There are many things I have been struggling with while here in Russia. Challenges seem to always be one of the most rewarding experiences during my travels; allowing me to truly discover who I am and results in an immense amount of personal growth. Initially, I knew the language barrier would be one of my biggest obstacles. In comparison to other places I have travelled independently too, Russia has by far the least amount of local citizens who speak the English language. However one of the sole drivers that brought me hear to St. Petersburg was the desire to attain a higher level of Russian language comprehension. This language barrier may be tough, but it is allowing me to constantly practice whether it be on the at home, on the street, in stores, or at my university -- each time taking me one step closer to my ultimate goal.
Surprisingly, my difficulty with the Russian language has not been my biggest challenge (like I had expected). Cultural differences between Russians and Americans are proving to be enormous, and every little thing I do seems to be out of place; instantly branding me as a foreigner. For instance, at home Russians take their shoes off and put their slippers on as soon as they walk through the door. It is looked down upon to walk around the house barefoot, or even just in socks. I, on the other hand, am most comfortable barefoot. I even choose to go barefoot if I have to run outside for a second or check something briefly. This, I learned through my host mom's scolding when I put one foot outside our apartment door with just a sock on, is a HUGE no-no. Russians pride themselves on their cleanliness and comfort so slippers and "at home" clothes are always a must. I am looked down upon if I enter into my apartment here and don't automatically change into a new outfit. The clothes I was wearing during the day are seen as extremely dirty, and god forbid I sit down on my chair or even worse my bed with the dress I wore to class on. I'd be contaminating the whole house!
Russians also think it is extremely bad luck to place your bag on the floor. This is a habit I have that I did not even realize I practiced until I was told it is wrong. Whether it be in class, at a restaurant, or even in my room at home, my bag must never be placed on the floor. Many fancy Russian restaurants even have little benches next to each seat so women can put their purses there instead of on the floor!!
I came to Russia knowing that their sense of style is very different and that Russian people in general tend to dress up a lot more than Americans do on a daily basis. Knowing this, I tried to come prepared when packing for my trip by bringing nicer clothes than I would typically wear. Yet STILL I do not measure up with the people I pass on the street! Whether they be running across the street, or on the metro, or eating lunch in the cafeteria, everyone I see here is decked out in excessively fancy outfits. I have yet to encounter one woman above the age of 16 who is not walking around the city in 6+inches heels. I walked around for an hour and a half today in a pair of TOMS and my feet are full of blisters; how they manage run around this big, cobble-stone street city in stilettos for hours on end will always boggle me.
Russians also greet each other very differently than Americans do. When meeting another individual, Russians simply nod at each other. For me, this has been so difficult and awkward for me to overcome. When I meet someone I want to smile and even shake their hand, but to do so would make me stand out even more than I already do. The American hand-shake is definitely not a thing here at all! During my commute to and from campus every day, I walk throughout the city and try to observe all the individuals around me. Everyone always looks so sad and angry and I can not resist smiling at someone when they look me in the eyes on the street! Americans I know who are from the south have criticized me in the past for not saying "Hello!" or "Good Morning!" to passerby on the street. I can't even imagine thinking about starting up a random conversation with a stranger on the street here just to be "nice." Russians are definitely a lot more individualistic than Americans, which personally I think is saying a lot! Hopefully I get the hang of the Russian way of life, and stop slipping up with all of these cultural mistakes!
Surprisingly, my difficulty with the Russian language has not been my biggest challenge (like I had expected). Cultural differences between Russians and Americans are proving to be enormous, and every little thing I do seems to be out of place; instantly branding me as a foreigner. For instance, at home Russians take their shoes off and put their slippers on as soon as they walk through the door. It is looked down upon to walk around the house barefoot, or even just in socks. I, on the other hand, am most comfortable barefoot. I even choose to go barefoot if I have to run outside for a second or check something briefly. This, I learned through my host mom's scolding when I put one foot outside our apartment door with just a sock on, is a HUGE no-no. Russians pride themselves on their cleanliness and comfort so slippers and "at home" clothes are always a must. I am looked down upon if I enter into my apartment here and don't automatically change into a new outfit. The clothes I was wearing during the day are seen as extremely dirty, and god forbid I sit down on my chair or even worse my bed with the dress I wore to class on. I'd be contaminating the whole house!
Russians also think it is extremely bad luck to place your bag on the floor. This is a habit I have that I did not even realize I practiced until I was told it is wrong. Whether it be in class, at a restaurant, or even in my room at home, my bag must never be placed on the floor. Many fancy Russian restaurants even have little benches next to each seat so women can put their purses there instead of on the floor!!
I came to Russia knowing that their sense of style is very different and that Russian people in general tend to dress up a lot more than Americans do on a daily basis. Knowing this, I tried to come prepared when packing for my trip by bringing nicer clothes than I would typically wear. Yet STILL I do not measure up with the people I pass on the street! Whether they be running across the street, or on the metro, or eating lunch in the cafeteria, everyone I see here is decked out in excessively fancy outfits. I have yet to encounter one woman above the age of 16 who is not walking around the city in 6+inches heels. I walked around for an hour and a half today in a pair of TOMS and my feet are full of blisters; how they manage run around this big, cobble-stone street city in stilettos for hours on end will always boggle me.
Russians also greet each other very differently than Americans do. When meeting another individual, Russians simply nod at each other. For me, this has been so difficult and awkward for me to overcome. When I meet someone I want to smile and even shake their hand, but to do so would make me stand out even more than I already do. The American hand-shake is definitely not a thing here at all! During my commute to and from campus every day, I walk throughout the city and try to observe all the individuals around me. Everyone always looks so sad and angry and I can not resist smiling at someone when they look me in the eyes on the street! Americans I know who are from the south have criticized me in the past for not saying "Hello!" or "Good Morning!" to passerby on the street. I can't even imagine thinking about starting up a random conversation with a stranger on the street here just to be "nice." Russians are definitely a lot more individualistic than Americans, which personally I think is saying a lot! Hopefully I get the hang of the Russian way of life, and stop slipping up with all of these cultural mistakes!
