LAURA WATSON

 Largest country in the world.  Nearly twice the size of the United States.  Northern Asia.  Four of the world’s largest rivers: Lena, Ob, Volga, and Yenisey.  Capital is Moscow.

 Climate varies throughout the region.  The winter last from November to March *Except in Siberia where the winters last 9 months.  The plains cover a large portion of Russia.  A large frozen tundra is in the North.  Forests are located in the West.  The Ural Mountain divides Russia’s European side from its Asian regions.

 The population of million is shrinking annually by 0.37%.  There are 120 ethnic groups but are relatively small.  Russians make up 81.5%, while other groups like Tartars (3.8%) and Ukrainians (3%) have low population.  The largest city is Moscow where more than 13 million people reside.  Russian is the official language. The alphabet has 33 letters which look the same but pronounced differently.  The main religion is Christianity. Now, religion of all types is tolerated.

 Due to their history, they have had very little say about their life.  Social status is measured by power and wealth.  Respect for authority.  Friendship is very important to them. *They rely on their friends during tough times.  Pessimistic and do not express any hope for a better life.  They do not show emotions. (Not because they do not care but at times they are indifferent)  They want to be known for their achievements and contributions.

Men should be strong and assertive while women are smart and beautiful. They are alcoholics. Superstitious. Mafia

 Russians shake hands firmly and say ‘Zdravstvuyte’ (Hello).  Maintain eye contact and give appropriate greeting of the time of day.  When men greet women, their handshake is less firm.  When women meet, they kiss on the check 3 times, starting with the left.  Men pat each other on the back and hug.  Surnames are not used without titles such as Gospodin (Mr.) and Gospozna (Mrs.)  When addressing an elder, one would use the given name and the father’s name and a gender-specific suffix.  Close friends use the given name.

 Gift giving is done between friends and families.  When invited to dinner, bring a gift.  Males are expected to bring flowers but they cannot be yellow.  Flowers given during visit are given in odd numbers while at funerals flowers are given in even numbers.  When invited to dinner, take your shoes off before entering the home. *You may be given slippers.  The oldest is served first at dinners.  Leaving a small amount of food on the plate tells the host that they provided enough food.

 Pointing with the index finger is improper but commonly used.  It is impolite to talk with your hands in your pockets or arms folded across your chest. *Especially when speaking to an older person.  When counting, they close their fingers rather than open.  Some gestures are considered bad luck such as shaking hands through a doorway, give birthday presents before the birthday or leaving an empty bottle of alcohol on the table.

 Basic social unit  Urban couples only have one child while rural families are much larger.  Parent support their children financially until they reach adulthood. When the child is an adult they are expected to support their parents.  The father is considered the head of the family.  Women and men work but women are still facing challenging such as receiving equal pay.  There are child care program but usually they are expensive. Grandparents typically care for the children and does the shopping.

 There is barely any leisure time because of the time spent on getting food, working and taking care of the home.  Favorite sport is soccer. In the winter sports are ice skating or hockey.  Families like to watch television at night.  Very little night clubs.  Enjoy theaters and movies, but those are available in the big cities.

 New Year’s Day is the most popular holiday. Everyone decorates their fir tree and have parties.  Grandfather Frost leaves presents on New Year’s Day, Easter and Christmas.  Christmas is January 7 th.  Women’s Day (March 8 th )  Victory Day (May 9)- very important because end of WW2.  Relatively new holidays such as Independence Day (June 12) and Constitution Day (December 12)  Every professional person such as a teacher or miner has a day of their own.

 Education is free for students between the ages of six and seventeen.  Education is highly valued.  The guidelines that were introduced in 1994 were suppose to encourage teaching but several public schools have not forced the reforms due to the lack of money and supplies.  Students go to primary, middle and high school.  Within their last two years they can specialize in a subject.  Private schools are available but are expensive.  Due to economic hardships, school closing and teacher strikes, education has depleted.  There are more than 500 universities, medical schools and technical academies within the country.

 Just because the student does not look interested, it does not mean they do not care.  It is a good idea to learn some common Russians words.  Eye contact is important to them.  When speaking to the student, remember to not cross your arms or keep your hands in your pockets.  Family is so important to them, refer to the class as a family. Everyone supports each other.  Have students bring in artifacts for special holidays and have the child explain why that holiday is important.

 Brigham Young University., & ProQuest Information and Learning Company. (2006). CultureGrams. Provo, Utah: ProQuest Information and Learning Co.  Myths and Truths about Russia | waytorussia.net page. (n.d.). Way to Russia Guide | waytorussia.net. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from uth.html  Russia - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. (n.d.). Professional Translation Services | Interpreters | Intercultural Communication & Training. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from etiquette/russia-country-profile.html