Conversation during the St. Petersburg City Tour: Things we think we know…

(St. Petersburg, Russia) So, we were talking about similarities between the American culture and the Russian culture. Here is what we think we know about that comparison:

  1. Bureaucracy is challenging.
  2. Socioeconomic status levels have extreme differences.
  3. Families genuinely care about their children.
  4. People have anxiety about surviving economically.
  5. Education is available and valued.
  6. People need to be loved.
  7. Society “worships” personalities (in the US, it’s Lady Gaga. in Russia, maybe strong leaders)
  8. Image (of individuals) matters and we pre-judge people.
  9. Pressure on men to succeed.
  10. Pressure on women to work and to care for their households.
  11. Historical mistreatment of indigenous people groups.