Main problems of traveling to Former Soviet Union: Language Barrier, Service and Safety

The most complained-on problem is “visitor-non-friendly” environment. There IS state-of-the-art “civilization”. And many Russian people DO strive to lend a hand, for the sense of patriotism and dignity. Yet they also see more compatriots of less culture (in terms of language skills, helpfulness regardless of them, order, abuse, and racism) than their foreign counterparts have (the brighter is the well-bred visible minority, highly praised by sophisticated travelers from Europe.)

The rule is: the deeper backwards, the harder (insulation in deterioration, deterioration in insulation). But there are capital exceptions worth a contrary rule! No ounce of justification is given to the woodwork habits of numerous hoards of “centers” dwellers or barbaric newly-rich parvenus moving to capital cities or traveling abroad.

Same is true for Ukraine and other Former Soviet countries, maybe in a way more hospitable and internationally disposed… and less accurately organized.

So, here follow the major bummers. Brought to your attention from a Russian website on tourism (a discussed poll “What irritates foreigners in Russia“) as vaccination against possible cultural shocks.

Let not the surrounding dirt mar the human diamonds you are going to meet, nor upset your plans for a Nice Time on a Comfortable Extreme Tour.

There’s a good old wisdom: “Russia has two woes, roads and fools”. For this post, may I interpret it as Logistical and Informational Challenges of Former Soviet Union territory.

• Tourist’s Torture Trouble 1. – Informational vacuum

- Reference service and tourist guidance: next to zero number of automated facilities, and none of the police function or capacity.

Find information or tour guide service ads through the Web, or in a special English-language city bulletin for event announcements, catering & entertainment advertising, business & political news, classifieds etc., which is spread free of charge at the lobby stands inside high or middle class clubs and HoReCa (hotels / restaurants / cafes).

- 99,99% inscriptions are in Cyrillic (save for centermost streets of main cities, occasional interiors of subway trains, and a deal of trade signs).

So, a homework in Russian phonetics is essential. (Ukrainian spelling differs but slightly.)

- English language skills are uncommon to broad public (thanks the Iron Curtain era), absent with the officers (too high-muck-a-muck for that), slacked by service businessmakers (in the perennial national slapdash fashion), and ignored by many people, especially in Russia (who act from the patriotic pulpit).

In this issue, vulgar xenophobia (stemming from widespread lazy-arrogant-or-jealous “misanthropy for different ones” started from over fellow countrymen) neighbors with Reciprocity Treatment of varied emotional degree:

“Nor do other nations, host or guest, care to study Russian language (one of the UN official languages) or at least the 33 Cyrillic letters. Masses of foreign peoples refuse to “stoop” to English from their native languages, especially when at home. Nor do our folks study the languages of every country we spend vacations at!”

The issue’s bottom line rests:

* to both parties – in the copyright-lost maxims, “As many languages you speak, so many times you are Human” or “as many lives you live”; “The less one has inside, the more is claimed for granted” – “Majesty is Generous”;

* to the visiting party – in travel phrasebooks and maps (sold at key postal offices, book shops, airport & central railway station kiosques).

One peculiarity here: it’s no surprise if a local person who knows English better than your Russian switches over to English, for better understanding and for less mutual inconvenience at the sounds of distorted “Great & Mighty” Mother Tongue. On the other hand, some characters won’t bother to help even when addressed in most courteous Russian forms.

Where one comes to work or live, learning local language is deemed a to-do (well, not prerequisite, but a credit granted to be paid back diligently) – on the individual survival-related level, whether it is just shopping for daily needs, or a professional occupation (unless you are an international service biggie).

For enterprise and commerce, professional interpretors and also one’s own independent understanding are vital. For family relationships – the Highest Level of Common Language is the measure of Durability Chance. If you speak native Spanish, second English, and, in order to have a Russian wife, start grinding Russian, it’s waste of time. Seek a girl with ready decent Spanish, or whack into English for an English-second one, with a view to lead a family life in a region speaking Spanish and/or English. Little language skills are destined to be Little Pleasant Tricks, not reliable basis for building life on. Enough told in related posts below.

• Tourist Torture Trouble #2: No friendly quality service. Which turns most disastrous in case of small or serious emergencies.

- Oh This Russian Mentality… Every little knob feels a Big Boss; you can laugh your butt off seeing 9 Directors, Heads, Presidents and Chiefs per company team of 10 (the remaining secretary would be the Office Manager).

Well, my fellow countrymen are no better. :*) There’s even a proverb, “Two Ukrainians – three Commanders.”

- Service as such is deep-inside felt contrary to dignity. Even for the “filthy lucre”. Soviet times have reinforced the condescending (at best) and castigating rude (as normal) attitude of Product / Resource / Guarded Place Masters towards customers that Imagine Dare Solicit Borrowing the Royal Attention – especially For This [low / high] Price – especially Any Wrong Way. History has also thoroughbred the general attitude “Pay me for the fact that I come to work, pay more for working, still more for quality.” (Miserly this payment has been, anyway.)

Things are changing,.. not have changed. You have more chances to find tact and attention in a casual encounter then with a serviceperson that well may smoothly go as far as into “who’s smart here” game.

- Civil Servants are greatest Masters of All, least responsible for efficiency of performance. Authorities are more feared of than “Mafia”, still more dangerous is police (“Militsia”) compared to street criminals!

- Disorder in arrangements is habitual for locals, and above that – maintained and pre-exacerbated to pump money out of “aliens” at every step. Authorities “mafia”, taxi “mafia”, special prices from accommodation to entertainment, and so on and so forth. I never let my guests utter a sound of foreign speech to the taxist I’d bargain with for them. )

What can be done to all this? Get trusty local “links” as soon as possible, find professionals in professional matters, grow a thick skin, and face the “Russian Roller-Coaster” with Russian humor.

- Registration routine in Russian Federation.

Hotels, Gentlemen, are more or less convenient ports of arrival to clear you in. You may opt to shift to apartments – later, when registration is through.

- Public toilets (if any!) are the nastiest impression tantamount to Civilizational Clash.

Take advantage of conveniences within cafes and restaurants you visit (WC comfort, overall design and prices of the place are in direct proportion).

Street crime is comparable to that in Europe or America. It’s said that “foreigners just seek confirmation for the prejudice they bring”. But also true that foreign men are easier targets, appearing rich to rob, inciting jealousy for snatching women, being infamiliar with local “signal systems” and scam schemes, and indiscriminately trusting everyone who appears friendly and calls oneself a friend.

Racism goes as far as violence. African or distinctively Jewish looks make the prime risk group. Next follow other “dark complexions”, prejudice enforced by the womanizing ways of some Arabian, Turkic and Hispanic machos, and also associated with post-Soviet Caucasus and Gypsy mafias, – all this makes it challenging to approach a woman, herself defensive or stepped in for. Asians could pass unnoticed, but times again the media are shaken by grave assaults against them.

And it’s not only illegal migrants that suffer; most vulnerable are African and Asian students, and even children of diplomats can not feel safe.

• More troubles and remedies in these posts:

How to Select Regions, Cities & Towns If You Want to Emigrate to Russia or Ukraine?

Food shopping in Ukraine: outlets, prices, dangers (similar to Russia)

12 Reasons Why International, particularly Russian-American Marriages Fail

Take care,

© Comrade Natalia

(…please link to this page when using some information from it! ;)