[Arado]

(04-16-2014 09:54 PM)Akula Wrote:  

(04-16-2014 01:54 PM)ao85 Wrote:  

I lived there for two years, back in US now. He's definitely right about the fat difference and the height difference, the heels, and the ratios (though late at night they aren't that good in the clubs).

In terms of other things, I think he glosses over how crappy Russian food is, how cold it gets, how racist the people are - would love to hear him talk about getting into clubs as a non white person. Nationalism and skinhead movement are getting stronger and stronger. Also how unhappy and unfriendly the people are. Yeah, maybe a short trip isn't enough time to see the downsides of a country.

Please expand on the 'skinhead movement getting stronger and stronger.' Seems like just more western scare tactics than anything else. I did 5 years in Moscow and didn't see any skinheads there - like ever.

(04-16-2014 03:25 PM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  

Regarding racism in Russia, id like to make a small but subtle distinction in what is usually proclaimed about the situation in Russia regarding xenophobia and such: Russians arent so much racist as they are race-aware. That is, if youre a black guy walking along the streets of Moscow, youre not gonna get beaten in with a baseball bat. But you might receive apprehensive looks and glances here and there. This is because Russians have an excellent race-radar so to speak. They are acutely aware of who is ethnically Russian and who isnt. It's a little difficult to explain as it is sort of built into the culture and Im definitely not saying real racism doesnt exist in Russia. Hope this isnt construed as apologetics or something.

The reason for this is that increasingly you have to be very careful of the new arrivals from certain areas - Chechnya, the 'stans, etc. - who have tended to prey more and more on the locals in recent years. I heard so many real stories, several first hand, when I was there. It's still safer than the big Western cities though IMO.

Hmmm, perhaps skinhead isn't the right word, but there is definitely increasing hostility towards foreigners. And I had several african friends there that were hesitant to go out at night for fear of violence. Coming from the US it's a bit of a shock to be stared at constantly, harassed by police, and denied entry to clubs consistently. For a couple of months of a trip, no biggie, but for me two years was WAY too long. I'm sure brown/black people can have fun there, but whether the hassle is worth a long term stay is a different issue. Plus the economy is tanking now anyway.

[TripleG]

Speaking of the economy tanking and new round of economic sanctions being promised by the puppet Obama are there any forum members on the ground in Russia who can report on the situation?

A follow-up question: is there increased hostility towards Americans, considering that USA is mostly responsible for enacting sanctions and making Putin look like the devil. My dad who does business with Russia and talks to locals everyday mentions that many Russian's (especially older one's) are still surrounded in a glow of euphoria by the "acquisition of Crimea" and share Putin's vision of a grander Russia but what is the outlook of the younger people?

[Constitution45]

I don't believe Russia will solve its demographic problem by aligning itself with the West, if anything it will just repopulate the country with a foreign population, which they are currently trying to deal with. The wheels are in motion though, Russians are having kids, although it will take some government policy similar to Isarel's to solve it fully.

Russian women are something else, but this is all logistics and economics we are talking about here. British and American women would just be as good looking and feminine if they were raised in a different environment. The West really encourages every bad side of femininity to come out and be expressed as "independence". Obviously women in the East have to be smarter than that, and actually have a genuine masculine presence around.

Don't expect quick sex as a foreigner in Russia, but if you want to establish yourself there, you will probably have a succession of 9/10 girlfriends for the rest of your days.

[cool guy]

(08-02-2014 05:59 AM)Constitution45 Wrote:  

I don't believe Russia will solve its demographic problem by aligning itself with the West, if anything it will just repopulate the country with a foreign population, which they are currently trying to deal with. The wheels are in motion though, Russians are having kids, although it will take some government policy similar to Isarel's to solve it fully.

Russian women are something else, but this is all logistics and economics we are talking about here. British and American women would just be as good looking and feminine if they were raised in a different environment. The West really encourages every bad side of femininity to come out and be expressed as "independence". Obviously women in the East have to be smarter than that, and actually have a genuine masculine presence around.

Don't expect quick sex as a foreigner in Russia, but if you want to establish yourself there, you will probably have a succession of 9/10 girlfriends for the rest of your days.

Before I left in 2008 they had a lot of PSA's (public service announcements) on the television the campaign was called "The Year of the Family" and the ad would have the couple pushing a stroller or carrying a blanketed baby bundle with a microwave or car rim in the place of a baby trying to guilt trip Russians into having children by calling them out as materialists. To me their wants for a nice refrigerator or automobile didn't seem excessive but the Russian elites who lived during Soviet times probably did. They hadn't appealed to nationalist sentiment in trying to increase their birth rate but I wonder if they may start doing it now with a kind of Russia or Me VS, the World type thinking. Westerners may not be sought after in a few years by women with nationalist thinking who knows how bad hunger will be. When I left in 2008 my rubles lost 10% of their value in a month as $3,000 in rubles became $2,700 they lost another 15% in value within 6 months partly because of the Georgian invasion and mostly because of the decrease in demand for hydrocarbons and commodities Russia's main exports. They want to become manufacturing power but their manufactures are shit Lada, Uaz these companies although improved haven't been able to compete globally. That video of Putin hounding the scared shitless oligarch ordering him to get up from where he was sitting to "give him back his pen" was the result of this devaluation as the oligarch hadn't done very much to change his company and make it more competitive. Putin can't do everything, he decided to increase tariffs on vehicles coming in and a riot broke out in Vladivostok. I wonder how all this will affect game for us foreigners if girls are gonna get bitchier but easier to game? I also thought they had Army recruitment commercials on television "contract army" and how they saw the army as a way to combat social ills like drug abuse, alcoholism, or just plain lack of ambition so many young men had when I was there so there may be more competition by local men if forcing them in the Army works although they would really have to reform the Army as most guys try to stay out as much as they can.

[Constitution45]

Russia is always changing, even in the last 8 years a lot has happened, not even mentioning the recent events with Crimea and East ukraine. Its hard to tell how the population stands, as they have a big immigration problem. The middle class who goes overseas, tend to be divisive in terms of their nationalist sentiments. Some are very pro Western and want Russia to join in with it all, others are the opposite and believe that there is something special to Russia's isolation fro the West.

Personally I don't want to see thirsty foreigners flooding Russia trying to shag the natives, it will change the dynamics, and will lead to it becoming just another Western hemisphere country, nothing special. On top of that with the current situation, less foreigners will be going to Russia from the West.

Russia's state cultural foundation policy was leaked, and it detailed a plan to bring back traditional structures and systems to rebuild the country. If they did this, it would make it a very hostile environment for foreigners wanting to have easy sex, but will rebuild the country to a great extent. I am not that knowledgeable on economics, but I don't see too much being lost from the EU boycotting Russia. The alliances being formed with the developing economies and China may be something that would compensate for their loss of relations in other departments.

[Constitution45]

(04-17-2014 07:43 PM)TripleG Wrote:  

Speaking of the economy tanking and new round of economic sanctions being promised by the puppet Obama are there any forum members on the ground in Russia who can report on the situation?

A follow-up question: is there increased hostility towards Americans, considering that USA is mostly responsible for enacting sanctions and making Putin look like the devil. My dad who does business with Russia and talks to locals everyday mentions that many Russian's (especially older one's) are still surrounded in a glow of euphoria by the "acquisition of Crimea" and share Putin's vision of a grander Russia but what is the outlook of the younger people?

Crimea is essentially Russian, large navy base, made up of a majority of ethnic Russians who are citizens also, as well as most of them having holiday homes in Crimea. The people I spoke to saw Putin as a necessity to the situations which the country is facing.

Cute Western styled democracies focusing on social justice, simply can't understand how hard life has been in Russia ever since the break up. Rationally and completely expectedly, this mirrors what a lot of the population will think.

I knew some loud obnoxious Americans in Moscow and they got on fine. People from the West don't really understand the customs, you will receive subtle hostility from everyone on the street, its just a serious mentality. And foreigners take it personally, bare in mind though, that once you form friendships and relationships, the seriousness dies off and they are valued immensely.

It will be a shame if there is an increased level of xenophobia in Russia because of the sanctions. Although you will always have the violent nationalist elements but they are the minority and an exception to the rule out there.

Middle class Russians, opinions vary on the matter, some are very pro Western and don't want to be left out; I believe this is a reflection of their own desire to do well in the West, which is completely understandable. A lot of these wealthy kids are trained from a young age to be able to engage in the international world of business and everything that comes with it.

Some are able to successfully do both, have Russian pride and want to see a stronger country that doesn't have to lose its identity (In the end of the day, what else does a country with so many problems have). While maintaing strong ties with the international community.

I really can't tell you what the future for business with Russia will entail. RT may be propaganda but they are holding the government line pretty firmly. "We are an independent superpower who is going to avoid the mistakes which the West had made ever since the start of the Cold War".