(no subject)

[pooplina.livejournal.com]

Hey everyone!
I am not sure this is the right community to ask this in, but what the heck I'll give it a shot. Anyways, my name is Polina, I'm 17 and  I am a high school student. I am also what my grand old russian teacher has categorized as "heritage learner" : basically, I was born in Ukraine (although at the time it was still Russia blah blah blah) and I only speak Russian.I moved to America when I was three and never really learned how to read Russian until I was in 9th grade. So I don't have an accent in English, but people say I have an accent in Russian, and I guess I speak baby Russian, you know the slang sort of stuff.

So anyways, there was  this statewide olympadia thing and (long story short) I won a trip to Russia! woohoo. But here's the catch: I am going to Vladmir, which is part of those small cities in the "golden ring" and I'm staying with a family for 3 weeks, as well as going to something called the Cora Institute.

I'm kind of nervous about the whole thing for a lot of reasons. I'll be going back to Russia for the first time, and I'll be staying with a Russian family...dnuh dnuh dnuh. I was wondering if any of you here could answer some questions, because I feel bad asking my Russian teacher this.Please be truthful.

1) Is Vladmir a hick town? Now I don't mean to offend anyone, I know Vladmir is one of the oldest cities in Russia, and its got some amazing history... but just how big is this place?

2) Are Russian teenagers that much different from American ones?
I know that the Russian kids I ment in general are usually a bit more mature in terms of partying then American ones. Their clothes seem to be different too... What do Russian kids wear? What should I bring and what should I leave behind?

3)Do Russians still think that all Americans are rich and piggish? I'm scared of arriving, and realizing that the family thinks I am this really well off person. I mean, I am a Middle Class American ... but I don't think of myself as "Rich".

4) What should I watch out for?
My mom told me this story about how a gypsy in St. Petersburg once hyptonized her friend, and almost robbed her blind in the street. But then again, Russian mothers are like the ultimate Bards of cautionary tales, so I am not sure if Russian is really as scary as my mother is making it out to be.

5)How's the food there, and what should I bring for my own sanity?
I basically live on Russian food at home, but some of it I just can't stand. (Blech -pickled herring) Anything American I might miss once I am there?

Alright, sorry about the long post. Thanks in advance for anyone who has the patience answer my ramblings.

Comments

[xnrrn.livejournal.com]

1. In russia, if its called city, its really not hick. Well, it might be smaller then one of them capitol cities, or bigger ones, but its not hick. Its kind of hard to be hick in Russia.
Im not sure specifically about Vladimir.
2. Nope. All teenagers are alike. Russian ones might be more mature (well, the juridic maturity here is 14-16-21, not 18-21-23 as in America), but still. Otherwise Im not sure on teenage fashions.
3. Well, a middle class american is rich in russian terms. Especially in one of the smaller towns like Vladimir (beer that costs $.3 for 0.5 liters, and the like... You can bet that by your terms you're gonna end up rich. Still. If you're not to mindful of the fact what russians think, not especially snobish, and just act like yourself, they won't think that. That oppinion comes with special type of behaviour (nuveaux riche. New russians. etc), not certain people, or types of people.
4. Well, I can tell you about an australian tourist that arrived to Sheremetyevo in them perestroyka years, and got swindled of his luggage, money etc, he wasn't able to speak russian though. Still they say he lives here still, and has got about five or six free higher educations for free or somesuch. Nope, just keep your eyes open, you'll be okay...
5. Im not sure about which american food you might miss, since Im not sure wth is american food? Beef steak? Chips? Well, you can get anything in russia, in terms of food, so don't worry.

There. Sorry for the long answer. $)

[aveleen.livejournal.com]

Its kind of hard to be hick in Russia - no way! There are thousands of hick towns in Russia!

[xnrrn.livejournal.com]

The russian towns aren't hick, at least not in the same sense that american towns can be. Well, still, in russia there is either civilization or THE WILD. There's a lot more of the latter of course. But still, I wouldn't call -anywhere- in russia hick. %) Let me add an IMHO acronym to be sure. ;)

[aveleen.livejournal.com]

Well, this was my IMHO - as a person who travels in Russian pretty often, I look around and find hick towns everywhere.

But then, of course, "hick" is a sort of word like "hot" or "bad" or "low" - everything is sooo relative!

[ataltane.livejournal.com]

Maybe the important part to remember is that while in the US, a city can be a tiny little settlement, in the rest of the word, it often means a big city. Not sure how it works our in Russia, though, but I expect that Russians take their cities seriously :)

[schreibikus.livejournal.com]

1. Владимир - провинция. И все остальные города кроме Москвы и Санкт-Петербурга - тоже.
2. русские тинейджеры воспитаны на американской культуре (голливуд! mtv! бубльгум!), поэтому общий язык найдете 8)
3. Хаха, такие мнения близки народу 8) особенно в провинции.
4. С цыганами не общайся, и одна ночью по улицам не ходи.
5. с едой проблем не будет.

[kutsuwamushi.livejournal.com]

<mod hat>

Please remember that the working language of this community is English, since a lot of our members aren't fluent in Russian. It's all right to answer questions in Russian, but if you do so, please provide an English translation. :)

</mod hat>

[kniazhna.livejournal.com]

Yay, there go the only two cities in the largest country in the world. And the rest is just a backyard, I guess. Chinese must envy us. How come they still haven't taken upon the avaliable lands where there aren't any cities there? Nobody would notice anyway.

And so you know, what may be considered a province in your capital-dwellers' vocabulary is actually considered a quite regular city like any other in other languages. For those who live in America especially it's not such an important issue of province or capital. Even smaller and more provincial cities than Vladimir are more like a capital in comparison with the towns down here in the States.

Speaking as a foreigner in Russia...

[alektoeumenides.livejournal.com]

So I can perhaps give you some idea of how I found it all...

1. Vladimir has a McDonalds. Thus it is civilisation. It's nice enough (I was there on a brief visit) but it depends what you're used to. If you're used to large cities then you might find it rather dull. But Moscow isn't too far away if you want to escape. And small places have one big advantage here: a little less traffic, a lot prettier.

2. I find Russian teenagers (having *taught* them) are essentially the same as most other...they tend to have more of an attutide in the classroom though...because even though they really mature at the same rate as everyone else, they try to BEHAVE older much earlier. I've seen kids who can't be more than 10/11 smoking and drinking. I've got 12 year old girls in make-up and short skirts.

Thinking of clothes - being English, I can only relate to the UK. But teenage fashion is, in general, about 2 years behind England. So at the moment, combat trousers are just comming into fashion, as are stripey leg-warmers and arm-warmers. Think Avril Lavine (sp?). Tight tight jeans (blue, flared leg) are the way to go here. And pointy shoes. *ugh* pointy shoes.

3. I think no one is going to be negative towards you as an American - Russians have enough on their plates as a rule without worrying about other nations. You may well encounter some anti-Bush sentiment though...I really can't say, not being American myself.

4. Just be sensible. Bad things can happen anywhere: just keep your wits about you and remember that if someone offers you a "service" of somesort on the street, there's something dodgy going on. My main concern would be the Militisa. They have the right to stop you and check your passport...and then of course they can start saying that there's a problem on it and cause trouble for you. Technically they cannot search you without a permit, but a friend of mine was searched at night in a train station, almost had his passport stolen and *did* have his wallet stolen by them.

The Militsia are *not* your friends.

5. I suspect the food you have had in the US, even Russian fare, has been of better quality than the stuff you get here. Meat is tougher, soup pretty oily and so forth. You can generally get anything, although Vladimir might not be as good as Moscow for that. I can't think of much offhand (you need to think about what you particularly like and perhaps post it) but I can inform you that: they do peanut butter here, but it's sweet. Unless you chance upon an import, bring your own.

Anyway, have a great time and let us all know how it goes.

valya

Re: Speaking as a foreigner in Russia...

[kutsuwamushi.livejournal.com]

I would think that getting certain foods through customs would be rather hard ... I'd rather drink oily soup than deal with customs. =)

Re: Speaking as a foreigner in Russia...

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

No problem to have food in your luggage, this is not the U.S. The other thing is that if you fly Aeroflot, you are only permitted to have 36 kg (~90 pounds) of luggage for free, the rest is going to be taxed (heavily.) Well, there's another question: will the absence of favorite food for a term THAT brief make your life really unbearable, or you'll better be smart and travel light?

Concerning safety: travelling light is one of the keys to it - if you are able to handle all your stuff alone at a time, you're less vulnerable to any kind of theft that those American travellers I normally see at Sheremetyevo Airport when I pick up my friensd there -- who come with seven large suitcases each, the suitcases containing their favorite food, clothes, iron, their favorite stereo system, 64 CDs they can't spend a week without, and a portable washing machine; they try to "hire a indigenous boy" immediately to handle their luggage, then go to have a ciggy, and what a surprise!.. -------- :)

[simplewolf.livejournal.com]

1. Vladimir is not as large as New York. But it's not very small. You can learn more here - http://www.vladimir-city.ru/ and here http://www.google.ru/search?hl=ru&ie=UTF-8&q=Vladimir+city&btnG=%D0%9F%D0%BE%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%BA
2. Russian teenagers nowadays are just like american ones. The most different thig is that a lot of them is smoking i guess ;-)
3. You know american middle class is still very different from russian. Those, who gain about 1000 dollars per men here is rather a rich man. But it doesnt matter to most of people.
4. Don't walk alone at night and beware of skin-heads and drunk people.
5. The food is practically the same, you can find almost everything, that you like. There's MacDonalds in Vladimir and it does not differ from others.

Sorry for poor english.

[altsoph.livejournal.com]

Hi 8)

I am naturally from Vladimir, but I moved to Moscow, and I am maintaining web-site about Vladimir-city (Sorry, only russian version for this time -- www.allvladimir.ru (http://allvladimir.ru) ).

So, about your questions:
1) Vladimir has about 500.000 citizens now. So, this is not-so-small town, but almost any two citizens have at least one common friend.

2) I don't think so.

3) Well, I think everything'll be nice 8-)

4) Check my site for this info:
http://allvladimir.ru/?key=museums
http://allvladimir.ru/?key=arch
http://allvladimir.ru/?key=monum
and so on.

5) I think you'll find dozens of American-like cafes, bars and clubs. But home-food may be different.

Good luck 8)
Have a nice trip 8)

[squodge.livejournal.com]

Hey, your Vladimir has as many citizens as my city of Liverpool (the one in England, not Australian). And in some ways, I'd consider Liverpool a "hick town" (as Americans like to call it), but it also has widespread immigration and a very high tolerance of different racial and social classes that's not quite tolerated in a lot of England.

~ squodge ~

[definite.livejournal.com]

Some impressions on staying in Vladimir you can find in agentdanger's LJ, entries from Jan 22 till April 23.

[karashi.livejournal.com]

Just follow the rules of common sense in a city. Also:
a) Don't walk around at night. Especially not alone. If you have to, go with somebody and try to be "moderately inconspicuous."
b) Gosh, most of the time, Gypsies don't deserve the bad rap they get. Don't worry about hypnosis :P. Just keep your wits about you when dealing with anybody you don't know.
c) As for the Russian attitude towards America - it's like love-hate. I'm sure nobody will go off at you for being American, though. It's more America's culture and foreign polic.
d) Bring a camera. ;)
Oh yes, and do please note not to buy products from street vendors unless you have thoroughly checked it out. Meaning, if you buy a lot of strawberries, sometimes a dishonest vendor will put good ones on top, and then fill the bottom up with bad ones. Also, if street vendors think you are a foreigner, they will try to charge you extra because they think you do not understand. Be careful.

I'm suspicious when I buy any cooked meat product because I don't know from where they obtained the meat - but maybe that's just me.

P.S. - Militsia is okay if you bribe them. ;)

[quem98.livejournal.com]

Oooh! You're going to be studying at KORA! I did the ACTR summer abroad program there!

The teachers there are possibly the sweetest women you'll ever meet! They will schedule a huge amount of silly cultural activities for you... Some of them are really interesting, some not. It's a great little program!

Be prepared to see more monastaries and churches than you've ever wanted to see. They will take you to all of them in the outskirts (Even though the most beautiful ones are right in the city)

If you could tell the teachers there that Samantha says hi, I'll be eternally grateful!

1)Yeah, it's pretty small. There is the one street that has everything there is to see, but for the time you'll be there there won't be a want for things to do. There are little bars and clubs and things. There is also a really great Movie Theater called Kino Max which is very modern, and the movie dubs are perfect. Push comes to shove, Moscow is a short train ride away.

2) Teenagers are the same everywhere.

3) Not really. Just be prepared to discuss politics.

4) Vladimir is pretty safe. Just use basic common sense and street smarts and you'll be fine.

5) I had no issue with the food there. And the restaurants there are pretty decent and very inexpensive for foreigners. Just make sure to tell your host family what you like and don't like when you get there. this will save you a world of trouble. They will be pretty accomodating. Again, they've all hosted us before. Most of them are used to the fact that we have wierd taste in food.

The cafeteria, however, is a little schetchy. The food there is edible but not great. You'll probably see the ACTR summer folk during meals.

If you want to talk more, you can drop me a post on my journal.