above rather than risk errors or innovations that may harm their careers.

MIDDLE EASTERN INTERVIEW RESPONSES

When your first arrived in Russia, what stood out the most?

. The forests, the vast number of green trees I saw from the

airplane window.

. It was my dream to study in Russia. It's a great country and

there are many opportunities for study. I love the writings of

Gorky, and through reading Gorky I got the impression that

Russians are clever and patient- it's a great country, as great

as the US.

What stereotypes did you hear about Russians before coming to

Russia?

. People are poor. They have to wait in line for bread.

. It's liked a military zone, closed to most people.

. People are hospitable. You can knock on your neighbor's door.

There is brotherly love.

What stereotypes do Russians have of your part of the world?

. Everyone is very rich. There is lots of oil. (They don't

differentiate among countries).

. Women wear veils.

. People ride camels.

. Men marry four or five women.

. Everyone is Muslim. (They don't know about other religions).

. They don't know our history.

. Terrorists

. Not much knowledge, they only know the name Arafat.

Russian perceptions of Arabs/Southerners

. Southerners are called "black." There is discrimination based

on skin color. There are unpleasant encounters on the street.

Many international students have been assaulted. Flats have

been broken into. Almost everyone has been assaulted,

especially in bars, nightclubs, and discos. Students go out in

groups for safety in numbers.

. One student had two brothers who came to Russia. One brother

was beaten and had a severe head injury. Another had a leg

broken.

. Some babushki yell "Chechens go home!" One interviewee says

that he doesn't pay attention- he understands that they are old

and he understands the psychological reasons. Another says they

have no right to say those things. We are students here. We

have come here for our education. We are spending money and

adding to the Russian economy. We are not troubling anyone.

. Overall crime rate is high, but foreigners are particularly

victimized. There is no police protection. There seems to be no

law. There are police document checks and bribes. There has

been a big change in the past ten years. Now there is more

economic disorder, corruption, violence, and crime.

Why Questions

Why are women streetcar drivers? Why do they do manual and construction

work?

. Why are young Russians rude to older people?

. Why don't young men don't give up seats on the trolley bus for

elders?

. Why do young people sometimes yell or shout bad words at old

women?

Your Perceptions of Russia and Russians Now

. The people are friendly and sympathetic. Teachers are friendly

and sympathetic. Sympathy is the key to understanding.

. Russian women are very beautiful. They are patient, they work

hard, they are good housewives, they are always loyal, and they

dress nicely.

. There are a high number of educated people, especially in the

sciences. They are able to work under difficult conditions.

It's a wonder. It's not about equipment. That's Russia's

secret.

Major differences between cultures

. Alcohol — many Muslims do not drink.

. Families at home are bigger —5-10 people

. In Russia, people don't know their neighbors' names. They don't

greet each other on the street and communicate.

. Clothes — women dress more modestly than Russian women.

. Women don't smoke, drink, or dress revealingly as they do in

Russia.

. Families support each other more. Brothers and sisters support

each other. Russian families seem more isolated and

individualistic.

. The divorce rate at home is very low.

. Men respect women more at home, there is not so much domestic

violence as in Russia.

5. AMERICAN’S VIEW OF RUSSIANS

RUSSIAN’S VIEW OF AMERICANS

AMERICAN INTERVIEW RESPONSES

When you first arrived in Russia, what stood out the most?

. People are very thin.

. How many people actually walk. There are lots of cars and good

public transportation, but there are lots of pedestrians too.

. How dirty the cities are. I knew they would look a little run

down, but there's more litter and trash than at home.

. People don't smile.

. Russians are not materialistic. They consider other people more

important than what you can buy.

. To some degree, they are less culturally aware. Russia was

dosed off to the rest of the world and Russians are not used to

seeing people of color.

. Men with machine guns at the airport A woman with big, black

poufy hair, a frilly white blouse, an army-issue green mini-

skirt, black stiletto heels, frosty pink lipstick and a scowl

It was like a scene from a John Waters movie.

. In 1978 I arrived in St. Petersburg from Sweden. It was like

going from color to black and white. There were shortages of

food. It was drab; it was dark. I came back in 1998. Ibis time

I noticed a washed-out drabness. People wore dark clothes, not

much color. There were things to buy in the shops this time,

but somehow everything looked faded. The communist experience

was unique. The whole world moved on, and Russia was closed

off. There are some good things and some bad things in this. It

was like being dropped off in the 1950s, when I was a child.

There was still not much tourism, but the attitudes of people

changed. This first time it was less friendly, people spoke

less English, and there were millions of forms to fill out,

scattered all over the place. You had to be precise, because

the authorities were hypervigilant.

. Crazy drivers everywhere, incredibly long waits for trams and

buses, no timetables for buses and trams, people going out of

their way to help you find a destination

Stereotypes You Were Aware of Before Coming to Russia

. Lines everywhere (though I knew it was thing of the past)

. No freedom of speech

. Few products

. Pervasive presence of Mafia

. Young people getting rich very quickly

. Prostitution (from news exposes about dark side of big city

life)

. Prejudice against people of Southern nationalities

. Russians drink vodka

. Russians are poor, suffered a lot, are very serious, have bread

tones

. Never smile

. Bureaucracy is infamous

. Churches with onion domes, great literature

. Russian women dress up, but it doesn't matter so much what men

wear.

. Every woman is looking to marry an American, there are mail

order brides, women want to get out

. I remember bomb scares in American during the 50s and 60s and

hiding under desks. The Russians wanted to come and

conquer the USA, we were told. They had the same message as us.

. Russians tend to be paranoid.

. Russians don't think in or about the future. Americans think

about the future, but not the past or present. Americans

pay for classes so they can learn to live in the present!

Russians don't plan so far ahead. If they have money today,

they

spend money today.

. Russians are quite rigid about teachers being authoritative and

strong disciplinarians.

Advice family & friends gave you before you left home

. Don't drink tap water.

. Advice to women: be prepared that girls here dress differently:

Russians dress for fashion and Americans for comfort

. Be careful, you can't trust people there.

. Be careful. Russia is not safe because of worries about war,

bombings in Moscow, unrest, crime, civil strife. General

danger.

. Bring toilet paper and jeans. You can sell your jeans.

. You need to have good health insurance and be prepared to fly

back to the US if you need treatment Hospitals are bad and

doctors aren't very good. In fact, doctors run the gamut from

very dedicated to indifferent.

Why questions

. Why is shopping a three step process? It's so inefficient.

Maybe it prevents shoplifting.

. Why is only one person doling out money?

. Why is only one door open?

. Why is service so bad? Is it because there is no tipping and so

no motivation?

. Why can we sit in a cafe all day without buying very much?

. Why do women wear such high heels?

. Why do people crowd others and cut in line?

. Why do shop attendants go on so many breaks or just close down?

. Why are things so unpredictable? Nothing is consistent.

. There are no schedules at school. I arrive at school to teach

and I'll be told "there is no fourth grade today." Why can't

people tell me in advance?

. Why are restaurant workers so indifferent or outright rude?

. Why do Russian women think they need a man for anything

technical or physical?

. Why must everyone sit at a party?

. Why can't people put bags on the floor?

. Why do men carry purses (for women)?

. Who does everything break so easily?

. Why does everything need to be stamped?

. Why are there so many forms?

. Why do women dress like hookers (prostitutes)?

. Why do women wear see-through trousers with thongs and stiletto

heels?

. Why is everything so dirty?

. Why do people spit and blow their noses onto the street?

. Why are people so mean to each other (at stores, yelling at

customers)?

. Why do people push in front of others?

. When a husband beats his wife in public, why doesn't anyone do

anything? Why are people so reluctant to stop and help?

. Why are there no public toilets even approaching American

standards? Why do people accept such things?

. Why do toilets have no seat covers? Is there a shortage? Can't

they find them somewhere?

. Why do Russians drink so much tea? Why don't they drink during

meals?

. Why do Americans say "excuse me1 when they bump into strangers

and Russian don't?

. Why are Russians so formal when you first meet them?

Things that frustrate

. People always on the make

. Large injustices in society, for example, why are teachers paid

so little and then expected to buy their own textbooks

. I'm annoyed at people looking and making an instant judgment

. Russians are emotional, prejudiced and xenophobic.

. The Russian sense of personal space, especially in public

sphere: people stand much closer, pressing up against each

other, pushing

Why questions Russians asked you about Americans

. Why do you want to come to Russia? (most consistent question)

. Why are Americans fat? Why do they all have cars? Why are they

so loud?

. Why do Americans drink so much water?

. How can you believe men and women are equal when they are so

different?

. Why don't Americans lock their doors at night?

. Why do Americans smell like soap? - What interviewee's mother

taught him: "If your clothes smell like you, they're dirty."

. Why do Americans smile all the time?

. Why are Americans so informal about everything?

. Why do Americans ask so many questions?

. Why don't you speak English correctly? It's your native

language, isn't it?

Stereotypes Russians You Met Had of Americans

. Americans are rich. "You can afford to pay that price, that's

nothing for you at home!"

. Americans have cars — are fat - are loud.

. Americans are rich, noisy, lazy, and unworldly.

. Americans always smile.

. All American women hate men.

. American women are drab, dull and unfeminine.

. American women want to do everything themselves.

. American women are ambitious and individualistic.

. American women are not afraid to speak their minds or confront

authority.

How are Americans viewed?

. Russians are accepting of American music, movies, and clothing

but still have anti-American sentiments. It's a kind of guilty

pleasure - a sense they are letting themselves, their roots,

and their standards down. They accept American cultural

products while remaining anti-American.

. They think we're rich; even our poor, compared to their poor.

Retirees on cruises set this stereotype, with Russians

misunderstanding that some people must save for a long time for

such a trip. Also, Russians on exchange programs stay with

middle-class, educated families. They don't see American

ghettos.

How has living abroad changed your original view or expectations about what

life in Russia would be like?

. Some stereotypes were borne out. People can be very rude in the

public sphere— in restaurants, airports, trains. On the other

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