StereotypesStereotypes aboutaboutRussiaRussia

Balakireva VikaPermyakova MashaTurtikova Tanya

Gymnasium 9, ElectrostalRussia

PeoplePeople from different countries from different countries always have stereotypesalways have stereotypes about about

each other.each other.

It’s absolutely natural It’s absolutely natural as each as each culture always contains secrets.culture always contains secrets.

The most common The most common stereotype stereotype that that foreigners have about foreigners have about Russia is that Russia is that bears walk bears walk along the streets in cities along the streets in cities and in towns.and in towns.

It’s not true.

Bears do not walk Bears do not walk along the streets. along the streets. In our country In our country bears live on bears live on special territories. special territories. For example, in For example, in dense forests or dense forests or in the taiga. in the taiga. They may also They may also live peacefully in live peacefully in zoos.zoos.

Stereotype № 2: All Russian people

are drunkards.

It’s not true.

How offen do you drink alcohol?

2% 6%11%

20%

35%

25%

1% practically ev.day

2-3 times a week

1-2 times a week

2-3 times a month

several times a year

never

difficult to say

This stereotype is very offensive and it really hurts. This stereotype forms a wrong image of our country. It is true

that the level of consumption of alcohol in Russia is one of the highest in the world, but it does not mean that all Russians are drunkards and drink alcoholic drinks every day. A social poll was conducted to find out how often

Russian people drink alcohol. The results are in the pie chart.

Most foreigners think that Russians drink a lot of vodka. Most foreigners think that Russians drink a lot of vodka.

But we should say that our Government is trying to solve this problem. For example, several years ago you could watch the commercials of alcoholic drinks during the day on TV but now only after 10 p.m. Most shops don’t sell alcoholic drinks at night. Pupils at school are taught that drinking is harmful for the health.

Stereotype № 3: Russians seldom smile.

It’s not true.

When foreigners visit Russia, they are shocked to see that a lot of Russian people look gloomy, unfriendly and

concentrated in the street. They think that we are unhappy.

We don’t usually smile to strangers as it can be misunderstood. That’s why tourists feel uncomfortable and upset in our country. But after some days of living and communicating with Russians most visitors understand that this is just the feature of our character. When Russians get to know foreigners better, they smile broadly and willingly.

Different cultures have different attitudes to smiles. When Europeans or Americans smile, they just show their politeness. A smile for Russians is something very intimate. It is a sign that a person likes to see another person, usually a close and a well known one, for example, a friend or a relative.

Stereotype 4: Matryoshka is a symbol of Russia

It is true that this wooden doll with a lot of other figures inside is a symbol of our country.

Many years ago Matryoshka was in each

house. Children liked to play with this toy.

Matryoshka usually has:

1) ruddy cheeks

2) a bright shawl

3) dark blue or black eyes

4) an apron in flowers

Matryoshka dolls are often peasant girls in traditional dresses, but they can be different, from fairy tale characters to the leaders of the country.

Matryoshka in 2011

Nowadays we can seldom see Matryoska at people’s homes. It is mostly sold in kiosks as a souvenir for tourists.

Stereotype № 5: All Russian people wear fur hats with ear-flaps like those worn by Russians in some

American films

Yes, in Russia we wear hats with earflaps which we call “ushankas”. But they don’t look like those worn by some Russians in the films made in Hollywood. They are modern and stylish.

This stereotype is half true.

We wear such hats because it’s rather cold in some parts of our big country. They are very popular and of

different kinds. By the way, people from other cold countries also wear them.

It’s not true.

Stereotype № 6: In Russia winter is all year round

.

In Russia besides winter there are 3 more seasons:

In spring snow melts, birds arrive from the south, there are buds on trees.

In summer it is hot, trees are green.

In autumn leaves turn yellow and fall down on the ground, birds fly away to the south, it becomes cold.

.

.

Stereotype № 7: Santa Claus is a symbol of New Year in all the countries.

In Russia Ded Moroz is a symbol of New Year like Santa Claus is in America. Earlier he had a dark blue fur coat, but later it became red. In the past it was believed that Ded Moroz was wicked, lived in a winter wood and would freeze anyone who would come to his territory.

But now Ded Moroz is a character of kind fairy tales and at New Year’s Eve he gives presents to all children or puts them under the fir-tree in the room. Ded Moroz travels in his sledge pulled by three wonderful horses.

It’s not true.

Ded Moroz looks like Santa Claus with his coat, boots and long white beard. Ded Moroz is often shown wearing a heel-length fur-coat, a semi-round fur hat, and valenki on his feet. Unlike Santa Claus, he walks with a long magical staff.

The official residence of Ded Moroz in Russia is considered to be the town of Veliky Ustyug.

Stereotype № 8: Russian women are very beautiful.

It is true. Our women are very beautiful and pretty. But they work a lot. We have a poem by

Nekrasov. He wrote, “Our woman is beautiful, but if she wants, she can stop the horse while it is running”.

Many Russian girls became famous models. Our women are the best women in the world!

Stereotype № 9: Russian people are always criminals in foreign films.

Why do foreigners think that all Russian people are criminals? We watch your films and do not recognize our people. You think that we drink a lot, kill people and there is a lot of crime and mafia. It is false. There is a lot of crime in most countries.

Stereotype № 10: Scientists go to foreign countries to work.

It is true. Our people are very clever. They discovered and invented many wonderful things. Unfortunately, some of them leave for foreign countries especially for the USA and work in the Silicon Valley or in the universities because they get good salaries there.

Stereotype № 11: Russian people eat pancakes and black caviar every

day.

It’s not true. Black caviar is very expensive and

Russian people don’t buy it very often. But we often eat pancakes for breakfast or at celebrations.

Sturgeon is in danger

In Russia it is forbidden to catch the sturgeon kinds of fish, because there are little of them left. These kinds of fish give tasty caviar to people.

We wanted to debunk some stereotypes about Russia.

We have done a lot of work, asking foreigners about their stereotypes about our country, looking for information and defending them.

We hope that people from different countries will not judge our country and our people only by stereotypes. Of course, there are people, who are real stereotypes, but there are not many of them.

Welcome to Russia!