How not to annoy the Russians? Foreigners are given advice

An American living in St. Petersburg gave advice to foreign tourists on how not to irritate Russians.

There are only five Soviets, in general they are quite feasible even from the field of “self-evident” rules of hostility, and in the first place, they are addressed to his compatriots. .

I gave this advice, not because I have to be someone else in Russia, but simply because no matter how long I have lived in Russia, I am a guest. When you are a guest, you have to respect your hosts. I reached out to several Russians to discuss which travel habits annoy them the most, and this is what I learned.

First, he encourages compatriots to use their “inner voice” in public places. If countries were measured on a sound scale, Russia would be quite calm. According to him, the noise, loud laughter and loud conversations in public places to foreigners Russian people generally forgive. “But keep in mind that you are being tolerated right now.”

Secondly, do not assume that no one around you understands English, so you should not have loud and rude conversations in Russia.

The third advice is not to discuss politics. I was in Russia during the 2016 American election, and another American guy and I talked about it for a long time while our Russian friends groaned, ‘Why don’t you shut up, why are you guys making politics so personal?’ And, of course, one should not approach criticism of “Russian identity” – according to the American, even the “most politically progressive Russians” can not stand it.

The fourth advice is to take care of your personal space. Russians don’t like being touched by strangers. Hugging is possible only between well-known people.
The fifth tip is to leave the American smile at home. “Don’t smile at strangers – this can be considered aggressive behavior.” They also give the original advice: “If you are easily offended, do not go to Russia.”

The American notes that these are only tips and suggestions, and Russia is very hospitable and tolerant of tourist behavior.

Source: tourprom