The Briton came to Russia: "Miserable and dull hole"
Although Russia has a difficult relationship with the West, it is not a closed country. From the USA and Western Europe come to Russia out of curiosity or on business, many for a long time. If a person is going to our country for the first time, he is often full of fears and doubts about the safety of the upcoming trip.
Classification of countries by hazard level
The US State Department has created a classification of countries for hazard levels for Americans traveling on foreign trips. All of them are divided into four categories. The first includes countries where the risk to life is maximum.
This includes, for example, Syria. The first level consists of absolutely safe countries. And the third category includes Russia. The neighbors of our country in terms of danger are Pakistan, Sudan, Niger and some other countries.
Well-known in the United States writer and blogger Andy Freck is very surprised by such a classification. He's writing:
This man has been living in Moscow for several years, traveled extensively throughout Russia and is deeply sympathetic to the people who inhabit it. And nowhere did it occur to him to fear anything. Moreover, he notes that in Russia the level of security is higher than in Western countries.
For example, in large Russian cities there are no dangerous areas in terms of residents of the United States or Western Europe. Of course, in our country there are enough marginals, and disadvantaged areas are present, but nothing like the Molenbeck district in Brussels or the criminogenic quarters of the 18th arrondissement in Paris does not exist in Russia.
"Horror stories" about Russia
There are many scary stories about Russia and the Russians, which are stuffed with the western man in the street. Some of them were created by people who have never been to our country. Others were written by people who really visited our country, especially outside the Moscow Ring Road.
Unfortunately, much of the above is true. These are inhuman living conditions in half-abandoned Russian villages, and dull boxes in sleeping areas of Soviet buildings, and broken roads, and piles of garbage, and many other negative aspects.
A particularly noteworthy example is the article by the English writer and TV host Neil Oliver, who visited the northwestern part of our country. He describes the village of Staraya Ladoga, by the way, the oldest in Russia. Its history began back in 753 AD. There at different times lived and the Slavs, and the Scandinavians, and the Finns, and the Baltic states. Although such a place should be of particular value to the country, the village looks like a "wretched and joyless hole."
He also describes the nearby town of Volkhov with rather gloomy colors. In his article, of course, there are many real pictures, frightening with their ugliness. But there are those that only a foreigner can believe in. For example, according to him, there is only one grocery store in Volkhov. It is remade from an old military bunker. You can’t go inside, the gloomy shopkeeper will deliver the goods you ordered through a small window through which he looks frowningly. Picture - already a frost on the skin.
Further - even more interesting. From all that he saw, the Briton draws interesting conclusions. In his opinion, this situation speaks of what terrible people live in this terrible country. And he is not surprised that the agents of such a state roam his sweet England with syringes filled with deadly poisons.
If we analyze what foreigners who have lived for some time in Russia say, their words are very different from the opinions of Neil Oliver. Yes, they note a lot of flaws that they see around. But these people speak warmly about the Russians they communicate with. The Russian man is not used to smiling strangers on the streets, but he will always try to show himself and his country from the best side.
A Russian who seems stern and unsmiling is actually very open and will always help if you really need help.
Everyone who comes to us with good intentions and an open heart will receive a warm welcome in Russia. But Russia turned out to be dangerous, for example, for the troops of Hitler or Napoleon, who came to our country with weapons in their hands and hostile targets.
And good people, no matter where they come to Russia, will find out how cordial and hospitable people live in this huge and mysterious country.
Classification of countries by hazard level
The US State Department has created a classification of countries for hazard levels for Americans traveling on foreign trips. All of them are divided into four categories. The first includes countries where the risk to life is maximum.
This includes, for example, Syria. The first level consists of absolutely safe countries. And the third category includes Russia. The neighbors of our country in terms of danger are Pakistan, Sudan, Niger and some other countries.
Well-known in the United States writer and blogger Andy Freck is very surprised by such a classification. He's writing:
I do not want to offend anyone, I have never been to Sudan, Pakistan and Niger (I am sure that they are beautiful at this time of year), I would love to go there, but probably would not take my children there. If you know what I mean. But I live here in Moscow with children and do not worry at all about the safety of my family
This man has been living in Moscow for several years, traveled extensively throughout Russia and is deeply sympathetic to the people who inhabit it. And nowhere did it occur to him to fear anything. Moreover, he notes that in Russia the level of security is higher than in Western countries.
For example, in large Russian cities there are no dangerous areas in terms of residents of the United States or Western Europe. Of course, in our country there are enough marginals, and disadvantaged areas are present, but nothing like the Molenbeck district in Brussels or the criminogenic quarters of the 18th arrondissement in Paris does not exist in Russia.
"Horror stories" about Russia
There are many scary stories about Russia and the Russians, which are stuffed with the western man in the street. Some of them were created by people who have never been to our country. Others were written by people who really visited our country, especially outside the Moscow Ring Road.
Unfortunately, much of the above is true. These are inhuman living conditions in half-abandoned Russian villages, and dull boxes in sleeping areas of Soviet buildings, and broken roads, and piles of garbage, and many other negative aspects.
A particularly noteworthy example is the article by the English writer and TV host Neil Oliver, who visited the northwestern part of our country. He describes the village of Staraya Ladoga, by the way, the oldest in Russia. Its history began back in 753 AD. There at different times lived and the Slavs, and the Scandinavians, and the Finns, and the Baltic states. Although such a place should be of particular value to the country, the village looks like a "wretched and joyless hole."
He also describes the nearby town of Volkhov with rather gloomy colors. In his article, of course, there are many real pictures, frightening with their ugliness. But there are those that only a foreigner can believe in. For example, according to him, there is only one grocery store in Volkhov. It is remade from an old military bunker. You can’t go inside, the gloomy shopkeeper will deliver the goods you ordered through a small window through which he looks frowningly. Picture - already a frost on the skin.
Further - even more interesting. From all that he saw, the Briton draws interesting conclusions. In his opinion, this situation speaks of what terrible people live in this terrible country. And he is not surprised that the agents of such a state roam his sweet England with syringes filled with deadly poisons.
If we analyze what foreigners who have lived for some time in Russia say, their words are very different from the opinions of Neil Oliver. Yes, they note a lot of flaws that they see around. But these people speak warmly about the Russians they communicate with. The Russian man is not used to smiling strangers on the streets, but he will always try to show himself and his country from the best side.
A Russian who seems stern and unsmiling is actually very open and will always help if you really need help.
Everyone who comes to us with good intentions and an open heart will receive a warm welcome in Russia. But Russia turned out to be dangerous, for example, for the troops of Hitler or Napoleon, who came to our country with weapons in their hands and hostile targets.
And good people, no matter where they come to Russia, will find out how cordial and hospitable people live in this huge and mysterious country.
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