Russian Middle-Aged Women – "Zhenshchiny" –
How Are They?

Middle aged women are very different in Russia. Some of them are very intellegent and well educated and have a nice life and a strong family, some are very miserable and poor.
During the period of big changes in Russia in the 90s, people had to adapt to a new way of life. The generation that was born in the 50s or 60s faced the biggest challenge perhaps. There was one kind of life before and suddenly they had to change... it was like having two completely different lives.
Middle aged women don't seem as provoking as the young women are, even though they also wear outstanding clothes, transparent tops, short dresses. There is a contrast between the women who follow the latest western fashion and the ones still wearing clothes as in the eighties.
For example, the ladies working in Sheremetyevo international airport in Moscow, wearing khaki uniforms are particularly funny as they didn't change them since Soviet times.
Most of middle class women live in Soviet flats in the cities with their family, and sometimes with their parents or parents in law. They don't travel often, except for going to their family datcha, or little wooden country house (if they have one). They spend time there in the Summer, close to nature, growing vegetables, making hand crafts, swimming, looking after their children.
Many Russian middle aged women go camping with their families, they're used to conditions not as comfortable as in the West.
Women working in cities can be very stressed and shouting for nothing. Some women still have the 'Soviet style of working' e.g. they don't care about being polite, or about selling more or less, because anyway they get paid the same. It changes slowly and workers are trained to do services in a more kind way. But still if you ever phone for train times for example, you're likely to have the phone hooked on your ear before you had a chance to ask your second request.
In villages the ambience being generaly much more calm, the temperament of ladies is calmer too.  
 
 
Read further: Part 3 - Old Women - "Babushkas"
 

Your Comments
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Comment (received on 18/10/02): "I was in Moscow and St. Petersburg last month. That Russian women are the most beautiful women in the world is a complete myth. Yes, you will find some very attractive ladies in the downtown areas, especiallhy in the better restaurants, shopping malls and bars. But you get away from those few areas and you see average "normal" ladies and even some that are not average! Go the the suburbs,
for example. Also, I saw very few women in "see-through" clothes. These were the exception rather than the rule. Anyway, that is what I saw in Russia." 

Comment (received on 21/10/02): "'they dont care about being polite...'
You sure have hit the nail on it's head here! you try buying a train ticket or something like that...and watch for the "cant be bothered to go any faster" attitude with the frown".
The other bits I can agree with...some are stuck in soviet times with attitude and style. Though they were very suprised to see me (a black man) they showed more stares of curiosity then disgust."
 
Comment (received on 21/10/02): "An accurate discription...but many, I feel are worse than the middle aged that you described...they can
be far ruder and will often barge in front of you in a queue with not even a glance afterwards...they can be a force when boarding a bus especially in the rush hour!
Finally I'm afraid to say that many showed racist attitudes and where quick to frown when they saw me walking with a white russian girl. the Dadooshka's [old men -- WTR] are worse though."

Comment (received on 22/10/02): "very fair and accurate discription...
But I must add most are very bossy and xenophobic, argumentive and rude...because it seems they dont want to change from Soviet times Others are are very nice and have adapted well to the changes...they are very curios towards me because I was probably the only black person they have seen (I was way out in the country) many were polite to me and always
seemed very happy"

Comment (received on 21/11/02): "i am married to a russian women (from the urals chelyabinsk) and i have been nothing but happy. it is taken me a while to get use to some of the cultural differences in thinking but i wouldnt change it for the world. her family has been here to visit and i will say that after meeting enough russians any myth of them being stupid or behind on things would be just that a myth. they are some of the smartest people i have every met.

Comment (received 10/07/03): "I am a woman of the 60th, "a tipical" soviet woman (culturally). I always cared about my external and internal beauty. I graduated from the University in the Soviet Union, I finished Post graduate aducation, I worked as a professor (not scientific degree)at the Universities and Institutes in the USSR. I growth up my beautiful daughter and now, in the age of 40 I am graduated from the second University in Switzerland in order to be abble to have a worthy job in this country. For 5 years already we (my family)live in the West and everything I did was because of my "tipical" russian caracter of a women of the 60th. I am still beautiful and relatively young."

Comment (26/09/03): "I have had a female Russian penfriend for many years.. Galina! I am an Englishman.
During my time of correspondence with her she as told me all about her "way of life" in Russia.
She is a teacher and works for very little money in comparison with what teachers can earn in the West.
I was very impressed with her culture, her knowledge, and her optimism in teaching English to her pupils.
She has a very caring and considerate attitude to all around her. She is also very attractive and through her letters to me they show her great "inner" beauty.
She is a single girl and I can't believe to this day why no Russian man in his right mind hasn't married her!
If I hadn't been married myself I would have married her immediately!
In what I have read and heard about Rusian women, I think the majority are very intelligent and articulate.
I believe Russian women are very resilient and will nearly always find a way around particular problems that they may encounter from time to time!
All that I can say to the Russian men is to be very thankful to your Russian women...don't take them for granted..your so very lucky to have such treasures amongst you.
If anyone wishes to correspond with me at
honkytonkwomen2000@yahoo.co.uk
male/female, I will only be to willing to write back to you!
Warmest regards.James"

Comment (15/10/03): "I found few middle aged women in Novosibirsk that meets the stereotype you discribed in your article. The women 35 and older were just as fashion oriented as the young girls. I went to meet one such woman I had met on the internet and she is a princess. I found her to be everything I have always dreamed for in a woman and I pobably will never be saisfied again with my choices in the States...Inga was incredible. I had the best time of my life to date and plan on returning as soon as time will allow!
Bart"

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