Russian culture question

[tricours.livejournal.com]

One thing that I've remarked several times when reading the blogs of Scandinavians or other westeners who've spent some time in Russia, is that they comment on how Russians don't smile. I've read lots of "I went home for the holidays and once again I was met with a smile when I went to the store to shop" etc. etc. Also one girl commented that some railroad personnel at a station where trains come in from Finland greeted her with a smile because "that's what they know westerners expect as good service". Do clerks and shop personnel in Russia not smile? As a clerk in Sweden or Norway it's practically written in your contract that "YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SMILE AT CUSTOMERS" ;)

At the same time, I met this Russian travel agent who's lived in the Caribbeans for the last 10 years and who thought service in Norway was completely awful. But perhaps he was comparing it to that of the Caribbeans, and not to the Russian one?

Comments

[febb.livejournal.com]

Anecdotes are very serious stuff too.
Short pronounced laugh is the right reaction to a decent joke.

[bs-chvstvnn.livejournal.com]

hahahA tovarisch, you damn right
Thats the right way of rugged and soviet behaving.

Excuse me, I must go outside to check nuclear tank - my data processing machine's monitors are twinkle strangely. What's weather today? Must I put on three ushankas or only two?

[febb.livejournal.com]

Use appropriately one ushanka on your old bold head.
Use second usanka accordingly to cover you nuclear tank.
Kill approaching bear and drink plenty of vodka to
Avoid mental dehydration. This is the simple rule to survive in Siberia.

[stella-v.livejournal.com]

You've forgotten the great thing known as "valenki".

[bs-chvstvnn.livejournal.com]

of course - biohazard luzhas everywere

[bs-chvstvnn.livejournal.com]

Tank got a crack but now all ok - I glued it up with bubble gum

[febb.livejournal.com]

You are lucky, now you can invite friends to watch funnny bubbles on nuclear tank! :)