Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Entropy · WayToRussified Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 429

Ekaterina,

ansie · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:46 am Post subject:

Entropy, I'm definitely not an "official", card carrying Russian, but from my several recent trips there I get the impression that while many people miss the order, certainty, predictability and stability of their old life, they know things can never revert back to what they were. Some Russians are contemptuous of our western materialism (although a lot of Russians embrace it religiously), and I have to say that I agree with them. But the complete shambles that was Russian communism is gone forever. They know what's going on in China - that it's racing ahead of them economically - and they're far too inventive a nation to let this go on indefinitely. It'll be a long hard road for them to effect the necessary culture change, but it will happen eventually. However, right now don't even think of Russia as being in the same league ecoonomically as Brazil or China. The analogy would be the Springboks playing Canada, if you don't mind the comparison.

However, once again, forget about all this intellectualizing; go look for yourself. Provincial Russian people are the greatest - you'll love it.

vitalsigns · Lounge Wizard Joined: 25 Dec 2004 Posts: 2784

Entropy · WayToRussified Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 429

Fire_Goddess · Guest

VitalSigns dislikes liberals and equates liberalism with communism Entropy.

vitalsigns · Lounge Wizard Joined: 25 Dec 2004 Posts: 2784

vitalsigns · Lounge Wizard Joined: 25 Dec 2004 Posts: 2784

Fire_Goddess · Guest

Entropy · WayToRussified Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 429

UsualSuspect · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 1:26 pm Post subject: Without stomping on toes......

Entropy,
My wife has told me a lot about life under Soviet rule and after reading Ekaterina's posts I will say my wife's experiences are different and her attitude to "the good old days" is in somewhat direct contrast.

She was "assigned" a position after graduation to somewhere far flung away from her home, but got out of it by "greasing a wheel". The same goes for some of her friends. And let's not forget where "service with a sneer" started...being guarenteed a job you couldn't care less about.....

Holidaying in Sochi etc, she did that too as well as all the Pioneer/Komsomol stuff when she was younger.

Her other memories are not so great. The small busses that were introduced as part of Perestroika were a godsend to the local population. Imagine constantly waiting in -30 and lower temps for a bus/tram to actually stop? She didn't see a real piece of meat until she was in her late twenties.
Crime for her only became a real factor after the wall came down.
Before that most doors were made of "paper mache". Now, find one that isn't steel, in a steel frame and two or three locks. And...know why they don't have handles? It's because thieves used to wrap steel cable around the handle, tie the other end to the apartment's lift and send the lift down, yanking the door off......
And sensible Russians don't hang out in certain bars/restaurants after 6 pm. And if you want to amuse yourself...here in Oz, the expression in the newspaper for a shady well known character is "colourful racing identity", in Russia you look for a "Such and such was wearing Gucci and her businessman husband was in black" and that'll tell you a lot.

I agree with a lot of the comments made about small rural villages. Contrasts there are real black and white. You can have a summer house owned by a city dweller next to a "squat" where 15 sub 18 yr old alcoholics live. Conversely, other small places still manage to harvest crops and such and the people there are not ekeing (sp?) a living.

I won't dribble on, other than to say it is still a great place in my opinion and as Ansie has mentioned, sure they may appear cold or brusque but the majority are good people.

Usualsuspect

Fire_Goddess · Guest

My God you just made it sound horrible. Really I am amazed by the door handle scenario! Shocked

Entropy · WayToRussified Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 429

UsualSuspect,

Thank you for that great response. It certainly is in direct contrast to Ekaterina's responses. I suspect that there is a strong divergence of opinion in Russia. So I wonder what that means for Russia's future, especially once Putin's term ends.

Your description of metal doors and such reminds me of certain parts of Latin America where there are several locks on each door, a paid and armed guard at most apartments, and the like.

Again, thank you for your interesting response.

Entropy

UsualSuspect · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:39 am Post subject: Not that bad all the time....

Fire_Goddess,
The time I'm talking about was during perestroika and the first six years under dancing Boris. With the state's version of social welfare gone and a whole raft of other problems there was a lot of desperation. How about the theft of traffic light bulbs? They contained Silver or Platinum, can't remember which.

With the currency free fall my wife actually managed to purchase her own larger flat and go overseas. She said she was lucky in a "right place at the right time" way.

For Entropy,
My wife also reminded me that perestroika did a whole lot of harm to "the good old days". I know in the West he was portrayed (or "beat up" by the media) as the best thing for Russia since sliced bread, but having visited Russia I know a hell of a lot of ordinary citizens held him in contempt (because of his wife actually).
He also tried a Soviet version of prohibition. Definitely didn't study history.

Enjoy
Usualsuspect

Brighty · Just Starting Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 1

Considering that i am thinking much about this city [Ekateringburg] and potentially going there for 'a while', i have found this thread quite interesting. I think i'm going to lose myself amongst these threads quite often now!

Do we have any updates on the situation in the city / region?

[It was said at the beginning of the thread witthat most forum users would not be familiar with the city, has this changed, anyone there who can perhaps help me?]

Brighty [1st post]