Cultural Differences

[slim 1,523]

We have enough Chinese stuff in our house to X-out the no prosperity stuff.

How do we figure out which superstitions are stronger than others? For instance, if I whistle a tune (and all my money's gone) then offer my ATM card up to the moon ("myesits myesits.....") which one's going to win? (So far, the whistling's working a lot stronger!)

[CityCat 0]

We have enough Chinese stuff in our house to X-out the no prosperity stuff.

How do we figure out which superstitions are stronger than others? For instance, if I whistle a tune (and all my money's gone) then offer my ATM card up to the moon ("myesits myesits.....") which one's going to win? (So far, the whistling's working a lot stronger!)

Stop whistling! It's a pretty strong one!

In general though, it depends on whichever you believe more is gonna work more.

[NYGirl 0]

We have enough Chinese stuff in our house to X-out the no prosperity stuff.

How do we figure out which superstitions are stronger than others? For instance, if I whistle a tune (and all my money's gone) then offer my ATM card up to the moon ("myesits myesits.....") which one's going to win? (So far, the whistling's working a lot stronger!)

LOL LOL

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

For instance, if I whistle a tune (and all my money's gone) then offer my ATM card up to the moon ("myesits myesits.....") which one's going to win? (So far, the whistling's working a lot stronger!)

I have no idea but my wife doesnt get weird when I whistle but she does wish that the ATM would automatically refill, incantation or not.

[Buck and Natalia 0]

There are few more

1 - Don't sit on the corner of the table or you won't get married for the next 7 years ( that's if you are not married already)

2 - Do NOT eat and watch yourself eating in the mirror

3 - Do NOT stop sweeping while sweeping ( that's for girls only)

What is the story behind the eating/mirror superstition? Just curious.

[NYGirl 0]

There are few more

1 - Don't sit on the corner of the table or you won't get married for the next 7 years ( that's if you are not married already)

2 - Do NOT eat and watch yourself eating in the mirror

3 - Do NOT stop sweeping while sweeping ( that's for girls only)

What is the story behind the eating/mirror superstition? Just curious.

I am not 100% sure but my great grandma always used to say that. I think the story behind it is that men won't like you, but i am not sure, i just know that i do not do it and it just stuck in my mind

[Kotenochek 0]

I'll start us off......

Tapochki.

For those that don't know, tapochki are little slippers, could be flip-flop type sandals, could be like grandpa's old house shoes, maybe even the fluffy pink Hello Kitty snuggly ones that are popular for 12-year-old girls in Asia... but you MUST wear them in the house instead of your "outside" shoes.

You've all seen the T.V. shows where the Japanese family walks into the house and the first thing they do is take off their shoes..... well, Russians do that too. Get used to it. And, don't forget, or else you may end up on your hands and knees with a towel and bucket full of hot soapy water!

Hahaha made me laugh lol i am russian too and we wear tapochki because its better to leave all bacterias collected outside near the door:)))lol

I read bunch of your threads and want to thank you for all the info:)I am going to have an interview august 17th and am quite nervous.wouls appreciate if you give me some tips:)

[dmhweb 0]

...

its better to leave all bacterias collected outside near the door:)))lol

...

This always cracks me up...

There is much more "bacteria" on ones sweaty smelly feet than on the bottom of your shoes!

This is really just a hold over from when you would come into a dwelling after walking around in soil/mud/slush etc. and not wanting to track same about the dwelling. In many urban areas this has no basis any longer except in the winter snow/slush and then I'd say most people do remove boots or whatever before walking about inside. I'd say it's still practiced more in Russia because there's more soil in & around the streets (at least that's been my experience).

Cheers!

[russ 1]

if I whistle a tune (and all my money's gone) then offer my ATM card up to the moon ("myesits myesits.....")

The American (or Naval) version of this is don't whistle on a ship.

[rika60607 215]

A completely safe Chicago city water often comes through lead pipes, that is in old buildings. Slight lead poisoning anyone? No thanks, I am not drinking from the faucet. But I do it all the time when I am in Russia

This is going to be the "official" Russia Forum Cultural Awareness thread. Post about little things that are different between U.S./FSU couples. Could be widely-held superstitions, could be something small that you or your S/O do.

My fiancee won't drink anything with ice in it or very cold drinks in general as she KNOWS this will give her a cold. Also most Russian/Ukrainian women won't drink water out of the tap (faucet) even if it is completly safe city water.

[rika60607 215]

Slim,

Here is woman you never met, one more stereotype to go...

She uses an iron once a year (hey why not just buy cloths that don't wrinkle (much).

She wears no make up. If she does, it is for occasion and may be 10 times a year.

She uses no "duhi" (fragrance) - prefers to NOT have a scent. Does nothing with her hair except shampooing it. Not even blow dry it.

Not a bum - showers every morning and always clean (unless returning from a horse riding trip, then she may be worse off than a bum).

Wears jeans 340 days a year. The other days - it's shorts.

And you know what?... She's a Russian and passes as a beauty in the US. :lol:

Good looks are hard to hide some are just natural

Fashion.

And the women..... no contest. I've yet to meet a Russian woman that could care less about her appearance. My wife will iron her T-shirt to go running. I asked why, and she told me whenever you're out of the home you must not look like a bum. (Because I always look like a bum.) And if it's "going out", forget about it. The girls here try so hard to look good, then worry all night about who's looking at them, whereas the Russian girls go out "expecting" everyone to look at them. It's expected that men (and sometimes women) will look at them, that's why they must be "fashionable."

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

My wife goes through quite the ritual, I assume since I cant see it.

We just bought new cosmetics(sheesh I cant believe how expensive this stuff is) I ask why christian dior, her reply its the Lexus of makeup. Thought to myself "great my wife wears a lexus on her face"

[natarussia 0]

I have one that caught me off-guard ... If you are getting ready to go someplace and you leave the house ... but Oh, I forgot something, I have to go back in the house to get it ... I MUST LOOK IN A MIRROR before I walk outside again.

Kinda makes me think of the don't step on a crack thing when we were kids.

My mother is Ukrainian and she never told me that one.

~dwayne

[Kotenochek 0]

This is going to be the "official" Russia Forum Cultural Awareness thread. Post about little things that are different between U.S./FSU couples. Could be widely-held superstitions, could be something small that you or your S/O do.

I am still in Russia so can not say much about American..but..My man was shocked by some differences here in russia:

He was shocked we all hug and kiss each other when we say hi or good bye..

He did notice that in europe there is no such thing as a "personal space")))

Also from what i figured out so far in Europe people respect you always unless you mess up,while in USA You should first earn that respect...

[slim 1,523]

Personal space here in the U.S. is a foreign concept to almost everyone else in the world. (And often the first "welcome" to a foreign country for most Americans.)

And stereotypical man-woman relations are different. There was a time when women wanted to be respected for "being a lady." Now, they just want to be respected and the "lady" part is optional. Men used to be gentlemen but have since been relegated to "allowing" women to fend for themselves as part of the respect for her "womanhood."

It's all a bunch of ####### if you ask me. The same "tuff girls" that have told me they can take care of themselves are the first ones to b!t@# about me not ever buying them flowers and treating them like a lady.... sometimes. As if they're not a woman "all the time" but only when it's their place (or it's convenient) to be one.