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Russian Customs

RUSSIAN ETIQUETTE AND CUSTOMS

TIPS WHILE TRAVELLING IN RUSSIA

If you are invited to a Russian home for dinner, be sure to bring a gift for your hosts - a bottle of wine or flowers or good Russian chocolate is always welcome. A small gift for the child is always appropriate.
If you bring flowers, make sure the number of flowers is uneven; even numbers of flowers are for funerals.
Do not shake hands or kiss across the threshold of the door step; this is considered bad luck. Take off your gloves when shaking hands.
Be prepared to remove your shoes when entering a home. You will be given a pair of tapachki or slippers to help keep the apartment clean.
When entering or exiting a vehicle the man steps out first so as to offer his hand to the lady whom he is accompanying.
On public transportation, offer your seat to mothers with children, the elderly or infirm. People will admire you.
Men should offer to carry the parcels of women they are accompanying.
If you cross your legs keep the sole of your shoe facing the ground. It is a sign of disrespect to show people the soles of your shoes. When in the metro or sitting on the bus, don't let your feet even come close to the seat.
Offer to share your snacks and cigarettes with those around you, especially on the train or at the office.
Be prepared to accept smoking.
Be prepared to accept all alcohol and food offered when visiting friends, and it can be quite a lot. Refusing a drink or a toast is a serious breach of etiquette. An open bottle must often be finished. Be prepared to give toasts at dinners, etc. Be careful, the vodka
can catch up with you!
Dress up for the theatre, check in your coat and any large bags at the cloak room. Be on time and don't take photographs.
Be careful in complimenting something in a home. Your host may offer it to you.
Don't put your thumb between your first two fingers. It is a very rude gesture.

WOMEN IN RUSSIA
Women should be accompanied by a man in restaurants and in hotels. Women are not supposed to be assertive in public, carry heavy bags if walking with a man, open doors, uncork bottles or pay for themselves in social situations (even if they do heavy construction work or work in warehouses and are quite healthy). This custom of relying on a man makes the man look good in public.

DRESS
Business people dress conservatively with good shoes. Men should not take off their jackets without asking. Dress casually for dinner in someone's home. In cold weather, wear a hat or babushkas will lecture you on your foolishness!

IN CHURCH:
In Russian Orthodox Churches women should wear a skirt and cover their heads with a scarf. Men should bare their heads.

SUPERSTITIONS:
Do not whistle indoors - you will blow away all your money .

Never light a cigarette from a candle. It will bring you bad luck.

Never pour wine back-handed, it means you will also pour away your money.

Black cats crossing your path are bad luck.
Women should not sit at the corner of a table. If they do they will wind up single for the next seven years.
Women who sit on cold concrete or steps will catch an internal cold.
If you spill salt on the table you will be plagued by bad luck unless you throw three pinches over your left shoulder immediately.
If someone gives good wishes, or you talk about your good fortune, you must spit three times over your left shoulder and knock on wood to keep your good fortune.
Touch one of your buttons when you go past a cemetery.
Ensure that all your debts are settled before 31st December; otherwise you will be in debt for the whole of the next year.

Keep hold of lilies with 5 petals and bus tickets where the sum of the first 3 digits adds up to the sum of the last 3. They will bring you good luck.

If you leave the house, but then return immediately before leaving for a second time, make sure that you change something about your appearance slightly, otherwise you run the risk of encountering bad luck.

Before leaving on a long trip, sit quietly for two minutes.
Leave something behind in Russia and you will come back.

GOODWILL:

Admire the good & beautiful, don't make invidious comparisons or criticize.
Warm smiles, sympathy, patience, tolerance, and a good nature will get you through most difficulties.
Learn some basic vocabulary and use it whenever possible. It pleases people.

Please Pozhalusta
Thank you Spasibo
How are you Kak Vy pozhivaete
Well Khorosho
Good day Dobryy den
Good evening Dobryy vecher
Good bye Do svidaniya

USEFUL LINKS

CIA Fact book - Russia - A wealth of information about Russia

Map of the Russian Federation - A large downloadable&printable map of the Russian Federation

Latest News from Russia delivered by ITAR-TASS News Agency

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Russian Customs