kremlin. The picture shows the parade on the Red Square in front of the Saint Basil’s Cathedral.
The Russian patriotism is still very past-oriented, which becomes evident particularly in the political attitude towards Mikhail Gorbachev. In the Western world he is considered one of the major figures leading to the end of the Cold War but in Russia even after almost two decades of his resignation his name is associated with a betrayal of the country. To make the transition from a closed Soviet Union to an international oriented Russia still takes a lot of time.
Another divergence can be found in the attitude towards travelling. The Schengen Area in Europe facilitates free travelling. This privilege is fairly new to the Russians. It is not common to travel outside the borders of Russia. This makes sense when envisioning Russia as the largest country of the world. More than 17 million km2 and 11 different time zones offer enough possibility to travel. Further more the means to travel are not nearly as developed as in Europe.
Here you can see the corridor of the Trans-Siberian train. Taking the train was for me a once-in-a-life-time experience. The trip to Omsk, in the middle of Siberia, took already two days non-stop one way. You could actually get on the train in Moscow and get off in Beijing two weeks later. Therefore stopovers are hardly recommended. In Siberia the train is often the only affordable mean of long-distance travelling, if at all affordable. The trip justifies therefore a travel-avoiding attitude.
The handling of ecological problems is always a topic to complain in Russia, but my Russian friends actually enjoy the clean cities and the fresh air here. Admittedly I noticed the difference in cleanliness, too. But on the other hand I was fascinated by the Russian creativity when recycling certain objects. Cleaning staff did not always appear to be properly equipped with tools. Therefore the built a scoop out of a wooden stick and an empty 5 litre can to perform their task. They definitely know how to help themselves in times of need.
The last impression I gained in Russia was the Russian hospitality. I stayed with a family of a friend in St. Petersburg. They had a small apartment in the outskirts of the city. But they were unbelievably generous when providing me not only with accommodation but served willingly as personal tourist guide to all sorts of pretty places and offered crapulent meals.
The list is definitely not exclusive but should be a good basis for a better understanding of the differences between the European and the Russian culture. The list leaves also enough room for own experiences and hopefully makes a little curious. Of course, there is enough potential for conflicts. But when taking time for a little empathy it all makes sense. Time is the keyword. Eventually in time the other end of Europe appears to be close to us, not only geographically.
Karolin