Way to Russia Talk Lounge

MikeFlorida · Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject: "word" LOL

I was in Russia all last summer and saw 2 blacks the whole time I was there(and Ive been to Russia a dozen times and remember very few). Russia is "color blind" but anyone who is black almost CERTAINLY IS a foreigner in Rf. My Russian friends were both surprised and wary when we saw black tourists but for the most part...you will be ignored in Russia whatever color you are. All Russians really see in the media are wealthy atheletes and singers from USA. You might even get special treatment by some. Enjoy it.

But I think your comment about Americans not caring about foreigners having a good time and never SEEING a foreigner in the US is WAY off. Dude. Maybe its because you live in St Louis, hardly a garden spot people from overseas are dying to see. Last time I was there, I saw almost nothing BUT blacks. Almost every big city IN America is full of blacks.Its a different world here. Of course Russia is different!

I grew up in NYC and now live in Florida. I see foreigners EVERY DAY and I assure you we DO care if they are having a good time.

Black OR white Moscow is a fun place to be. Why not ignore the racist rhetoric and just enjoy it?

cyndy22 · Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2005 7:00 pm Post subject:

Mike,
Welcome to WTR forum. We can certainly appreciate you here. As you undoubedly have seen for yourself, this forum can get pretty insane at times. Lots of characters. I guess people see me that way too. But don't believe everything here. BTY I like your website on VT alot. And happy upcoming Birthday!

wavetossed · WayToRussified Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 337

Sunday night when I was in Moscow I watched KVN (KBH) on TV. There was a black man in the audience and he was definitely fluent in Russian because he was laughing at the jokes with everyone else. The cameras showed him 2 or 3 times and he was clearly there in the company of the white woman beside him.

It is hard to notice race on the street in Russia unless you see people's faces up close because everyone is bundled up most of the year. There are not likely to be any African Americans living in Moscow but there are a LOT of Africans who have lived there for years dating back to Soviet times. Just like every other European city, Africans come to study and then stay. But they tend to assimilate into the local cultures a lot more than Americans are used to.

Camrade · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:56 am Post subject:

2wavetossed

Recent years I can see quite many afros in St.Petersburg... Smile

that's not surprising

In KVN camera showed a member of a KVN team which is called RUDN (Institute of people's friendship, for foreigners).. So he has fluent russian cause he studyied there Smile

oneblkfeather · Just Starting Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 3

I'm a african american,married to a russian woman.
I live in california, we were married in russian in 2005 and my experiences in russia and with russian people are about the same as yours.
I find much more rasicm here in the states than in russia but it is spreading there. Perostroika did alot of damage in that country and problems in societies must be blamed on some one just as in the states.
In russia it is blamed on the africans,caucasians and other asians.
I did not spend to much time in moscow and never went to st petersburgh but i seen some pretty intense things on the news and it all seem to come from ignorance and poverty.I found some other real cool regions in russia.
I do have some very good russian friends and i trust them much more than many of my american friends

oneblkfeather · Just Starting Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 3

BabsDC · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:40 pm Post subject: Re: African American In Russia

[quote="branboy1077"]My wife and I went to Moscow a few weeks ago (we were there for 10 days), and everything I read on this site about Russians and their racism is BOGUS. I'm an African American, and my wife is Russian, and it was my first trip to Moscow to see where she grew up. The in-laws have been in America on 2 different occasions, so it wasn't like I was meeting them for the first time. Moscow was AWESOME! It was snowy pretty much the entire time, but it wasn't that cold. Chicago would be colder, because there was no wind or humidity. Anyway, I knew I was going to get a lot of looks, but I didn't know what to think of it. The looks were there, but it was because they knew that I was an American. The majority of the Black people in Moscow are students from Africa, and they knew that I didn't fit that mold.

Russian people, in my opinion, are better than most Americans in this sense. They REALLY wanted to make sure I had a great time. In America, if somebody comes from another country, we really don't care how they are enjoying themselves. If you tell a Russian that you aren't having a good time, they will ask you what they can do to make your stay better.

I must confess, I was a real big fan of the beer and cigarette stands, and the fact that you can get them for $1 each made it more special.

We plan on going back in the Summer of 2006, and if a miracle occurs and Moscow gets the 2012 Olympics, we'll be there for that also.

Thank you, Russia. You have given me many great memories, and a great future to look forward to. Nobody will ever talk bad about Russia in my presence again, because I will set them straight.[/quote]

Thanks allot for writing about your experiences in Russia. I'm a 20 year old african-american female who is interested in visiting Russia and I've been reading these online articles about rascism in Russia and I admit that it made me nervous but reading your post kind of made me feel at ease. Very Happy

RusskiCanadian23 · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:09 am Post subject: Re: African American In Russia

ShinsengumiX · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 5:01 am Post subject:

The previous message made me feel happy! Smile

BabsDC · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:26 am Post subject: Re: African American In Russia

[/quote]

Don't worry abour racism, unless you are going to some small village in Siberia. In Saint Petersburg, there was a skinhead gang, and it was pretty bad, between 2001 and 2003, but now, under Mrs. Matvienko as Governor, the police really went after them. Most of the leaders are already in jail, and many gang-members have been arrested too. half their stores selling nazi shit had been closed, with others being ransacked and pogrommed by AntiFA. Laughing

Mother Russia never ceases to amaze me! Rolling Eyes

Oh, and those articles, probably Russophobic propaganda. Lots of that in Europe nova days. Not surprized it ended up on the net. Fucking Estonians.[/quote]

[size=18][color=cyan]I was thinking of visiting Moscow, actually from pictures it looks really beautiful. I've read that when your walking it's customary to wave, smile and say Hi in Russia which I'm totally up for cause we don't really get that type of politeness in America, I must admit Embarassed

.But from the post I read the Russians are just underestimated by the media, and I can recall somebody saying to me that french people were stuck-up and arrogant and I went to France and the french were sweet, friendly and very hospitable.I even have myself a french pen pal and she rocks and she's really patient with me about my beginner's french,LOL.Now if I could just find myself a russian pen pal I could really learn about the two cultures that fascinate me the most Laughing

. I just think the key to visiting another country is having an open mind to another culture and way of life from yours. I so want to visit Russia ALLOT! Smile

[/color][/size]

vox16 · WayToRussified Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 324

ps (pre scriptum) - turn off 'Disable BBCode' if it is tuned unintentionally.

RusskiCanadian23 · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:33 pm Post subject:

krasatulya · VIP Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 577

RusskiCanadian23 · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:22 pm Post subject: Re: African American In Russia

krasatulya · VIP Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 577