Honestly speaking.. I know this will sound bad, but... There's a growing dislike towards Russians. People say they are becoming more and more arrogant. I have also heard that Russian girls are tired of the Russian guys because they drink too much and never really tries on getting a job, so the girls search for love outside of Russia. Personally, I usually don't give much thought about this, but after a bad encounter with some young Russians on vacation that almost led to a fight between them and my family which I had to break before anything happened.. Well yes, I can't help but be very aware of them. If I meet Russians I always give them a chance to show me who they really are, like everyone else, since no one is the same, but I'm always cautious. That's why, in short, I'm generally open but also know it can go wrong.

I have traveled twice there. I am impressed with many aspects of the culture, but would not feel comfortable living there unless I were at least fluent in the language. Our press in America seems to have the policy "If you don't have anything bad to say about Russia then don't say anything at all." So here are a few amazing things I observed: 1) I had the best breakfast buffet I have ever had anywhere at any price-- and it was free for being a guest at a hotel that only cost $45 a night. I think a lot of this was due to the idea that they have a high regard for businessmen, and this was a businessman's hotel. 2) I don't recall seeing more than one or two overweight women below the age of forty. 3) If you buy a beer in a liquor store the clerk will open it for you and you walk out of the store drinking it. 4) Women do not drive. (except if it is a work vehicle). I think I saw two or three women drivers out of every 1000 cars. Driving is a man's game there. You will NEVER see a woman driving and talking on a cell phone. If you see one at all she will have both hands on the wheel and be driving as carefully as she can. 5) 4 of 5 women you see walking on the street (in cities, anyway), will be wearing high heels. 6) Everyone, including teenagers, wear leather shoes. The only people who wear running shoes or athletic shoes are people who are running or doing athletics. 7) I heard NO hip-hop music. 8) I saw NO teenagers with jewelry in their face. 9) I saw NO teenagers with ripped clothing. 10) there were NO boys or men walking around with their pants pulled down below their butt (as has become popular here in the old USA).

I don't know that much about russian culture and guys , but I know very well that russian girls are very beauuuuuuuuuuuuutiful :)

I don't know a great amount and I don't trust what I hear much but from what I have heard I wouldn't get along with russians if I lived there XD Apparently there is a thing with bringing gifts whenever you are invited to someones house? If someone in England expected me to give them a gift after they invited me I would tell them to f**k off. Business in russia involves giving people gifts and stuff and to be honest to me it's just plain bribery and it's a bit sickening. But otherwise it seems great! I have only met one russian and she was really friendly much more so than english people.

Now lets talk honestly, Russian culture, if culture is a manifestation of art, literature, etc, then I must say I'm hardly buy any novel because I think it sometime waste my time, but I buy Russian Novelist and fond to their author, it inspire me and touch me, and oftenly it makes me laugh, they have a good sense of humor (in English Bernard Shaw), and a very sensible social sense. Just take as example Anton Chekov, his personality are remakrable, and his works are splendid, you can read them, and it make you change after that. And I read many more Russian novelist that I can't mention here one by one, one of them that touch me so much is "Mother" that written by Maxim Gorky. Eventhough I don't like Stalin, but Lenin and Trotsky their idea many coloring my early colege, eventhough I might be not agree with tons of their views and even to most fundamental, morally indifferent, but ethically I have lots agreement with them. Russian peoples, mmm, I only have one close friends, she is rather old and married to asian, and after the disaster at Japan I never heard any news from her. She is a very smart person, very aware on politics issue, economy, history, as individual she seem asertive, and good discussion partner, straight forward, but polite. Eventhough politically, I'm very very disagree with Russian goverment, Ban some verses of Quran for example, religoious freedom in Albania, what happen at Czechna, but it's their goverment, nothing to do with their peoples and culture. So, I like Russia, in many part :)