Geography
Russia is the largest country in the world with the total area 17 075 400 square meters (over 6.5 million square miles), that is about 1,8 times the size of the USA. It's situated in the Eastern part of Europe and Northern part of Asia. The main part of the European territory of Russia is situated within the Eastern European Plain (Vostochno-Evropeyskaya Ravnina). The southern border is on the North Caucasus. The main part of the Asian area of Russia is on Zapadno-Sibirskaya Ravnina and Sredne-Sibirskoye Ploskogor'ye. The territory of Russia spans through 11 times zones. Russia borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and North Korea by land, and with Sweden, Turkey, Japan and the USA by sea.The climate of Russia varies from the steppes in the south and coastal on the north-west through humid continental in much of European Russia; sub arctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north and monsoon on the Far East. The average temperatures of January vary from 0 to -50°C, July - from 1 to 25°C. Many regions of Siberia and Far East are situated in the permafrost zone. Thus, Russia is one of the coldest countries in the world. The town of Oimyakon in north-east Siberia is the coldest inhabited place on earth, with temperatures recorded at more than 70°C below zero. The inhabited areas are mostly in the continental climate zones with long freezing winters (5-6 months long) and short warm summers. The largest rivers: Volga, Lena, Irtysh, Yenisey, Ob, Amur. The largest lakes: Caspean Sea, Aral'skoye More, Baykal, Ladozhskoye, Onezhskoye.Russia has an extremely wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, strategic minerals, timber, diamonds and gold. There are 85 nature reserves and 25 national parks.
Population
Total population is about 150 000 000 people, with 73% urban population. Most of the population are Russians (81,5%), with more than 100 other nationalities (Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%). The official language is Russian. Every autonomous republic use its own language as the second official language. Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, Judaic and others. 1066 cities and towns, 2070 urban settlements (1994).
The state
The official name of the state: Russian Federation. It is a democratic federative republic. The country was formed as independent 24 August 1991 from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of Soviet Union. The current Constitution was adopted 12 December 1993 by national referendum.Russia is divided into 21 autonomous republics, 10 autonomous okrugs, 6 krays, 2 federal cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg), 1 autonomous oblast and 49 oblasts. The national capital is Moscow.The chief of the state - President, elected by popular vote for a four-year term. Current president is Vladimir Putin (since March 2000).The legislative branch is bicameral Federal Assembly (Federal'noye Sobranie), which consists of State Duma (Gosudarstvennaya Duma) and the Federation Council (Sovet Federatzii).The executive branch is run by the government. The head of the government is appointed by the president with approval of the State Duma.
Russians
Culture backgroundRussian culture has a long history and tradition and Russians are very proud of it. Russians consider themselves as a well educated nation. They read a lot, books are cheap, and one can afford to buy 5-10 books a month without serious damage to a family budget.At the same time the majority of Russians don't have what you call in the west "good manners". Their manners are not bad, they are just Russian. Russia is quite a rough country, and Russians usually do not hesitate to say what they think in a way that doesn't leave room for any misunderstandings. During the Soviet period having "good manners" was considered as a bourgeois survival. Russians are very straightforward. When they meet or phone each other, they do not spend time on questions like "How are you?" and go straight to the point. They are not rude, it's just a way of doing things.The majority of Russians consider themselves as believers, and belong to Russian Orthodox Church. It's a great achievement for a country where atheism was the official state religion for more than 70 years. Frankly, they are not true believers. They appreciate Christian moral values but do not follow them. Religion is not a real part of their life. Russians are more aware of horoscopes than the Bible. Medical aid and education in Russia are free, though Russians joke that education becomes less and less free with every year. One can still get a university education for free by passing the entrance tests (exams), but the universities have to decrease the number of students studying on a free basis because of poor state financing. Having a university or college degree is common, and Russia has the highest educational level in the world. Since Perestroyka started, the system of higher (university) education is slowly deteriorating as well as the medical aid system, which used to be among the world's best. The problem with Russian education is that it was always rather theoretical and unrelated to practice. Therefore, it's common for a person having an engineering degree to work in sales, or one with
a chemical background to find himself in marketing. In the old days having a degree was an end in itself. They are trying to change the educational programs now, but the process has just started. It's not of any wonder if a woman with university degree works as a secretary. Having a Ph.D. is also not a big deal, and doesn't give you a big advantage; good knowledge of English will provide you with a better competitive edge. The position that one has in a company is not as important as the company in which one works. Foreign companies and even foreign public/charity organizations are considered to be the best employment. Daily lifeDaily life for the majority of Russian women is very much the same. One gets up at 7-8 a.m. depending on working hours of her company. Factories and plants usually work from 7-8 a.m., and offices and shops from 9-10 p.m. After a simple breakfast (normally just a sandwich with tea or coffee), she goes to catch a bus/tram/trolleybus/underground train. Most Russians live in flats in outskirts ("sleeping zones"), work in the center of the city, and have to spend from 30 to 90 minutes to reach their working place. Public transport is always overcrowded during the "peak" time, and she does not have any chance to have a seat. People in the transport are like fishes in a can, some of them are touching her, but it's quite normal - there is nothing one can do. People in transport are always unfriendly and irritated, though if you are pregnant, with a small baby in hands or very old, they will offer you a seat. Normally the working day is 8 hours with one 30-60 minutes lunch break. If one works for a state enterprise, she may have a few tea pauses - there is a poor discipline on those plants, one can easily leave her job to settle some personal problems. Working for a private company means a better salary than working for the state, but also staying after hours often or from time to time. Leaving her work at 5-7 p.m., she has to make her way all the way back home using the same overcrowded public transport. Having a car is still considered to be a kind of luxury, and even if the family has a car, it's always the husband who drives it. The price of the cheapest new brand car is about 45 000 rubles, with the average women's salary 1850 rubles. One can afford to buy a second hand car but it's very expensive to keep it on the road. You will also have to use a paid secure night parking or have a garage, both options will make an average woman run out of money.Using public transport makes one twice as tired. During a cold season it will also make you cold because you can't move there, and it's the same temperature inside as outside. So if it's -20°C outside, it's probably -18 in the bus. I used to have my own car, and used to go to work by bus, and I can say for sure - public transport exhausts you. After arriving at her stop on her way back home, the woman usually goes to the nearest shop to buy some food - bread, milk and meat. Russians don't go shopping once a week, they buy products if they are finished. One must buy or provide your own plastic bags in a shop, they seldom give the bags away for free. Carrying bags home also doesn't make the woman relaxed - even if it's only a few kilos and few hundreds meters (usually homes are within 1-2 miles from shopping areas), you still feel it. The woman arrives home completely exhausted. If she has a child, she must fetch her from the kindergarten on her way back. If she has a family, she must make food for it. Cooking in Russia is more complicated and takes much longer, not only because of different recipes, but also because of the lack of half-ready products. There are half-ready products on the market but they are mostly imported and therefore expensive. After the supper, the family can watch TV for a couple of hours, then they go to bed. Russians seldom dine out as well as to gym, cinema or theatre. Entertainments are expensive, and usually they are limited by visiting friends or relatives on the weekends. .
Generally, the daily life of a Russian woman can be described as *home - work - home* or *home - work - shops - home*. You can say that it's normal for the life in any western country as well, but there is one big difference: even small things in Russia require much more efforts. Buying a packet of milk on your way back home will take you a couple of minutes, in Russia it will take you at least 20 minutes. This *time rule* is applicable to everything.Another thing about Russian daily life - they do not enjoy it. They get awakened not to enjoy a new day but to cope with today's problems. There is little comfort and happiness. Russian daily life is tough, and it's probably the reason why they smile so seldom. Rarely you will see a smiling face in a bus or on the streets - the fact that usually makes foreigners wonder.
Family life
The keyword to Russian family life is dependence. The family life is built on dependence, and Russians are attached to their family members. The roots of this situation are in the way of being. Russians live in small flats in blocks, with 2-3 generations living together. It's normal when grown single children live with parents, and even when married children with spouses stay with one of the parents. During the Soviet time one couldn't buy a flat, he could only "receive" it from the state. The flats were given to people for free, according to the time they worked on the enterprise. One should only pay a small fee for communal services. The state norms for giving the flats were rather tough, with 5-8 square meters for a person. A family with 2 children of the same sex would get only 2 rooms apartment of about 30 square meters (kitchens, bathrooms and passages were not taking into account). A divorced woman with a daughter would get only one-room apartment. Nowadays one can buy a flat, and the state does not give flats to people for free anymore. Buying a flat is unachievable for the majority of people because of small salaries. One of my friends, 37-years single woman, still lives with her mom in one-room apartment, and they have zero chances to get a better one unless she gets married and leaves. (Which is also doubtful as there are more women in Russia than men and all men who wanted to get married are normally married by the time.)Living in small flats together with parents and/or children makes Russians take care of each other. They have to be considerate and ready to compromise. One has to adapt to the family lifestyle and rules. Any person has his own limit of patience and acceptance of the things but Russians have much higher potential limits. If compare those limits with thermometer, Americans have 20- degrees "thermometer", and when they reach this point, their emotional "thermometer" just fails to work further. For them it's a critical situation. Russians have 100-degrees thermometer, and in the same situation, which is unacceptable for an American, they will act as if nothing happens. That's why I think that Russian women have the proper skills to make good wives. They usually do not let situation to come to the point of no return. It does not mean that they give up their goals easily, but they try to reach them in a different, less complicated or roundabout way. They do not intend to prove their point, and the result is of more importance than the rightness. You won't even notice how it happened that you eventually did what she wanted. And it does not mean that the woman is devious or the like; for her it's just natural.Well, coming back to Russian family life. Russians get married early, at the age 18-22. Because they don't really care about making a career (see Myth 2 for details), they don't wait until they are independent. Young couples usually stay with wife's or husband's parents during the first years of marriage.Being single in Russia puts a label on a woman. If she is over 22 and still single, it means that something's wrong with her. Not any amount of money she earns or her career successes can give her high social status, if she is not married. From the other hand, it's not such a fortune for a woman - to be married in Russia. A decent woman is supposed to stay at home, while her husband is allowed to spend time with friends in cafes, restaurants and discos. All housework is also women's responsibility, and it's quite a lot if taking in consideration the lack of home electronic utilities. About 80% of Russian families do not have even an automatic washing machine and microwave. Russian society is pretty male dominating. Infidelity is common in Russia. Women outnumber men, and a guy can easily find somebody for relations. Sleeping around is a kind of honor for a man. Women are not supposed to do it to be respectable, but still, guys find partners, so I believe that the girls just keep quiet. One of my male friends, who has probably about 30 new partners every year (he is not married, at least), told me in a frank impulse: "The only good thing about Russia is girls. Beautiful, gentle and accessible".
TraditionsOne of the most prominent Russian traditions is hard drinking. It does not mean they all are alcoholics; Russians are just drinking more alcohol when they are drinking.It's applicable more in particular to men though women also drink much more than it's accepted on the West. Drinking a bottle of vodka for three, or a bottle of vine for each is normal and is not considered as excessive. Refusing to drink as much as the rest of the company is considered as disrespect. The favorite men's drink is Russian vodka, the favorite women's drink is Soviet Champagne - a decent Russian sparkling vine.Drinking until one falls is all right. The parties usually take place in private flats, and majority of the guests stay to sleep overnight occupying all free space on coaches and the floor. The next morning the party may continue. "The morning after the night before" condition, named in Russian "pokhmel'ie", is supposed to be cured by drinking a small amount of alcohol ("opokhmelitsya"). It does provide some relief but thereafter people usually can't stop. Small shops on the streets (kiosks) selling mostly alcohol and chocolate, work 24 hours 7 days a week, and the party can get extra drinks any time if they think they do not have enough. A Russian joke (produces lots of loud laughing in the company):(The diary of a foreigner working in Russia)25 June 2002.Was drinking with Russians. I think I'd better die.26 June 2002.In the morning came Russians, and said we should "opokhmelitsya". I'd better die yesterday...Russian drinking traditions are very much a cultural thing, and the person who drinks and does not become drunk is always respected. It's called "he can drink". The more you drink and don't fall down drunk, the more your friends will respect you. Many business deals are solved while drinking together, it's probably one more reason why women don't succeed in making careers.Drinking alone is considered as being an alcoholic, drinking in company is encouraged. Russians do not drink without a reason. It does not mean that they do not drink just when they want, it means that every time they want to drink they bring up a reason. It can be anything - from buying a new thing (in this case they call it "obmyt" - in literal translation "to wash" the new thing) to celebrating the weekend.The process of drinking is specific. The glasses of all company members must be full, then somebody should propose a "toast" - what for the company is going to drink this drink. "Toasts" can vary from trivial "Na zdorovie" or "Budem zdorovy" ("For our health") to any other wish or somebody's desire: "Za udachu" ("For good luck"), "Na dorozhku" (before leaving - "For the way"), "Daj Bog ne v poslednij raz" ("Hopefully it's not the last time when we drink, with God's help") etc. After the toast people clink their glasses with each other and drink their drinks. Everybody must finish his drink, otherwise it means that he does not support the toast. The next toast follows in 5-10 minutes.
