1 / 32

How to deal with the Russians Orientation program May, 2018

Learn how to navigate Russian culture with this comprehensive orientation program. Discover the Russian character, attitudes to law, wealth, women, and foreigners, as well as common misunderstandings and cultural customs. Presented by Alla Kourova, Ph.D. University of Central Florida.

johnelliott
Download Presentation

How to deal with the Russians Orientation program May, 2018

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. How to deal with the RussiansOrientation programMay, 2018 Presented by: Alla Kourova, Ph.D. University of Central Florida

  2. Freedom Sport Order Wealth Speech Naming Family Building Learning Marriage Rank Culture Power Food Death Religious Dress Magic Social Age Childbearing Gender Sexual Work

  3. Meet the Russians • The Russian character • - was molded by time and space • centuries of permanent military threat • the severe climate • the vastness of the country • - folk tales ( the image of Ivan the fool is the key to the riddle of the Russian soul, and the more foreign partners know about it the better because it tells about Russian mentality system of values, the way of life and behavior.

  4. Meet the Russians The Attitude to Law ( No dogs. Penalty. No smoking!) Relations among people are informal and friendship is appreciated very highly. You must be prepared for a long and detailed answer to a habitual question: ‘How are you?”. Communication in Russia, even if it is business, is always a very personal matter. Religion ( decades of official atheism) The Attitude to Wealth and Money The Attitude to Women. The Attitude to Foreigners. .

  5. 5 things that will impress a Russian Nice words about Russia Clothes, the appearance Being open and trustworthy A skill to listen to the person you are talking to A skill to keep up a good company, a little souvenir

  6. 5 things that will turn off a Russian: Arrogance, patronizing tone; Careless or casual clothes, non-serious look; Negative attitude ( country, people, etc.) A refusal from eating, drinking, hospitality; A refusal from presents even if they are quite useless.

  7. Misunderstandings Emerging From the Differences in Values

  8. Misunderstandings Emerging From the Differences in Cultural Context

  9. Misunderstandings Emerging From The Differences In Nonverbal Behavior

  10. Misunderstandings Emerging From the Differences in the Perception of Time

  11. Misunderstandings Emerging From the Differences in Eating Customs

  12. Misunderstandings Emerging From the Differences in Gestures

  13. Misunderstandings Occurring From the Differences in Superstitious Beliefs

  14. 1. If a black cat crosses your path, it will bring misfortuneor at least it is a very bad sign. 2. It is bad luck to break a mirror.3.Russians do not shake hands or talk over the threshold(напорогенездороваются); it may lead to misfortune or a quarrel4. Russians remove the empty bottles from the table.

  15. 5. The forty-year anniversary is not celebrated.6. It is considered unlucky to get married in May – the marriage will suffer (свадьба в мае – всю жизнь маятся). 7. Russians try not to disclose their future plans, so as not to put the evil eye on the situation (чтобы не сглазить).8. When going on a long journey, they will briefly ‘sit down for the road’ (присесть на дорожку), i.e. they will sit down for a few minutes before leaving, so as to have a lucky trip.

  16. 9. Russian people do not whistle at home or in the office, otherwisethey fear they will lose their money; Russians used to say:‘Do not whistle indoors: it will blow your money away’. 10. It is bad luck to meet a woman who is carrying emptybuckets. 11. It is a bad luck to give away money in the evening – it means you will never have enough. 12. If you spill salt, it is bad luck. 13. If any acquaintance of yours calls and you do not recognize the voice, you will become rich soon (Не узнал/не узнала богатым/богатой будешь!).

  17. 14. A burning or tingling feeling in your ears or face means that someone is talking about you.15. If you visit a Russian’s home, bring an odd number of flowers – an even number is only given at funerals. Also, yellow is the color of separation.16. If you say something that you do not want to happen, knock three times on a piece of wood to keep it from occurring; 17. When walking with the companion and you come upon the obstacle (a tall pole or tree) you both must pass by the same side. 18. You should not leave a knife at a table as it is believed that there will be a fight in the family.

  18. Misunderstanding Emerging From the Differences in Miscellaneous Customs

  19. Program Contact Information For questions about the program -Dr. Alla Kourova, Program Director -Email: Alla.Kourova@ucf.edu -FL Tel: 407-304-0027 -Russian Phone: +7499943-98-22 -Address in Russia: Moscow, hotel of the University under the Government of Russian Federation • U.S. Embassy in Moscow • Street Address: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok, 8 • City: Moscow • Postal Code: 121099 • Phone Number(s): (7495) • 7285000 • Fax Number(s): (7495) • 7285090 • Website: http://moscow.usembassy.gov/ • Embassy Type: U.S. Embassy in Moscow -Subway Station: Airport Please check your e-mail before the trip once a day. -

  20. Classes and activities May 25– June 25, 2018 -Finance University under the Government of Russian Federation. -Morning classes: 10:00-2:00 -Cultural field trips: 2:00- midnight or so… -

  21. What to Bring: Pack comfortable, easy care clothes and walking shoes. Pack wash and wear. it is important to remember that we are representatives of our country. Therefore, please plan to attend classes properly groomed and in appropriate clothing. This is simply a sign of respect and shows that we respect the Russian culture. Clothes for all seasons:  Jeans or Slacks (3 pairs minimum)  Shirts, Blouses, T-Shirts  One suit coat or sports jacket  Skirt (1-2) plus one nice dress  Raincoat, warm jacket, and umbrella  Shoes – the more comfortable, the better. You will do a lot of walking. Flip-Flops ( especially for rain)  Swim Suit (if you wish to take part in the Russian Banya tradition)  Scarf to wear when entering churches (for women it is expected that your head will be covered)

  22. Medical Supplies: Aspirin or Acetaminophen Vitamin C Throat lozenges Calcium supplements Strong Cold Medicine (Alka-Seltzer, Nyquil, etc.) Cough Drops Antacids Penicillin/Erythromycin Anti-Diarrhea compound

  23. Miscellaneous Items: Toilet Paper (1-2 rolls) Bottle Packages of “Wet Wipes” Condoms Toothpaste/Toothbrush Cotton Balls Bath Towel, Hand Towel, Washcloth Band-Aids/Ace Bandages Flat Universal Sink Stopper Deodorant Plastic Bags, ZipLocs Shampoo & Conditioner Battery-Operated Alarm Clock, Camera, Film, & Batteries Converter Kit w/ Adapter 2 Passport-size photos for Russian IDs American Peanut Butter – If you really like it. Extremely difficult to find in Russia.

  24. Gifts: Gifts are customary, especially if they are typical of the giver’s home region. Books, T-shirts, souvenir of your home region, a coffee mug with your home city/state name on it, a small picture book of your home city/state, canvas bags, etc. Please be prepared to contribute towards gifts for your instructors ($3-$5 for your main instructor a small gift item would be nice.) Luggage Limits: You will be allowed ONE carry-on bag that must be able to fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartment. In your carry-on bag, pack your camera, reading material, medication, and a COMPLETE change of clothes and anything you could not live without. Luggage is sometimes lost. If the airline misplaces your bag, it typically takes several days to find and deliver it to you. Typically, you may take TWO suitcases weighing up to 50 pounds each

  25. Orientation program The Hot Water Phenomenon: In general, there is no such thing as a “hot water heater” in the American sense. Hot water is supplied from central heating plants located throughout the city. If the plant that serves your section of the city breaks down, the entire section will be without hot water. There is absolutely nothing that can be done about this by your group leader, the hotel or dorm management, or anyone else in or out of Russia

  26. COMMUNICATION FROM RUSSIA Use e-mail, Skype, or What’s up which is less expensive. There are many internet cafes where you can use computers or connect to the internet . General pricing for internet cafés varies between 40 to 80 rubles per hours (about $1 or $2). If you have an ISIC (International Student ID Card), you may get a better rate. Russia’s country code is 7; U.S. country code is 1 or 101. For Example: If you are calling the UA Study Abroad Office directly from Russia: 8-101- 407… If you are calling the Moscow Dorm from the U.S.: 011-7-495- If you are calling the dorm while in Russia: 8-495-….. If you are calling within the same area code: 374-6951

  27. Currency: The Russian monetary system is based on the Ruble, which is divided into 100 Kopecks. Russian Ruble notes commonly in circulation are 10, 50, and 100, 500, 1,000, and now 5,000R. Coins denominate various amounts of Rubles (1, 5) and Kopecks (20, 50). The exchange rate for dollars is different every day. As of May 2018, the official exchange rate was approximately 63.2R=$1. Please Note: If you bring US Dollars, bring only new or nearly new (no torn, creased, or stained) bills with you. Older bills issued before 1989 may not pass the counterfeit test and may be refused or devalued. The fear of counterfeit US dollars is very great in Russia. You should be aware that this also applies to rubles. The larger denominations have watermarks on them to prevent counterfeiting. Try to check your rubles for these watermarks just as a precaution. If there is no watermark, then the note is counterfeit. Recommendation: bring a Visa card, call your bank and let them know that you will be in Russia. Many banks have to give you permission on the account for you to use your money abroad, ask how much your bank charges you for the ATM fess abroad and remember that these can add up very quickly if you use your debit card often!

  28. Entering Russia: Your Russian visa will be pasted inside your passport. The first stop at the airport will be a passport control booth at which you must present your passport and visa. The Customs/Immigration officer will examine your documents and stamp your passport. S/He will then return your passport to you. Please do not lose it! Keep a photocopy of the picture page of your passport with you at all times; keep the original locked in your suitcase at home. You will also receive a Migration Card at passport control. They will put it in your passport. DO NOT LOSE IT! Without this card the program will not be able to register you in Russia AND you will not be able to leave the country. Not having this card basically means that you are illegal in the country. The Migration Card consists of two equal halves, one for entering the country, the other for leaving. The next stop is baggage claim. This is the usual routine with which you are familiar – baggage carousels, crowds of people, etc. After you claim your bags, proceed through Customs. You have your choice of the Green Line or the Red Line. It is not necessary to fill out a Customs declaration and go through the Red Line unless you are carrying $10,000

  29. Public Transportation: There are four primary modes of transportation: subway (Metro), bus, trolleybus, and tram. You may get onto a bus/tram/trolleybus through any door, but there will probably be a ticket-taker or “kunduktor” lurking inside. S/he will approach you and check your pass or sell you a ticket. The subway is generally very safe, clean and very crowded during rush hour. Be prepare for the idea that Russians have a much smaller concept of personal space. This means that crowded on the subway really does mean CROWDED . There are a lot of taxes available, it stands marked by a “T”. Traffic moves on the right. Some central streets have one-way traffic. Cross the street only where crossings are indicated by zebra strips or arrows and at a green light . DO NOT expect that a driver will stop for you. Drivers will occasionally flash their lights to warn you that they do not intend to stop Always watch your purses and bags so that you are not the target of a pickpocket. Lock your door when you leave your room at any time, even for a few seconds. Lock your door when you are in your room sleeping.

  30. ATTITUDES BELIEFS KNOWLEDGE VALUES CULTURE Research by Alla Kourova, Ph.D.

More Related