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Travel
Advice for Women in Russia
Based
on personal experience, like all materials on our site.
contents:
traveling
in the city • what to wear in russia
• is it safe to walk alone? • traveling
in trains • food
• hygiene
• toilets
Travelling
in the city: metro, buses, cars
In the crowded Metro,
there is the custom that a gentleman should let his seat to a woman.
But generaly the first who got the seat keeps it. Babushkas sometimes
tell off young men who don't stand up for them.
When taking the Metro with a child, people sitting move a bit to
let a little space for the child, and often someone stands up to
let you sit with the child. People are helpful with carrying push
chairs but like in every capital city, it might be not so comfortable
to get it on and off trolley buses, minibuses, Metros..
If you live in the suburbs, you might have to take a 'marshrudka'
(e.g. minibus) to the nearest Metro station. In
the mornings they're usually very crowded , some of them not even
stopping at your stop because they're already full. When one marshrudka
stops, the first in the line at the bus stop get in first but Babushkas
often fight their way through and in front of the others. If you
don't wish to wait for hours, I advise you to do like them and push
through the crowd regardless of their comments.
If you're in a hurry, the fastest option is to wave
your hand for a car and
to ask for a ride to the closest Metro (usually costs around $1US
for
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5 minutes ride). In
the morning it is the safest moment of the day to take a car in
this way, as the drivers are often people going to their work.
Some useful
tips to take a car:
-- Stand next to a bus stop, so the car has space to stop and
if the bus you need arrives, you can take it. -- Choose whom you
get in with, for example don't wave your hand to a car with more
than one man inside, or to a car with black windows. If a car you
don't like stops for you, kindly ignore it or nod a 'no' with the
head and step back with the people waiting for the bus. -- Wave
your hand to a women driver. -- When the car stops, talk through
the window and say to which place you want to go ( for ex. 'doMetro
Izmailovskaya') and for what price ( 'za sorok-40- Ruble')
At the airports, taxi drivers ask people if they want a drive
to the city. Some of them are not very reliable, and they propose
high prices. It is not very safe to use their services. To get to
the city, there is a shuttle in the day time from the airport to
the nearest Metro stations in Moscow and St Pete; in Irkutsk there
is a bus to the city. If you arrive late at night, it is safe to
book a taxi beforehand,
it will be cheaper and safe, at the condition that you get in the
car of the right driver. You can order a taxi for a transfer in
Moscow through our site. You can tell us with what sign you want
the taxi driver to meet you.
What to wear when traveling
in Russia
I met three Belgium girls traveling along the transsib. They told
me they had hesitated to pack their mini skirts, and short shorts
to wear while in Russia. But when they saw how the girls where dressed
here, they felt very free of wearing what they like, even they felt
like cutting their shorts shorter.
If in the daytime, in the summer, it might be tempting to walk in the streets of big cities, dressed
like the Russian girls, with no bra, mini
skirts... it feels safer to wear something to cover oneself
when taking
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the metro back to suburbs,
or when the evening comes.
In winter, it feels as if you're
wearing two skins: one warm coat for walking outside, and taking the
public transports, and a light outfit under it for when you're inside
a building. Most public places, like libraries, universities, museums,
cinemas, concert rooms, have a cloak room, so you can leave your warm
coat, and hat and walk in light demi-saison clothes. Many Russian
women wear fur coats, especially
babushkas. The attitude towards fur is very different than in the
West where it seems very posh and cruel to wear animal fur. In Russia
it is very common, and fur is not as rare as in the West as all animals
grow a natural winter warmer fur. As fur coats are relatively cheap
they're popular among things brought back from Russia by foreign lady
visitors.
On the beaches, women usually
wear swimming costumes and are surprisingly rarely
topless. There are some kind of outdoor changing rooms
installed on every public beach for people to dress and undress out
of sight. There are some nudist beaches in St Pete and on lake Baikal.
Swimming naked on public beaches
can be 'offending'.
Last Summer 2002, we were taking a traditional Russian 'Bagna' on
Olkhon Island with some friends, and as the tradition wants it, every
ten minutes or so, we were running naked out of the steaming little
house into the fresh waters of Baikal lake. After the 'Bagna', once
we were dressed, a guy from Irkutsk administration showed us his id,
and told us 'what we were doing was disturbing public order', we were
'out of the Russian law', 'the beach is a public place'...etc... He
didn't fine us finally but I think he had time to have a good peep
before making a fuss.
So I'd advise to think
twice and look where you are before going wild.
It can be interesting to enter in an Orthodox
Church, especially when it's the time of worship, and
that people sing, and light candles and incense. It is polite to
cover your hair with
a veil, or a scarf, or even a hat. In summer you
might be refused the access to the church if you have bare arms
and legs. The men also should have their body covered, but their
head should be bare.
IS
IT SAFE TO WALK ALONE?
Like
in many places, when darkness comes, weird people start to be
met and it's advisable not to hang around in the parks or in
the suburbs.
If some drunk guys start bothering you at night, calling you,
putting themselves on your way, by experience, I think it is
good to look
down avoiding any eyes contact. Just continue
your way with a firm step, stay quite, look as if you
know where you're going and you don't see them. Often they'll
continue to call you and comment on you until you're out of
sight and they
won't piss off more. Engaging into conversation can keep them
glued to you until your door step.
In the day time, it's completely safe to walk alone, even in
the residential suburbs as there are many families with children.
However, pickpockets are also in Russia and it is safer to keep
your money bag tucked under your clothes, that it doesn't stand
out too much.
Traveling
in Russian Trains Alone
Women
who take the train alone in Russia often buy a berth in a plazkart
wagon, or common wagon. Mostly families travel there, and
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lone
travelers. It's an opportunity to meet with people, to share with
them a meal, to talk and it feels safer to be among many people
than in the confinement
of the kuppe, or the four berths compartment. Taking a berth in
a Kuppe can be safer to put away your bag and it is usually cleaner
than in the common carriage. The only thing is that you may not
fancy your neighbors. For example many soldiers travel in 'kuppe'
as they have free rail tickets. Their jokes and stories about the
war are interesting but the soldiers tend to get fast too drunk
and noisy. However Russian women traveling alone often ask the
conductor
of the wagon to change
compartments, and an arrangement is usually found.
Food in Russia
If
you like to check how much fat is in the food you eat it's
quite
practical in Russia as all packed products bear on them the amount
of fat and proteins. Fat is written Üàê
('zhir'), proteins is
'belki', the amounts
are in percentage for 100 grams. In the cities, a lot of kiosks
sell different food. It is possible to eat healthily on the street,
buying fruits, cottage cheese/ tvorog-Ú‚Ó¶Ó„,
black bread/ tchyorne khleb- ˜Â¶Ìž ›Î·,
dried fruits, a baked potato...Here are some usefull words: --fruits/ frukti-îêìäíõ,
--vegetables/ ovoshi-éÇéôà,
--cakes/ pirozhki-èàêéÜäà,
--potato/ kartoshka-äÄêíéòäÄ
(with cheese/ s' sirum, without butter/ byez masla).
Health & Personal Hygiene
Even though
the contraceptive pill is used
by more and more women in Russia, in the drugstores ('apteka') you
won't find the same brands as in other countries, so you might as
well bring with you the quantity of pills
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A pharmacy. Many of them are opened until late
in the evening or even 24 h in the main Russian cities. |
needed for your stay. If
you lose them, you can phone to an international clinic for advice
on which Russian substitute you can buy.
Menstrual protections can be bought
in many places in big cities for ex. in the stores in most of the
central metro stations, or in drugstores, in supermarkets, in local
shops. There are international brands such as 'always',
'carefree' and 'libresse'.
This summer 2002, the 'All days' triangular protections suitable
for 'string' or 'tanga' panties were very popular in Moscow, as most
of muscovite ladies wear strings and transparent trousers.
Usually a pack of ten costs 50 R ($1.7 US).
Only one kind of pregnancy tests
are found easily. The one which works only when the woman is in the
first days of menstruation delay. Other tests can't be found, better
not take a risk of getting pregnant in Russia.
Condoms are sold everywhere. 'Durex'
brand is very popular, in August for a few days the shops in Moscow
were even running out of them! In smaller cities you often find only
Russian brands, which might not be as reliable as known trademarks
from the West.
Public Toilets
It
is forbidden to piss in the streets in Russia, as much for
men as for women, and it is fined a higher price for foreigners,
so be discreet if you have a pressant need. Or better, enter any
cafe and ask for the toilets ('gdye twalet?'). Even if you're not
a customer, the cafes usually don't mind you use their toilets.
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A queue to a public toilet in Moscow |
The public
toilets and the toilets in the railways are quite dirty. Women's
toilets, however, tend to stink less than men's.
In Russia, you'll find toilets with seats and without. Often there
is no toilet paper or only very rough grey rolls.
In trains, the toilets close during the stop at stations. The
floor and the seat of the toilet are often wet and sticky because
of piss. There is a special way to sit, which can be useful to know
about: you'll notice the seat is a bit larger on the sides, this is
to let you squat on it. You can hold on the handle not to lose balance
while the train is moving.
On the door of the toilets for women there is usually the letter Ü for ÜÂ̯ËÌž 'Zhenshini'-
Women in Russian. The letter for man is å for åÛʘËÌž
'Muzhchine'-Men. It's like an X with a vertical bar in the middle.
Sometimes they make Cyrillic letters look beautiful.
What
do You Think?
If you have any questions, additions
or corrections to this section and want to share your experience,
please, post your message at
our Talk Lounge Russia Forums
Comment
(posted 4/12/02): "I
have read your article about women travelling alone on trains.
If
a woman buys a first class ticket ( 2 berths?)Is any attempt
made to accomodate another woman in the compartment or would
she be just
as likely find herself sharing with a man? "
Answer: No, not at all. You are given a pure chance
to meet anybody. However, if you buy a 2-berth sleeper most likely
it'll be a calm person, who will want to rest.
Comment (posted 7/01/03): "my girlfriend says
her russian husband wont give her a divorce. what is "give" a
divorce ? She cant petition the court and force the issue ? thanks
- bob"
Answer: Your girlfriend should consult the Russian
Family Code. I think you can find it on the internet, a good resource
on Russian laws and regulations is http://www.garant.ru
Hop it helps.
Comment (posted 29/04/03): "Hi, I was recently
in Piter visiting a friend and we went for some girls' night
out in
the pubs/bars.We got a few odd looks and we were asked to leave
one place, on the Main Street. There were no women in this bar.
I was wondering if this was less acceptable in Russia for girls
in to go out drinking by themselves(or just more unusual) unlike
in Scotland where going to the pub is consided a national past-time
for everyone. Would we perhaps have been considered out to get
someone,
in a desperate way, rather than just having a quite drink together?"
Answer: Frankly, I think you got into a gay bar,
otherwise, it seems too strange. It is not at all something strange
in Russia, unless you get to a place somewhere very very deep in
Russian province where only tractor drivers gather together for
vodka parties, but even then, I saw women meeting in such places
as well.
Comment (posted 28/05/03): "i love russia it is
a wonderful place and i hope to get the hell out iof america
and go
there"
Comment (posted 29/05/03): "Could we have
an article about Russian men please?"
Answer: In the future, we're going to do this,
for now, you can find something in Myths & Truth and Russian
Women sections.
 Comment
(24/06/03): " I would love to visit Russia someday!
I was wondering about the topic of racism in Russia. Do Russians
dislike spanish people (in particular Spanish women)? I am part
spanish and part Polish but I look very exotic. I wanted to know
if me being different would cause some tormoil from the Russian
people?"
Answers: Russians don't have any nationality preferences.
They only don't like Chechenians, because of the war and all events
related to it.
Oh, actually, I remembered now that Russians love French people.
I think it comes from the 19th century when the higher society was
even speaking in French and adopting French traditions. Soviet times
came, but respect stayed in people's minds. I think Russians consider
Spain close to France, so they respect Spanish people as well. Also,
many Russians like to go to Spain on holidays. And Polish people
are our brothers Slavs! :-)
Question (9/7/03): "Hi! I really liked
the article, but I?m a teenager anxious to travel around the
world,
so, if you are a woman, which would be a recomended age to travel
by yourself to Russia?"
Answer: Travel as soon as possible, because there
are many great things to do in life and if you wait you won't have
time for everything. Traveling is the best way to learn and Russia
is a great place to learn, so my advice: travel now and feel sure
about everything and you will be fine.
Question (9/07/03): "are all men suppostu
when condoms"
Answer: err... you sound desperate... :-) I'm not
sure I understand what you mean...
Comment
(6/09/03): "Before I went to Russia this summer,I
went to Walmart and bought to travel size rolls of toilet paper-in
its plastic protective covering for 75 cents a roll--and it help
in those tough toilets where there were no toilete paper--basically,
I did not have a problem at all. I traveled on my own to Moscow
and on to Ekaterinburg--and travel some on the trams and buses
by
myself--most Russian people are very helpful and friendly."
Comment
(6/11/03): "With all due respect to all people
that post comments on this forum, but after reading most of the
questions
I am somewhat dismayed, Russia...is not in the dark ages! I have
been there twice and going again in January, I have never had
any problem with the people or authorities, the people are polite
and
friendly...and if they can help, they will!
I think what people fail to understand is that technology wise,
Russia matched the US in this field.
Most Russians understand basic words in English, this is from watching
Tv shows from the west.
So my advice to any person wishing to travel to Russia...do it!!...and
you will have a wonderful experience in a wonderful country with
wonderful people.
One Australian :-)"
Comment (12/01/04): "My 15 year old daughter
is participating in a Russian Exchange 2/14/04-3/14/04. I am
not sure what to pack.
How cold is it and would a NorthFace Down Jacket be warm enough.
Also She will be staying in Moscow, is there any website where
I can learn What type of jackets ( coats ) & Boots the teenagers
wear in Russia."
Answer: It will still be cold, but not very cold,
about -10 to -20 celcius. So, a NorthFace Down Jacket would be
enough, but I would also recommend some warm jumpers as well as
travel fleece coats (they are really warm).
Usually, teenagers in Russia try to dress like anywhere in the
world (challenging), so it's better to bring some modern clothes
as well, not only travellers' stuff. If you want to see what
Russian teenagers look like, I would recommend some Russian magazine
for
girls or Tatu group."
Comment (12/02/04): "My lady friend is going
to work in Moscow this month with a 6mo. working visa for an
International Airline...
She is Asian with 'oriental' features and it's going to be her
first time there (and will have no travel companion/s.) My main
concern: Are Russian authorities much more "discriminatory" against
Southeast-Asian women in general since most of them come from
'3rd world' countries even if they are highly educated and are
career oriented professionals?"
Answer: Russian authorities are more "discriminatory"
towards men, than women. There is a chance that your friend will
be stopped occasionally by police for a routine document-check,
but if she has her passport, visa, and registration, she won't
have any problems at all. Also, I assume that if your girlfriend
will be working for an international company, she will not stand
out of the crowd, so I don't think she will feel any discrimination.
Question (28/11/04): "> message: I studied russian both
at school and university in France and
> worked in Moscow for a foreign company for 3 year. My knowledge of russian
> language written and spoken is advanced but I would like to reach a higher
> level and become a professional interpreter french-russian or english-
> russian. Could you indicate, please, adresses of universities in Russia
> where I could study russian in general and the professions of interpreter
> and translater? I am also interested in computer studies in Russia to
> improove my basic knowledge.
>
> Also any general information on studing in russia is welcomed."
Answer: You can learn more from our Study in Russia section. (from Renee
Stillings,
the
Director
of The
School of Russian and Asian
Studies - SRAS)
Greetings!
If your aim is to become a professional translator/interpreter,
then you are
best to study at one of the linguistic universities. The most
well-known of
these are the following:
Moscow State Linguistic University - http://www.linguanet.ru/
Linguistic University of Nizhny Novgorod - www.lunn.sci-nnov.ru
Irkutsk State Linguistic University - www.islu.ru
Computer studies - this depends on really what your aim is. Programming
would be primarily at one of the technical universities, although
other full
universities also offer this. If it is just general use of some
applications, then either some basic instruction could be had
at the
universities, or there are a lot of more intensive training centers
that
train professionals. This really depends on your purpose and
applications."
ALL FURTHER COMMENTS ARE POSTED AT The Talk Lounge Way to Russia
Forums
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