What do Russians think about Americans?

[Helene]

I am an American and my curiousity was arroused when I talk to some European exchange students. They said some surprising things about what they thought about Americans before coming here. They said Americans are rich, nice but fat, eat at McDonald's all the time, etc. I wanted to know if Russians feel this way too and if their hostile feelings torwards Americans from the Cold War is still there.

Dear Helen,
I am another American, who travels a lot and also have people visit me here in America.
Fact: Americans are fat, no not fat they are obese. They use food as an aphrodisiac.
Fact: Americans consume 85% of all illegal drugs produced.
Fact: Americans are the World Champions in the usage of mind altering drugs such as Prozac, etc, etc, etc
Fact: Americans are slaves of the economy. They have the toys, but they are paying for it with prohibitve interest rates. They take
few extended vacations. They have few holidays. Soon they will be working on, X-Mas day. Gotta pay the bills. They are wondering why the family unit is in shambles.
Fact: Americans are World Champion Church
Goers. Texas has more churches than the rest of the world put together. Houston last year had more MURDERS than the rest of the world put together. (not counting other American Cities) Crime is rampant while the churches are chuck full. How do you figure?
Fact: In Europe you can not get a legal wedding in church. You get married in front of a judge at City Hall. Here everybody has a big fancy wedding in church. The divorce rate in Europe is half of the rate in the USA. How do you figure.
Please do not forget that I am an American by Choice. I came here as an immigrant. America has been good to me and to my family.
I am concerned about the things that my grandchildren will face. I stated my concerns above. Yes I know the cause.
It is called: DOLLARISM.
Good Luck to YOU.

[katie]

we dont hate americans or anythins. i think that most of our knowlege about america comes from american films.there is not enough educational stuff about america. maybe the things have improved now. i dont know. i am russian

[ILay]

Dear Helene,

i can't talk for the whole russian population but still, some personal remarks on the subject:

NO i don't think the Americans are rich, nice but fat.
i. I know well (though i never been to the US of A) that USD100 is of more value here in Russia (and in some other parts of Europe) than same banknote in US. Salary of 3000$ per month in USA equals 1000$ per month in Russia concerning the social level and prosperity.
ii. I met a lot of americans who were not nice at all.
iii. The only fat americans I saw were tourists (and not SO many of them). All the people i knew from my business and educational experience were more slim than i am.

But still there are some funny facts from my personal experience:
I've been neeting some american guys from Texas who came to Astrakhan (which lies near the cost of the Caspian Sea). It was the middle of the summer but they came from the hot state of Texas, where temperature (as they told me later) was at the moment 35 Celcius, to the cold and snowy country of Russia. So they put all the warm things on and had to perspire all the day long we had the talks with them (in their specially bought winter suits) under the heat of 55 Celcius (normal for Astrakhan in july). This was the first time i saw little knowledge of geografy may lead to disadvantage in business.

Another time we went to one of the best restaurants in Rostov-on-Don together:
2 russians
1 Finn
1 Scot
1 Britisher
1 American.
This was really a good restaurant with traditional russian and french cousine (especially the river fish was brilliant - you will not find the better place to taste it on the whole Don river).

Guess what was ordered by the American guy??
Right! A hamburger! You should see the waiters' faces

Anyhow - i liked most of the americans i had to encounter. They were crazy like russians - having fun until 5am, 2 hours to sleep than worked from 7am till 11pm. I would say that even in the times of the cold war the best word to describe the feeling of the russians would be anger, not hate.

Sorry for my english,
and best regards.

[This message has been edited by ILay (edited 26 January 2000).]

[jeNnlfer]

& the u.s. probably has more teenage pregnancies to,every year at my school at least 5 or more girls drop out because of it.


B.Ungaro, if you came here as an immigrant how does that make you american?

They have this process called Naturalization.(Civics 101) You might say that I am an American by choice and not by default. Further, being a Disabled American Veteran, I have done my duty. Have you? Only my love for the country and my concern for my childrens and grandchildrens future makes me speak out when I find it necessary. Any other questions?

[This message has been edited by B.Ungaro (edited 06 February 2000).]

[Randi]

To Ungaro
Not a true fact: In Europe poeple can get married legally in a church without having to go to a registry office. It really depends on what country you are in. Be careful not to generalise.
Americans are nice and probably all those things, however, USA is a huge area and the people are probably as different as Europeans.
Take care. Interesting discussion
Randi