Recently, there has been much more talk about how different worldviews Russians and Americans have. The mentality is really different, but is it fundamentally different?

The whole world is enemies

The mystery of the Russian soul is not really understood by outsiders. At the moment, if you measure this misunderstanding, the device would go off scale. But they did not come up with either a device or a way out of this misunderstanding. Even jokes on the topic of differences in mentality have recently become much larger.

Probably because after decades of the Cold War, perestroika gave us the opportunity to get closer and get to know each other better. Well, we found out. The Russians, who never lost their credulity, came and knocked on the door. And then, according to blogger Olga Tukhanina, the door opened to put a bullet in the forehead of a stranger. Why is that?

History will answer for everything

Such is the reality. Americans, whose mentality is based on confidence in their own strength, and hence the rightness, are quite cruel. In addition, to a strangely high degree sentimental, which, however, is quite inherent in real cruelty. It's all about the origins, so it makes sense to consider the history of the two states. Both Russians and Americans knew wars quite well.

The mentality, however, has not ceased to be different. This is because the Russians defended and won, while the Americans attacked and also sometimes won. America does not have a single song about the enemies who burned their own hut and killed all their relatives. They do not know real suffering, and therefore there is no real compassion in them. That is why the features of the mentality of Americans differ from Russians. Russia knows what it is to defend its own land.

Impunity

After the notorious September 11, when not twenty million died, as with the Russians in the Great Patriotic War, but several thousand people, an act was adopted that grossly violated that is, what the Americans were especially proud of. The mentality has been enriched with a new characteristic touch. They are able to give up a little of their freedom for the sake of security. And someone else can be destroyed completely.

For the United States, this event was the most egregious in the history of the country. Not Indian genocide. Not atomic bombs on Japan. Not the children of Vietnam running in the fire of napalm. No. The Americans sincerely regretted the killed children, paper cranes flew across America in flocks in honor of the Japanese baby who died from radiation sickness. But the Americans did not repent, no. This whole alignment - its own importance and disregard for the rest of the world - has every tendency to continue in the future: Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria ... Where they want, they bomb there. And how much they want. Are they so brave or do they have no one to fear?

Dead end

In Europe, the war is remembered, in Russia even more so. And in the USA they know nothing about it, although they are constantly at war. Thousands of kilometers from home, why not fight? Most often, in front of the monitor, it’s like they are playing a game, like they are watching a Hollywood action movie.

"Wow!" - Hillary Clinton enthusiastically exclaimed when she was shown footage of the terrible death of Muammar Gaddafi. And she clapped her hands. Isn't that the majority of the rest of America? Hence the difference in Americans, Indians and British. If most people in a country enjoy killing foreigners, then that country is a danger to the rest of the world.

Dialogue?

The Kremlin is unusually active right now. This, by the way, is a feature of a purely Russian mentality - to finally wake up, look around and be amazed: wow, what have they done without me! Many steps of our foreign policy - in the same Syria - clearly show that the need for a tough dialogue between Russia and the United States is ripe. Is it possible to negotiate peacefully with those who like to kill everyone and who are used to doing it? And an indisputable fact - they will also try to kill us, and not at all agree, the mentality of the Americans does not suggest anything else.

We have already tried talking. Gorbachev not so long ago threw down his weapon and held out both hands. And then: him - in handcuffs, and the country - a bullet in the forehead. We are strangers to them. And they are the masters of the whole earth. We missed a bit that time, we made a mistake. And the second case of dialogue, if it happens, is unlikely to give America another opportunity to fire. The only thing Russians should be afraid of is a knife in the back.

Elections

To understand how the mentality of Americans differs from Russians, it is worth comparing the situation in the elections in both countries and the attitude towards them. Since the Parliament and the State Duma are held almost simultaneously, the pictures are easy to sort and classify. The mentality of the Americans and Russians is especially clearly visible in fresh footsteps. The difference is that in America, the same Hillary Clinton is shouting that she will return hegemony to the United States and destroy Putin and Russia.

In Russia, they do not know such a purely American trend as the infrastructure of influence on the whole world: the Russians did not invent a world currency that enslaved and also do not differ in their military presence around the world. It is also worth looking at the map for confirmation: covered the entire planet, concentrating around Russia. And even with such an external threat, the Russian mentality is invincible: in the recent elections, more than half of the population relied on chance and did not attend the vote.

From the point of view of modern psychology

Despite the fact that Russians and Americans have the same physiologically organism, many psychologists believe that these are completely different types of people. And their differences are almost entirely in the subconscious, that is, actions are performed absolutely automatically. In the perception of oneself and others, the mentality of Americans and Russians is even impossible to compare, because there are practically no points of contact from which one could begin a comparison. The American relies only on himself, does not see any obstacles to achieving the goal, and simply sweeps away those that come across on the way. This breeds unjustified self-confidence.

I want to grow long fingers like Chopin's, and I will! Oh, they didn't grow up. So, I wanted somehow weakly, I didn’t try. These are the main features of the American mentality. I want to be the strongest - I will weaken the rest. And the Russians mostly look around and do nothing most of the time, relying on circumstances. I wanted to do something, but historically it did not work out, the weather failed, the government interfered. That is, in the Russian mentality there is an apparent and unreasonable self-doubt. But everything is going well historically, the weather does not interfere, the government will help if the people face a single task. Sobornost - that's what is important for the Russian. And this is the difference between the mentality of Americans and Russians.

Conversations in different languages, although everything is in English

It is very difficult for Russians and Americans to even start a conversation. The Russians are silent for a long time and stubbornly, creating in those around them a false impression of either cowardice or stupidity. In fact, variance calculates how right or wrong they will turn out to be when they speak. Russians don't like to be wrong. Not in vain from everyday life and sayings: "The word is silver, and silence is gold" and "The word is not a sparrow, it will fly out - you won't catch it." Personal opinion is very expensive for a Russian, but he will almost always prefer public opinion.

The Americans are the opposite. They are sure that they have a complete understanding of everything in the world. They are taught at school that it is imperative to express their opinion on any occasion, and therefore they chat and chat non-stop, otherwise it is difficult for them to exist. But this does not mean at all that the American is bolder, stronger or wins in the mind. No. Occupying an unreasonably high position of know-it-alls, even the most prominent American experts cannot understand either the Russians or Russia. Even if our countries start negotiations, both get the impression that they are being conducted in different languages.

"Yes" and "no" do not say ...

Child Game. Such simple words, which are indispensable, can even serve as a pretext for the start of another war, if you do not take into account the mentality of the Americans and Russians. The difference is that among Russians the word "no" has gradations, while among Americans "no" is used in a single meaning - only no, solely and exclusively. They do not like those who use this word, and they themselves almost never use it - only in exceptional cases. With the word "yes" it's exactly the opposite. For the Russian there is no other meaning of this concept, but for the Americans - as much as you like. They even use it instead of "no" so that nothing threatens their private borders, suddenly the interlocutor will get angry at the refusal.

And therefore, cultural communication between two people, companies or countries quite often comes to a standstill. Russians consider hearing "yes" instead of "no" hypocrisy, and "no" is considered something like "well, almost yes." Americans, on the other hand, begin to behave aggressively if they were not understood or accepted: they said the word "no". The Russians, on the other hand, scratch their heads in amazement when the American partner, who clearly and loudly said "yes", suddenly did not fulfill his promises. And since the mentality is almost completely different, it is incredibly difficult for Russians and Americans to agree on anything. Although there were such joyful moments, there were. True, a long time ago. And immediately disappeared for a long time. Let's hope not forever.

Intermediaries

If an insufficiently comfortable situation is created for an American through the fault of others, then he, as a Russian would do, will never sort things out himself, make comments and generally teach how to live. He will appeal to the authorities - to the police, to the court, to any regulatory authorities. Fiscalism is not in honor for the Russian mentality, the Russian will definitely be offended, because he had no idea what was bothering someone, and any "buffer system" is useless so that he stops interfering with others. "Sneak" from early childhood is one of the worst insults. Russian parents teach their offspring: don't complain, figure it out yourself.

In America, it's the other way around. Complaining to a teacher is right and much better than just punching in the face, for example, an offender of girls. For the first, both the teacher and classmates will praise him, for the second he can be expelled from school. In the US, the average American is always scrupulously observant of the laws. In Russia, it’s even scary to think about complaining to the house manager about the neighbors - everyone will condemn it, even the house manager will be surprised. And if there are no cars on the horizon, any Russian will definitely cross the street at a red light. Because he has a different vision of expediency. Conflict is also a form of communication. Showdowns with neighbors from a fight easily turn into a long and true friendship. And this is normal, open and honest relations for Russians. Say what you think. Defend what was said not in litigation, but directly with each other. For Americans, any conflict is good neighborliness. It is especially bad that such a mentality greatly affects international relations.

In the United States, there are a lot of social rituals and rules that every citizen or guest of the country must follow.

Many of those who left for permanent residence or on long business trips to America note that there are significant differences in the mentality and rules of behavior of people. This can be explained by the history of the development of the country and the state, as well as the formation of legal and mass culture in it.
From early childhood in kindergarten and school, children are taught that they are free individuals. And this freedom, on the one hand, should not be limited by the actions of other people, and on the other hand, it is clearly regulated by norms. Every citizen of the country helps to carry out the policy of supervision.

ABOUT THE PRACTICE OF "ASSISTANCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES" AND DENUSIONS

For example, if you decide to take a walk somewhere on foot (and this will not be a morning run or a small promenade to the bus stop, but a full-fledged walk of 3-5 kilometers), then a vigilant neighbor has every right to inform the patrol that someone suspicious is walking under the windows . The police are obliged to record the call and record your data with a warning.
Or, if you have a certain ritual of taking walks at the same time, it may happen that the inhabitants of the surrounding houses perceive this as a threat. It is important to always explain to the police what is going on and not argue. It’s really not customary to take long walks here, Americans are homebodies by nature, and they go shopping, to the movies or to work exclusively by car or public transport.
Also be sure to pay attention to all warning signs and labels. If it says “You can’t ride a bike on the sidewalk”, “Don’t walk on lawns”, “Don’t smoke”, etc., then it doesn’t matter at all what is written in this regard in the law. If this territory is private property, then its owner has every right not only to turn to the police, but also to take independent measures to resolve the situation.

JUVENILE JUSTICE

For those who are going to travel to the United States with children, it is important to know this, because regardless of your citizenship or citizenship in this country, you are subject exclusively to its laws. Juvenile Justice is not a horror story about how evil social workers dream of coming to your house and taking away your children. This is in some way a necessity for the protection of children in conflict situations.
Naturally, young children can quickly understand this and begin to manipulate parents who are forbidden to raise their hand or yell at the child. But not everything is so perfect. Much depends on the context and the specific situation. Under no circumstances should a child be left unattended for a long time. Believe me, a neighbor can see through a window or through a garden fence (in many cottage areas they should be very low and with rare crossbars just for a better view by patrolmen) that the child has been alone for a long time and report to the police.
Also, you can’t let a minor child walk alone, that is, he must be under your supervision. This is dictated by the realities in which children are quite often kidnapped in broad daylight.

OTHER FEATURES

Also, any of your defiant actions will become not just a subject of condemnation, ridicule or gossip, but a reason for contacting law enforcement agencies. It is in the order of things that if you are starting a repair, you should first find out about the license for it. Yes, here it is necessary to coordinate everything in advance with the owners of the house, if the housing is rented, as well as with the local authorities and buy the appropriate permit for painting or replacing the floor, redevelopment, installing new windows and doors, etc. If you don't, you'll be fined or subpoenaed to revalue your home as a more expensive refurbishment and charge monthly tax payments on it.
These are not threats or arbitrariness - this is the normal state of affairs. Here it is customary to follow the laws and help law enforcement agencies do their job.
Any reports are actively promoted and encouraged. On the one hand, this can be safe, because if you were suddenly attacked on the way home, there will always be a witness who will call the police or call 911. On the other hand, sometimes you have to waste time and worry, explaining to the police why you have loud music, or vice versa - it's too quiet and everything is in order.
It should be clearly understood that if something can be forgiven for a citizen in the United States for the first time, then for foreigners any misconduct is fraught with unpleasant consequences.
For example, here it is not customary to pay for large purchases in cash, so it can be suspicious if you decide to buy something expensive and get 1000-2000 dollars out of your wallet. You will definitely be asked by security or a patrolman where such an amount comes from and why there is no credit card.
The dollar is the main American fetish, the goal of life, the measure of relationships. Everything has a price, including family and friendship. You can also make money with your family, cleaning up at your sister’s house, babysitting your granddaughter, tying your son-in-law’s socks ... What we do out of the kindness of our hearts is really appreciated there - this is also a special mentality of Americans. Who said it's bad? Would our grandmothers, nursing their grandson on their miserable pension, while the children study or make a career, refuse to pay for their own, albeit native, but not an easy burden? And no one offers them! This mutual assistance is called, though “mutually”, in relation to our old people, it does not always work out, unfortunately. Our generation has not been taught to know its worth, we all “cost” 120 rubles of an engineering salary. It's good that our children can already tell the employer "I cost so much ...". But, arranging a barbecue in a friend’s garden, to increase your appetite, you can first dig up the beds, and build a bathhouse with the whole world, and fix the fence, and dig up potatoes. Not for money, for company. And with pleasure!
Hypocrisy in everything. American smiles, carrying only information about their own well-being, “I have everything about the key!” and a warning, so as not to try to climb into the soul. There is not enough sincerity of emotions - they pushed you, scolded you in public transport - you know that it is sincere, that it is not comfortable for a person when you stand on his leg and poke an umbrella in his face. He smiled an apologetic smile - and he already took pity on you! They made a compliment on the street, even with a glance - and your wings begin to break through in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe shoulder blades, and a smile appears by itself! How many variations of smiles do you know? Serene, playful, flirtatious, tired, apologetic, languid, crooked, skeptical, luminous, etc. Least of all, the definition of “indifferent” fits the concept of “smile”. The greeting “how are you?”, which categorically does not expect to hear the truth about the state of affairs in response.
The notorious “privacy”, which is part of the American mentality, does not allow friends to open up over a “glass of tea”, but disappears in the office of a psychoanalyst or therapist. Raising confidence in children “you are the best, you can!” without variations, thus putting the first stone in the development of an inferiority complex. Etc.
Law abiding. The cliché “the freest country” with total tracking of all your life activity by all kinds of fiscal authorities. Without a social security number, an identification number, you don’t seem to exist at all, you are an invisible person, with the same invisible rights. This streamlines and makes life easier for the state, but completely deprives the desire and ability to find a way out of a non-standard situation on their own. It's hard to be a leader there. We have our own leader in any courtyard, who will lead at least to storm the Housing Office, at least for a subbotnik, at least for a song contest to the button accordion, and will always find support. There, the definition of "inert" corresponds to the main mass.
American naivety. What our humorist calls more categorically. It is not customary to move your brains, look for your own ways to solve problems. After all, someone before you already thought this, and wrote you instructions for how to act in such situations. And everything else is extreme, and this is not a feature that characterizes the mentality of Americans.
Lack of communication. Nobody needs nobody. For an introvert, this may not be significant. But for an extrovert who needs spiritual communication, after a short time, a prosperous life turns into solitary confinement. There is no concept of "going to a neighbor for salt." There is no concept of "classmates", "classmates". It is not customary to ask colleagues for advice - you show weakness, and showing weakness is very far from such a thing as the mentality of Americans. My naive hopes to expand and deepen my language skills by communicating with native speakers at the everyday level did not materialize due to the absence of these same native speakers in my social circle. No matter how hard I try to make it. All communication was limited to a couple of phrases with apologies uttered through an indispensable smile.
A specific sense of humor, most often based on a comedy of situations - a cake in the face, degassing of the body at an inopportune time in the wrong place, lowered pants ... What causes a feeling of embarrassment in us causes sincere unbridled laughter there.

BESIDES

If you have 10 dollars in your wallet and do not have any loans and debts, then you are definitely richer than a quarter of the US population.
- In the 2010s, the number of married and married Americans is only about 50%. For 30 years, this figure has fallen by 21%.
- About 13% of American citizens once worked in McDonald's restaurants.
- On average, each able-bodied citizen works in one company for no more than 4.5 years.
- It is not customary to spread and recall this, however, in the 30s. last century, when one of the most significant economic crises raged in the United States, thousands of people moved to live in the Soviet Union.
- Trailer parks provide mobile housing for more than 20 million Americans. "Life on wheels" is also not an extraordinary phenomenon.
- Higher education is leveled here due to the huge number of higher educational institutions and the lack of qualified jobs. Therefore, you can meet a janitor with a bachelor of law or a waiter with a master's degree in fine arts in many cities. Time passes, and former students simply need to live and pay off their student loans.
- The number of people suffering from various forms of manic-depressive psychosis or other pathological mental disorders in the US is almost twice as high as in Western Europe.
- In half the states, rapists can get child custody through the courts if the victim becomes pregnant as a result of the rape. In general, in 90% of cases, rapists go unpunished, since not all victims turn to the police and can prove the fact of violence.
- Every American has at least 10 credit cards.

ABOUT AMERICAN GIRLS

The first thing that immediately catches your eye when dealing with American women is their independence and independence. An American girl always knows what she wants, clearly represents her life goals, regardless of the people around her, and therefore relationships with the opposite sex are far from being in the first place for her. Although it all depends on the person, of course.
AN AMERICAN GIRL IS STRANGELY EASY TO MAKE LAUGHING WITHOUT BEING A NATIVE SPEAKER

Here they are talking about "stupid" unfunny American humor - Russian humor in this case works 100% flawlessly! The main thing is not to cross the boundaries of tolerance and equality between a man and a woman.
For American girls, and for Americans in general, there are several generally recognized stages in the relationship between a man and a girl. The first stage is "dating" - a guy and a girl just spend time together, say, go to a sports club, to a restaurant, watch movies, in general, get to know each other. As they say, "meet".
The guy courts the girl, but it is believed that both the girl and the guy can "date" with someone else.
The next stage is "girlfriend/boyfriend". Everything is already clear here. Similar to the Russian "you are my girlfriend / I am your boyfriend." Well, then, if the relationship has gone too far, then “fiance / fiancee” and “husband / wife”.
If at the beginning of a relationship between a man and a woman in Russia, as a rule, there is “mystery”, “romance” and innuendo, then American girls like to discuss the details of the relationship from the very beginning.
"I'm leaving in 9 months for another country - is that OK for you?" - such may be the question on a first date. “Of course it’s not normal,” is the obvious answer, but here the first date can quickly become the last one - it’s almost impossible to influence the girl’s decision about the trip.
An interesting moment of communication with an American girl is the subject of the conversation itself. Here there is not much difference from a typical American conversation - everyone talks about himself, his thoughts, feelings and past experiences - everyone is independent and independent.
It’s the same in a telephone conversation - you constantly hear: “I’m doing a manicure now, my car is so dirty, tomorrow I definitely need to go to the gym, today I saw Fred, my dog ​​ran out into the yard,“ such a blockage at work! x 4 times a day x 7 times a week” and so on.
In Russian communication, maybe everything is the same - in a foreign language you pay more attention to this.
AMERICAN GIRLS LOVE TO COUNT MONEY AND WILL NOT SPEND AN EXTRA DOLLAR FOR EVEN IN A CLUB OR CAFE

And here lies a trap - you only have to pay the bill in a restaurant or cafe a couple of times - then you won’t get away, since it’s better not to expect modesty from American girls.
The girl herself can offer to go have a snack or drink a cup of coffee, and you will have no choice but to hand over a bank card to the seller. So in the financial issue it is better to achieve parity - everyone pays for himself.
The real test is partying with the girl's friends. Firstly, at parties, a guy and a girl, even if they meet, practically do not communicate with each other and do not at all show the appearance that they are together - everyone is equal and independent in communication.
For a Russian man, this may seem wild - after all, it’s nice for us to think all the time that this girl is mine and no one else’s (although times change)

Secondly, there is a difficulty to keep up a conversation with friends and “be in the know” - after all, after saying the phrase “My name is ... Yes, I love America” a thousand times in three months, I want to talk about something more interesting.
But here lie the main obstacles - cultural differences and slang.
AMERICANS, ESPECIALLY WHEN "UNDER THE DEGREE", USE WORDS THAT THE FOREIGN PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND TOTALLY

And the topics for conversation concern an unknown area: American film and television heroes, American jokes, jokes, TV programs, and therefore, in order to somehow navigate all this, you need to live in their culture for a long time - I think this also applies any other culture.
In general, the main conclusion from all this is that a truly serious relationship with an American girl is possible only when he is completely saturated with American culture and is able to sincerely understand it.
But even so, you still think a thousand times: maybe kind and sweet girls from Russia are better?

American mentality. If we talk about Americans as a nation, then we should immediately discard the ethnic factor determining the concept of nationality. There is no such ethnic concept as American nationality. The nationality of an American is de jure determined by the presence of US citizenship.

What we usually think of as nationality is what Americans call ethnicity. Hence such purely American concepts as African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Hindu, Russian, etc. are possible. Therefore, the words "nationality", "national" are translated into Russian as "citizenship", "citizen", and in a literal translation from Russian into English, the word "nationality" will mean "ethnicity" - "Ethnicity".

De facto, we understand who we are talking about when we talk about an American. The melting pot of the North American continent created the nation of Americans. The basis of American society and the first settlers are still considered white immigrants from Great Britain, ethnic British and Irish. Other ethnic elements of American society largely keep to themselves, retaining their ethnic features both in terms of everyday life and in terms of mentality. They assimilated into the nation exclusively de jure.

Considering the peculiarities of the American mentality, one should keep in mind only de facto Americans. That is, those US citizens who represent the social, cultural and political "core" of American society.

Over several centuries, European Americans have changed significantly and now do not even remotely resemble their European ancestors. This new national symbiosis is characterized by a completely non-European mentality. The new American mentality of the former Europeans is unparalleled. If in Europe you can not immediately determine whether your interlocutor is a German or a Frenchman, a Swede or a Swiss, then an American can be unmistakably guessed in an American.

The first and main feature of US citizens is patriotism. For an American, this is not political propaganda. They really consider their country the best, their democracy the most democratic, their cars the best, and so on. Almost every American considers it his duty to decorate his house with the national flag.

Europe, and even more so Asia, is somewhere very far away for the average American and is of little concern to him. Cultural and educated Americans have adopted European values, but are quite condescending towards the Old World, not wanting to be identified with the inhabitants of modern Europe.

According to some sociologists, the reason for American patriotism is that the first settlers in the United States were people quite desperate and adventuristically bold. They went through a difficult path of exploration of the New World. They got rid of British domination and mastered the vast expanses of their new homeland. They revived it from a tribal to a powerful state.

The remoteness of the United States from the Old World allowed the Americans to build their country without regard to European models. It was this passionarity of the young nation that laid the roots of today's arrogant patriotism. Wherever an American lives and no matter how long an American lives on earth, he considers himself an American and remains an American. The same passionarity of the young man also developed another feature of the American mentality - efficiency, enterprise, business aggressiveness.
Americans are very businesslike. They tend to work hard, and therefore earn a lot. The average American, predominantly a resident of the metropolis, strives to make a good career and earn as much money as possible. He is fast and punctual. The time he has is the equivalent of money.
But all this does not mean at all that the American is a joyless workaholic making money. This is a person who knows for sure how to relax and have fun after a working day. He understands leisure and at the same time knows how to manage money, accumulate it or risky investing in new projects. An American knows how to insure himself against anything, but he risks money like no one else in the world.

It is not customary for Americans to ask for a loan - they prefer to take loans only from a bank, and regularly pays off their debts for life. To ask for a loan from an American means to seriously affect his business feelings.
Americans really appreciate home comfort and comfort in the circle of their family. However, even among relatives it is not customary to make phone calls after 10 pm. It is also not customary to come to the house without an invitation; Americans do not like uninvited calls and visits.

Americans do not accept pessimism. An American always shows himself to be a healthy and successful person. "How are you?" - "The best". An American tries to always smile, regardless of whether he likes a person or not. All Americans strive to maintain an optimistic society and a general positive atmosphere in society. Also, Americans love and appreciate humor. However, American humor is rather primitive.

Despite the huge number of obese people in the United States, Americans tend to devote a lot of time to sports. In the US, sport is indeed a national culture and way of life. Americans are very fond of baseball and hockey, which, in fact, are the national sports in the United States.

The American believes that everyone should mind their own business. He will not lie under a broken car for days on end. That's what a car service is for. He will not bake pizza himself - there is a pizzeria for this. More and more Americans are even eating breakfast out of the house. Everyone has coffee makers at home, but on the way to work, an American will definitely stop by a local cafe or fast food restaurant.

If an American has done something with his own hands, then you can be sure that this is only what he can do professionally. Otherwise, he prefers to earn money to pay for the performance of this work by a specialist.

Mention should be made of the specific sex ratio in the United States. An American does not perceive a woman as a weak creature. First of all, a woman is a competitor for him. An American man does not marry quickly just because he is in love. He will marry when he has established a base for the family. Even more likely not for the family of the two of them, namely the base for the unborn child. Americans consider it normal to pay for oneself in a restaurant, even if it involves meeting a loved one in a restaurant. American women from an early age get used to independence and self-sufficiency. Dependence on a husband is considered bad manners by American women.

If a young couple lives together in a rented apartment, then they pay rent and utilities in half, each for himself. Also, as a rule, they agree to take turns paying for purchases of food, household trifles, or simply create a joint expense item for this.

Moreover, practice shows that an American woman has much more rights in the family than her average American husband. The growing influence of women in contemporary American society is in line with a similar trend in developed European countries.

Straight up: we are through the eyes of American men

Having spent more than half a year in New York, I unmistakably single out girls from Eastern Europe in the crowd - even before I hear them speak. There is something in appearance, in a look - tenacious, arrogant and a little cheeky. In the manner of dressing on the verge of a challenge and bad taste: “under the skin” leggings with a transparent insert at thigh level (these are worn without underwear), platform shoes and high heels, open blouses and dresses ... If I hear Russian speech from the mouth in the subway a stylish young lady, a modestly dressed student or a business woman in a strict gray three-piece suit, I am very surprised and happy. We do not want the Americans to perceive us only as temporary girlfriends with a sexual accent, who can be rented expensively, taken to restaurants and clubs, boasted to friends. But maybe it's not like that at all? Why not ask the Americans themselves what they think of Eastern European women? Finding men to interview was easier than I thought. People in the US are open to communication and, it seemed to me, quite frank in their judgments and assessments.

Russian ladies are confident in their appearance and love to cook

Gene Atnip, 46, Oil Company Engineer, Vernon, Texas:

I never met a woman from Eastern Europe, but a couple of times he became a victim of Internet fraud, when he communicated with beauties on a dating site with girls from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, sent money at their request for a visa and an air ticket to the United States, came to meet them to the airport and... no one ever showed up. But I had a friend of a girl from the GDR - we talked with her even before the wall was destroyed in Berlin ... I was always very curious to talk to her: a completely different culture! It was an important and interesting life experience.

Russian ladies are very confident in their appearance and clearly understand what they want from life. I spoke with some of them on the phone, and they all noticed that they love and know how to cook. This, as I understand it, is your main advantage, not counting beauty! (Smiling.) They are also very attached to the family. I like this: Russian-American couples have a future! Despite the fact that I was so ugly deceived, I am optimistic about Slavic women. I am a very curious person - everything unfamiliar intrigues me.

Language, in my opinion, will not be a barrier. I don't think Russian is any more difficult than German (Gene learned German while working in Germany. - Note. A.K.). For any person, if he wants to grow as a person, it is important to learn foreign languages ​​throughout his life. What is really hard to find, and not only in relationships with Russian girls, is trust. It's hard to trust someone if you communicate from a distance.

It cannot be said that Russian girls are more interesting and beautiful than American ones, and vice versa. We just live in different environments. American women often do not allow men to lead the family, and so many of us want to marry an Eastern European lady - in order to have enough freedom to work, to support a woman, while she creates comfort in the house and takes care of children. What could be better than a strong, close-knit family? I spent a lot of time in German families, I went to family holidays, and it's amazing how strong their family values ​​are! Three generations can live in the same house at the same time, because it is too expensive to live independently of parents. And people manage not to quarrel, to treat each other with love. This is worth learning!

Beautiful eyes and sexy accent

Sheriff Upchurch, 32, senior restaurant manager at the Plaza Hotel, New York:

I am open to everything new, and it doesn’t matter to me what country the girl I like comes from. You see, men are looking for love ... They may admit it or not, but deep down we all want to be truly loved - in joy and in sorrow, with any material wealth ... When there is love and trust , does it really matter if she is Russian or American? Any relationship has to be worked on. She grew up in a different world, she has different values, beliefs. The main thing is to find something in common and hold on to it. To help her adapt to the new reality, enrich her inner world.

As for the stereotypes about girls from Eastern Europe... You probably think that in the USA Russians are thought of as “pen-brides”, kept women with rich dads? You are wrong! There are many girls who love money among American women.

How many couples have I seen when he is over 60, and she is barely over 20! He is a millionaire, she is a model. All around! Eastern European women are more focused on finding a life partner than a sponsor. It is very important that a child who appears in an international family speaks the languages ​​of both parents. I have a daughter from a Polish woman. She is not particularly eager to teach her child Polish: we live in New York. And I insist: I want my daughter to know the language and history of her mother's native country.

Much has been said about the beauty of Slavic girls ... They have something in their appearance that is very catchy ... Eyes, that's what! Plus Russian accent - very sexy! They always strive to look their best, more than Americans, use decorative cosmetics. It is easy to spend money if we are talking about wealthy Russian ladies. They have high standards, they want the best.

Russian girls take care for granted

Eric Jones, 37, interior designer at Victoria's Secret lingerie stores, New York:

Yes, I dated girls from Eastern Europe. It was a pleasant experience. It is interesting to talk about different topics with someone whose outlook on life is very different from yours. There is definitely something special about the appearance of Russian girls. They have a very sensual, natural beauty. From physique, style to accent... Very, very attractive! I know several Russian names: Tatyana, Natalya, Alena, Olga, Anastasia, Victoria... Now here is Alice!

If a man is looking for a wife-partner, then Slavic women are just what you need. They are submissive, loyal, honest, open to entertainment, travel, know a lot about food, restaurants and know how to enjoy simple things. I quite seriously admit that a serious relationship, even marriage, is possible between me and a woman from Eastern Europe. Maybe you have someone in mind for me? (Smiling.)

But seriously, my main concern about Russian girls (one might say, a sore spot): they take everything for granted. I did not hear words of gratitude, did not feel that they appreciate my attitude towards them, my desire to make them happy ... Maybe this is just my experience. But if I risk another relationship with a girl from Eastern Europe, I would like not only to give, but also to feel the return from her. Let it be a dinner prepared as a surprise for my return, or an offer to go somewhere for the weekend, go on a little trip for two ... I love to be surprised and I want to be close to the one who will surprise me. Plus a little appreciation and gratitude.

As for children, the question of what language they will speak is not even discussed! Of course, in the languages ​​of both parents! This child will come in handy in life, and even during visits to relatives (I hope they will be), I want the baby to speak Russian fluently and understand his grandparents well.

Russian girls know their place

Michael Michaelides, 34, professional golfer, New York:

I dated a Slavic woman. I rate this experience as positive. She was a sweet girl, beautiful and smart. For a while everything was fine, but, unfortunately, it did not work out. I don’t know if Americans have any stereotypes about Russian girls and how they differ from representatives of other countries ... I’ll tell you what I’m sure of: girls from Eastern Europe are among the most beautiful in the world.

Some of my friends say that Russian women are family oriented and at the same time they know their place. They are amazing lovers. For them, it is paramount that a man earns well.

They cook great. They have a strong will... Here, you are already smiling! I also think that not all of this is worth taking on faith. I am absolutely sure that a serious relationship between an American and a woman from Eastern Europe is possible. You just need to find the one with which there is "chemistry", with which you feel happy.

Language in this case will not be such a significant obstacle, as well as differences in religions, cultures ... What matters is the different social structures in which the identities of men and women were formed. Hence the different attitudes towards work, leisure, family life ... If I married a Russian woman, I would definitely want my children to be equally fluent in Russian and English ... And Greek, since I am Greek by nationality, Even though I live in New York.

What Russian names do I know? Elena, Mila, Victoria, Katerina, Anna... All these names belong to women with whom I spoke at different times. Some of them are hard to remember because of the difficult pronunciation, but once you remember, you will never forget!

They are like puzzles that you can solve all your life.

Rob Forster, 35, Marketing Analyst, Jackson, Mississippi:

Girls from Eastern European countries are passionate, strong natures, who often confuse us with their words and deeds. They are like puzzles that can be solved for a lifetime.

As a rule, they are beautiful, but I can't easily spot them in a crowd just by their looks. There is definitely a wide variety of types of Eastern European girls. Before I started living and working in Thailand, I had no idea how different the features of Russian girls can be! When I tell my friends in the US about this, they hardly believe me. To many, a Russian girl appears as the image of Anna Kournikova, a fair-skinned blonde with blue eyes.

What other stereotypes? Russian girls are sexy, temperamental, caring for the traditional family way, where the man is the head of the family, and the woman is the keeper of the hearth... Stereotypes and generalizations

so many, especially those related to excessive sexuality and indifference to the struggle for gender equality. But all this is individual. Conflicts in relations between an American and a Russian woman are inevitable, just as conflicts between two different cultures, behavioral models, and expectations are inevitable ... This will bring many difficulties, but the real obstacles will relate to problems common to all couples (and not only international ones) in relationships, such as: trust, maturity of actions and thinking, "chemistry", that is, mutual sexual attraction.

The main advantage, it seems to me, will be in a child born in such a pair. After all, he can easily, immediately speak the two main languages ​​\u200b\u200bof the world!

The Russian soul always comes out

Paul Fushino, 33, Intellectual Property Expert, Westminster, Colorado:

Let's start with the Russian names that I know: Alla, Christina, Irina, Jarmila, Tatyana, Natasha, Natalya, Dinara, Dimira, Albina, Daria, Camilla, Janet, Love, Evgenia, Nadezhda, Galya, Alena, Inga, Leva, Anya , Elena, Oksana, Anastasia, Lyudmila, Olga, Julia, Lydia, Larisa, Anna, Victoria, Valentina, Antonina.

I had relationships with two Ukrainian girls, and both were very different. The latter, unfortunately, falls under common stereotypes about what to expect from a woman from Eastern Europe. Therefore, I would like to talk about it first of all.

She was beautiful on the outside, but very soon I realized how ugly she was on the inside. She believed that the whole world should revolve around her, did little to

to realize her dreams herself, but she expected this from me - she wanted me to provide her with everything for a “beautiful life”. She loved to wear beautiful things, go to beautiful places, while she had no personal ambitions at all. I didn’t want to work on myself, I didn’t want to study, I didn’t want to look for a job. I will never forget how one day in a restaurant she demanded that I buy her flowers, or how, during a ballet, she suddenly leaned over to me and ... asked me to give her money for shopping. Found the moment! In a word, not the best woman for dating, and even more so in order to spend the rest of her life with her. So I broke up with her.

Relations with another Ukrainian woman were of a different kind. She did not fit any stereotype about Slavic women, which proves once again that a stereotype is nothing more than a label used by people to generalize because of their unwillingness to understand the essence of things.

If in the USA his friends buy a birthday cake, then in Ukraine - the birthday boy himself. Where is the logic? Why does someone who has a birthday have to spend half a day in the shops and in the kitchen to feed and entertain friends?

She was beautiful not only externally, but also internally: she was very smart, well-read, at that time she was receiving a Ph.D. She was keenly interested in culture, painting, music, traveled a lot, could tell interesting things about a lot (she had fluent English, although she constantly doubted it and was embarrassed by her "meager" vocabulary). Family was of paramount importance to her. Friendship too. I can say for sure: she valued her friends more than gold. She was a fantastic girl who took care of me. And I - about her: I was pleased to give her flowers and gifts, but she never asked for them, unlike my other Ukrainian friend.

I think if it weren’t for the distance (while she was finishing her studies, we had to live in different countries), we would have got married. We are still close friends, so I do not think that everything is lost forever.

If we talk about difficulties in relations with women from Eastern European countries, then the language is the lesser of the evils. The difference in cultures and upbringing - that's what will make you sweat! A simple example: if in the USA his friends buy a birthday cake, then in Ukraine it is the birthday boy himself. Where is the logic here? Why does someone who has a birthday have to spend half a day in the shops and in the kitchen to feed and entertain friends? In the USA, friends will organize a party for you - you can relax.

Another obstacle that is almost never mentioned is the difference in size of the cities in which we grew up. My hometown is three times the size of the one my Ukrainian ex-girlfriend grew up in. She had everything nearby: home, school, shops, cinema... You could walk anywhere. In the USA, a car is a necessity, everything is located at a great distance from each other, public transport does not go everywhere and rarely. When I visited a girl in her hometown in Ukraine, I felt uncomfortable. What she considered cute and cozy (to the cinema, the store, the park - within easy reach!), Annoyed me. When she visited me in America, she was indignant at the fact that a car was needed even in order to buy cabbage, not to mention going to the movies.

If we judge the external side of Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian girls, then there can be only one answer: they are very, very beautiful! They care about their appearance and do not leave a single detail unattended, knowing that we, men, look at them with all our eyes. (Smiling.)

I’m more interested in what is commonly called the “Russian soul” - the uniqueness of experiences, opinions, views ... No matter how they present themselves, no matter how they adapt to a new country, this “Russian soul” always comes out. Those who are not fixated only on appearance, but also have spiritual beauty, seem to glow from the inside! Men notice and feel it, such a girl is always special, always stands out from the crowd.

Of course, Americans have a lot of stereotypes about Russian women, drawn from films. “An exotic Russian woman seduces an American spy while he tries to steal top secret plans for a new submarine”... Or: “A rich American sees a poor Russian girl and, driven by pity for her (she can’t even afford a heater! ), marries, takes her to New York, settles in his luxurious apartment, buys a Hummer ... Or: “Russian girls wear earflaps, are stunningly beautiful, eat borscht, drink more vodka in a day than an American in a year, want money from you and an American passport, require attention and that you run around her, and all of them are secret agents ... Well, have I brought you enough stereotypes?

If you had asked me 10 years ago if marriage was possible between me and an Eastern European woman, I would have said no. But now the world is changing. Now I believe that a serious relationship and marriage is possible between me and the "right" woman from Eastern Europe.

Alisa KSENEVICH

This country produce culture shock. The behavior of citizens and their mentality causes only positive emotions, and a lot.

Now let's highlight the difference between the mentalities of the citizens of the Russian Federation and the United States.

Features of Americans

Citizens of the country smile everywhere, even to strangers. If in the USA they smiled at you, then you give a smile to a person.

Did you hit someone with your shoulder or stepped on your foot? Then you have to apologize. Already very polite people in the country.

In stores you are always greeted warmly, smiling, offering help. In our shops, the seller will look at you with displeasure.

In any cafe, you will also smile, although sometimes it is feigned.

People selling cosmetics work very well in this country, they describe their goods very beautifully, colorfully. Sometimes you just have to listen.

Almost everywhere they ask: “Where are you guys from?”. Always surprised, but again false.

In this country, no one thinks about how he looks. We will have you all from head to toe.

If you are standing in line, then remember that you can not get close. In the US, it is illegal to occupy personal space.

The only dissatisfied people in the country are the Chinese and the Arabs. They don't like it when a customer spends a lot of time in their store and doesn't buy much.

In the USA, you will always be helped and prompted, as people here are responsive and friendly. But they are cute as long as you don't want anything from them. It's just a formal courtesy, don't assume that they are ready to become your friends.

Bad manners

It is customary in the country to lick fingers after eating, and even in public places, without any hesitation.

Local citizens do not take off their shoes. Their floors are dirty. Of course, there is much less dirt in the USA than in the Russian Federation, but it is still there. In addition, you need to give your legs a rest.

People of this state do not like to wash floors.

Correctness of Americans

All citizens of the country strictly follow the rules! If you go to the USA, then do the same as they do, otherwise there will be a lot of problems. And who needs them?! Of course, no one.

In the US, no one is in a hurry. Local citizens do not cut each other on the roads.

All cars in the country people park correctly. If the car is parked incorrectly, then after ten minutes drive it to the impound.

All services work well, so if your car is not taken away, you will still be fined.

If you see the inscription "You can not shoot!", Then it's better not to do it.

System everywhere. It exists throughout the life of US citizens. Everything works for citizens.

If a problem arises, then turning to whoever you need, they will quickly help you solve it, and not like we do - you won’t call a locksmith, a plumber won’t reach you.

Have you overpaid taxes? Don't worry, everything will be returned to you at the end of the year. The program counts everything in the country.

Roads

The tracks are ribbed so that the water from the rain flows down, and you can safely ride (without interference). Everything in the country is for people, but we have pits in order to drive more slowly.

Highways are very confusing, so think ahead if you want to turn off for a coffee or gas station. Always take your navigator with you.

All road signs say what needs to be done. For example, trucks are prohibited. That is, life is so simplified that you don’t even need to know the signs.

There are terribly “biting” fines here, so you are unlikely to want to break it.

american food

Portions at the cafe for elephants. There is a feeling that you are fattened, then to slaughter.

Ihop is a good cafe, very tasty food. There you can order amazing pancakes with strawberry, cheese or banana cream. So tasty that you can swallow your fingers, but high in calories. If you didn’t finish your meal and took the food with you, then this is normal behavior. We will not understand such behavior, they will look like a greedy or starving person.

Do you know where this tradition of taking with you came from? In the fifties, all the leftovers were taken away by dog ​​owners to treat their furry friends. Ten years later, a very difficult period came, so people did it for themselves. No one thought or said anything bad about such citizens. This behavior is still called the “dog bag” today, as it came from the tradition of taking food to the dogs. In Russia, portions are smaller, so, as a rule, there is nothing to take away.

Products for every wallet. Of course, this is also the case in Europe. In America, on the label they write, for example, "organic" or "chemistry". A person is told honestly that this is chemistry. There is an opportunity to pay more, then buy organic.

Organic yogurt. This is a very tasty dairy product. It is clean, oily, without any impurities. If you eat it in the morning with berries (or with fruits), then you don’t want to eat at all for half a day. The stomach does not hurt, does not rumble, everything is normal.

There are also cheap shops in the country where you can skimp on $50 for a week, expensive ones also work, it will be difficult for you to meet such an amount in them.

The state has freshly squeezed juice. It is sterilized and it is good after that for another three weeks. At the same time, it indicates that it is made from natural ingredients (“organic”). The juice tastes sour, with pulp, there is no chemistry.

Tips

Leave tips everywhere. It is necessary to leave a tip not only in cafes and restaurants, but also to the taxi driver.

In any cafe, even fast food, you will be asked if you want to leave a tip. In an ordinary cafe, if you do not leave them, they may even ask the reason for this behavior on your part.

At the entrance to the store you are met by 1 seller, then another one approaches in the hall. They say hello and offer to help. If you agree to help, then run around. It is very difficult to refuse a thing, as they ask a bunch of additional questions. When you leave, whether you have purchased something or not, they wish you a good day.