As you are probably aware, Russia has a long history and has maintained many of it's old traditions and Russians are very proud of it. In general, Russians love their country but they will at times make severe criticisms. Don't try to do the same because they will turn and defend it ferociously

Russians always consider themselves as being a well educated nation. Russia has the highest education level in the world. Standard education is still free in Russia although college and university education has to be paid for since 2003. Unfortunately, skills don't necessarily match job availability. Having a university or college degree is very common as is a Ph D. You will find, especially women, working as a shop assistant when she has a degree in engineering or an accountant working at a local production line

Russia is quite a rough country and what we class as good manners, are somewhat lacking with Russians. Not a bad thing in some respects, usually when they say something, they don't leave room for misunderstandings. They say what they mean, it's a pity we can't all be like that

Many Russians consider themselves as Christians and belong to the Russian Orthodox Church

The truth is that most of them take more notice of horoscopes than of the bible. Religion is not a part of most peoples lives even though they appreciate Christian moral values

Medical care in Russia is also free, although not up to the same standards we are used to in the west, it nevertheless provides care as needed for the large population of the country

Running a business in Russia is a big challenge and outside of the big cities is still in it's infancy. The authorities have a suspicious view over owners

The collection of taxes is still one of the biggest concerns for Russian government as it is one of the most complicated collection systems in the world. Reform is coming but is extremely slow. Only recently has the personal tax been reduced to a level which is acceptable and more revenue is being collected. Also, it has just been announced that the tax on business will be reduced significantly within the next year or so in the hope that it will have the same effect as personal tax revenue collection

Family life

Russians live in small flats, usually in blocks in 'sleeping zones'. It is not uncommon for 3 generations to be living together. Living under these conditions makes Russians more considerate and having to compromise. They take care of each other and conform to the family lifestyle and rules

Russians, in general, marry early, usually between 18 - 22. Careers have no appeal to Russian women. On the other hand, it is no great bonus to be married. She is expected to stay at home, all household chores and childcare are her responsibility. Most households do not have washing machines, microwave and many other timesaving appliances, so it is more of a task for them than their counterparts in the west

Women outnumber men in Russia and many men are unfaithful to their wives

You are probably aware that hard drinking in Russia is commonplace amongst men and is often the reason for divorce by women. You will notice that many profiles of ladies state they are looking for a man who does not drink or drinks only socially. Many ladies do not drink at all. It is rare for a Russian women to drink excessively

Drinking on your own is classed as being alcoholic but drinking in the company of friends is encouraged

Russians do not drink without a reason. This means they will invent a reason to have a drink and will toast to it, then everyone must empty their glass. Another toast will follow in 5 - 10 minutes. All drinks have to be finished or it will be interpreted as you not supporting the toast

Day to day life

Government employees and in particular teachers and doctors, can have their salaries delayed for months. It started years ago with a late payment and had a 'knock-on' effect. Many people have salary arrears of up to 6 months and up to 12 months is not uncommon. Even working for private companies does not guarantee salaries are paid on time

Russians face so many daily problems and difficulties they can usually find a way around something. They do not have a deep respect for any law, traffic laws included. Russians are probably among the worlds worst drivers and pedestrians

Stealing is considered to be a part of life and is not out of the ordinary as long as you only steal from people you don't know

Because there was no such thing as private property under the Soviet era, Russians are not worried about 'trade marks' or 'copyright'. On sale all over you will find 'pirate' copies of software, CDs, videos, tapes, even books

Because they live in a society where anything can and does happen, they have learned to live and adapt to rapid change and cope with it

Since Perestroyka started, life for the majority of Russians has changed dramatically. During the Soviet era everything was predictable, easy to understand and very stable. The necessities for life was always available to everyone - a home, work, free quality medical care, cheap prices on food and other essentials, free education and free access to sport and cultural amenities. Perhaps those days weren't so bad after all? What do they have now. They are not guaranteed anything anymore and it will be a long time before they will benefit (if that is what you can call it) from the influence of the western economies and capitalism. This will also bring it's own problems as we are well aware of in our own countries

By the way, most Russians don't think of their lives as being miserable and do not envy our lives even though we perceive ours as better. Come to Russia and judge for yourself

For the majority of Russian women, daily life is predictable, mundane and routine. Get up at 6 - 7am, a basic breakfast, catch a bus, trolleybus, tram or underground train (Metro) on a journey lasting from .5 - 1.5 hours (Most people live in 'sleeping zones' on the outskirts of the town or city). At peak times, public transport is overcrowded and uncomfortable, no chance of a seat and packed in like sardines

A normal working day is 8 hours with a 30 - 60 minute break for lunch. After work she has to negotiate the same difficulties as when she went to work then she will probably pop into the local shop to buy daily essentials. Russians shop on a day to day basis on an as needed basis. Shopping bags are not given away and are therefore saved. In fact everything is saved for future use. The women are very resourceful to a high degree

When she arrives home she will be completely exhausted and then if she has a child or family, she will have to cook for them. Everything will be prepared and cooked from scratch, prepared and pre-cooked foods are available in some shops but are very expensive

After they have eaten, the family may watch tv, read or talk for a couple of hours and then go to bed. Going out is a luxury for most people, entertainment is very expensive. Most people only go out to visit family and friends at the weekend

Daily life in Russia is tough, perhaps that is the reason why you will very rarely see a Russian smile when you pass them on the street