Job Discussion Forums

[Seeker of truth]

Has anyone ever had a bad experience hosting Russians? Did the Russians have difficulty adjusting to cultural differences in your country? Did you get the feeling they were taking your hospitality for granted?

Please share your experiences. Thanks.

[malcoml]

It really depends on the person. I had a girlfriend who was a student from Russia and her family was vey open minded so she ofcourse did not want to leave. Then there is other Russians who believe that Russia is the greatest country in the world and they are overseas to do a job of learning english and can not wait to get home. And for the rich in Russia, it would be the greatest country in the world.

[chechevitsa]

my boyfriend's mother always complained about how nothing was as good as it was back home: the vegetables were not so fresh, the people were not so open, etc. one of the occasions on which she most actively complained about canadians not being particularly warm and welcoming was, in fact, when she was sitting at my mother's dinner table, having attended an open house that my mother holds monthly featuring generous spreads of snacks and a highly welcoming atmosphere--so I suppose that you could say she didn't really appreciate our hospitality. another russian friend of mine likes to cast aspersions on the canadian medical system, in particular because she feels that canadian doctors underdiagnose.

however, both of these people are immigrants rather than people being hosted for a short time. also, two people hardly makes for a representative sampling. and this is not to mention that both people also accepted many things about The West completely comfortably.

in sum: your mileage may vary.

[GabeKessel]

British-colonial cultures -US, Canada, etc., seem to be too "cold "and "reserved" to the Russians. They think the same about the Balts.

I guess it has to do with the way people behave towards guests in different parts of the world, and there seems to be a scale of warm-warmer-warmest and cold- colder-coldest as far as the expression of friendship and welcome goes. Americans think Brits are "cold" and the Brits think Scandinavians are "cold". The Georgians, Greeks and Armenians find Russians to be "cold". And Arabs probably find Greeks to be unwelcoming.

Many Texans and N. Mexicans find people from VT and NH to be cold, as well.

The Japanese find Americans and Brits to be "open" , "emotional, "expressive" and "very friendly".

I guess because the hosts in the case you described weren't kissing, hugging and joking and calling the guests by diminuitives, they seemed to be "unwelcoming" to the guest.