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Author Topic: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date  (Read 7132 times)

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Offline pando

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #25 on: July 15, 2016, 03:53:13 PM »
I've got thick skin

Fun factoid. In Russia saying that someone has thick skin is an insult. It is usually a person who is insensitive, inconsiderate and cannot read people. Took me a while to get used to this being practically a compliment in the West.

You've got to do something with your caliber-a,b,c thing, it's a huge turnoff. Putting people on a 1 to 10 scale isn't going to fly in Russia.

otherwise, good luck.

Yes, you are right and, for what it is worth is an interesting insight into the ways in which 'Russian' mindset differs from that found in North America. Whilst we might look back and say, with reason, that the Soviet era was unworkable I have no doubt that the manner in which it should have worked was in keeping with the much more group oriented mindset found in most people in Russia and 'Russish' (my own word) environments. In the US and, to a lesser degree, in Europe and English speaking countries individualism is a highly prized attribute. That is much less the case in Russish countries and communities.

That difference is, IMHO key to understanding, or in the case of the US misunderstanding Russia, Russian people and how Russia works. Right now, everything that the US and its allies are doing to unseat Putin and unsettle the people is simply serving to enhance the group orientation of the people. If blokes like Eduard Limonov are behind Putin then one knows that any opinion polls showing huge support for Putin are, if anything, understating the support Putin, as leader of the Russian people everywhere, has.

I don't know anything about politics and country leaders :), but you're right, it's not just a question of translation, it's about attitudes too. Lifestyle in Russia is more communal. There are positives and negatives to it too, depends on a personality.

I might be deviating from the original topic of this thread, but the last post, claiming that lifestyle in Russia is more communal (than in the US and in Europe, I presume) puzzles me.  With the risk of having misunderstood the posting, my impression is to a large extent the opposite. People in Russia very seldom, in my experience, act communally (communal in my dictionary defined as "belonging to or used by a community as a whole"). Some examples: in the apartment block of my parents in law in Russia, the entire main entrance and stairs stink of puke and piss, no paint, sparse or no light, no renovation, and outside areas look the same. The same with many blocks I have visited in the same city and elsewhere in Russias. Reason: since it is common area, nobody cares, nobody preserves, washes etc. Not possible to arrange a system between the residents to wash and repair, since it "is not mine, why should I care - none of my business".  Inside in the flats it suddenly looks impeccable, clean and fresh. This is completely different in the countries I have lived in in Europe, Norway, Netherlands, Germany. Italy. Especially in the Scandinavian region, people are acting far, far more communal then in Russia. This can also be witnessed in for example popular spots on the countryside outside of big cities; for instance lakes where people barbecue in the summer.  People routinely leave litter and rubbish after them, no big deal, people simply don't care for common areas. What matters is the private space, where the family live. Everything else - not my business. I will not even start on the topic of corruption and tax evasion etc.  From this perspective, I can not agree that the lifestyle is more communal than in Europe.

They have many many housing estates like that in the UK with the communal area I guess the hallway to the apartment block stinking of piss and puke often on the floor Saturday morning, dog ends all over the place , the grass ripped to pieces outside and usually covered in garbage or dog shit.

Maybe your chasing around some women in the poorest area of some shanty town and thats why you have such bad experiences of the communal area.. ;D

Try going up market..

Well, then I guess we have a different experience on the matter. That's all right. There will always be different opinions, which is why this is a DISCUSSION forum. However, you know nothing about where I "chased" women and in which "area" they lived (for the record I am happily married for quite some time). What an idiotic statement to make. Try to stay on topic.

Online andrewfi

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #26 on: July 15, 2016, 04:00:33 PM »
Truth be told matey,  what you tell us DOES infirm us about the mileu in which you operate(d), or,  at the least, if your sharing is based upon very old information,  that you have not updated your knowledge for a decade or more.
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Offline pando

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #27 on: July 15, 2016, 04:04:59 PM »
Pando, maybe some misunderstandings creeping in here. I used the term 'group oriented' another poster took that as being a synonym for communal and your perception of 'communal' restricts itself to common areas in buildings. The latter is simply a management issue and not an expression of national culture or psyche.

Thus is a good example of what we, in English, refer to as Chinese Whispers - the process by which a transmitted message picks up errors in transmission at each stage  resulting in a different message being received than was sent.

The issue about which you ranted is a housing management issue that is being rectified by the use of residents management committees and housing associations.

Yes, probably I misunderstood the previous posts.  In any case, to elaborate on my "rant", in my experience from many places around Russia (especially after marrying I have travelled a lot and visited many, many families in apartment block), the issue is in fact very seldom solved by the residents, for the exact reason I stated in my post: since the area does not belong exclusively to them (i.e. it is common) they simply do not bother to participate or make contribution to any such committee. Result: problem is not rectified. Also, this is not only about houses, but also outside area, popular outdoor areas, as mentioned in my post. The fact that the authorities possibly clean up afterwards is a different thing (Annushka, nice photos, - of course public areas are cleaned in Russia, I did not argue that they are not) - I am discussing the "communal feeling" of the people - how they act in common areas. My point is that this lifestyle is not more communal than in Western Europe, from my experience.  But we are drifting from the main topic of this thread, sorry!


Offline pando

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #28 on: July 15, 2016, 04:10:04 PM »
Truth be told matey,  what you tell us DOES infirm us about the mileu in which you operate(d), or,  at the least, if your sharing is based upon very old information,  that you have not updated your knowledge for a decade or more.

Also you there starting? I had not even been to Russia a decade ago :-) So much for your "truth".  Relax now, there is no need to get personal in this. There is no price to be won, just an exchange of opinions.

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #29 on: July 16, 2016, 01:30:29 AM »
Pando, I like a sensible discussion as much as the next man but an opinion based on anything other than fact is worthless.

You were getting confused because you have a very limited understanding of the language we were using in posts to which you were trying to respond. Secondly you showed us that the milieu in which you have operated is rather limited. This is kinda like if I were to say that all USAian food is crappy based upon my extensive experience of McDonald's, you'd understand that my experience of US food was limited from my description of the food I had eaten.

I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt in terms of your obvious knowledge deficits by suggesting that possibly you only had experience and thus recollection of matters as they had been many years ago. Now we understand that you simply cast your net in a fairly dirty and shallow pond.
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Offline Steveboy

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #30 on: July 16, 2016, 02:18:31 AM »
I've got thick skin

Fun factoid. In Russia saying that someone has thick skin is an insult. It is usually a person who is insensitive, inconsiderate and cannot read people. Took me a while to get used to this being practically a compliment in the West.

You've got to do something with your caliber-a,b,c thing, it's a huge turnoff. Putting people on a 1 to 10 scale isn't going to fly in Russia.

otherwise, good luck.

Yes, you are right and, for what it is worth is an interesting insight into the ways in which 'Russian' mindset differs from that found in North America. Whilst we might look back and say, with reason, that the Soviet era was unworkable I have no doubt that the manner in which it should have worked was in keeping with the much more group oriented mindset found in most people in Russia and 'Russish' (my own word) environments. In the US and, to a lesser degree, in Europe and English speaking countries individualism is a highly prized attribute. That is much less the case in Russish countries and communities.

That difference is, IMHO key to understanding, or in the case of the US misunderstanding Russia, Russian people and how Russia works. Right now, everything that the US and its allies are doing to unseat Putin and unsettle the people is simply serving to enhance the group orientation of the people. If blokes like Eduard Limonov are behind Putin then one knows that any opinion polls showing huge support for Putin are, if anything, understating the support Putin, as leader of the Russian people everywhere, has.

I don't know anything about politics and country leaders :), but you're right, it's not just a question of translation, it's about attitudes too. Lifestyle in Russia is more communal. There are positives and negatives to it too, depends on a personality.

I might be deviating from the original topic of this thread, but the last post, claiming that lifestyle in Russia is more communal (than in the US and in Europe, I presume) puzzles me.  With the risk of having misunderstood the posting, my impression is to a large extent the opposite. People in Russia very seldom, in my experience, act communally (communal in my dictionary defined as "belonging to or used by a community as a whole"). Some examples: in the apartment block of my parents in law in Russia, the entire main entrance and stairs stink of puke and piss, no paint, sparse or no light, no renovation, and outside areas look the same. The same with many blocks I have visited in the same city and elsewhere in Russias. Reason: since it is common area, nobody cares, nobody preserves, washes etc. Not possible to arrange a system between the residents to wash and repair, since it "is not mine, why should I care - none of my business".  Inside in the flats it suddenly looks impeccable, clean and fresh. This is completely different in the countries I have lived in in Europe, Norway, Netherlands, Germany. Italy. Especially in the Scandinavian region, people are acting far, far more communal then in Russia. This can also be witnessed in for example popular spots on the countryside outside of big cities; for instance lakes where people barbecue in the summer.  People routinely leave litter and rubbish after them, no big deal, people simply don't care for common areas. What matters is the private space, where the family live. Everything else - not my business. I will not even start on the topic of corruption and tax evasion etc.  From this perspective, I can not agree that the lifestyle is more communal than in Europe.

They have many many housing estates like that in the UK with the communal area I guess the hallway to the apartment block stinking of piss and puke often on the floor Saturday morning, dog ends all over the place , the grass ripped to pieces outside and usually covered in garbage or dog shit.

Maybe your chasing around some women in the poorest area of some shanty town and thats why you have such bad experiences of the communal area.. ;D

Try going up market..

Well, then I guess we have a different experience on the matter. That's all right. There will always be different opinions, which is why this is a DISCUSSION forum. However, you know nothing about where I "chased" women and in which "area" they lived (for the record I am happily married for quite some time). What an idiotic statement to make. Try to stay on topic.

Well I have been in and about Russia for nearly 15 years and have been living here a few years now. I cannot say its common to see the communal area smelling off piss and puke as in the description you give. Of course there are flea pits every where in the world , but I wouldn't say its any worse here than anywhere else.
Where I live is all managed and the type of people that live in my neighbourhood are not the type of people to piss and shit in the communal areas. Actually I have lived and stayed all over Eastern Europe and cannot say your communal cleanliness issue is the norm.

As I said before you clearly mix with a different crowd..Im sure if some Russian women married some poor guy from a housing estate in a London shitty suburb she may have the same views?

I guess you could compare it to some guy searching a poor women in the villages of Ukraine then complaining all the houses he ever visited had no running water and had to use the well in the garden ?
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Offline Annushka

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #31 on: July 16, 2016, 03:00:41 AM »
I clarify the situation. In Russia, the "housing Maintenance and repair" (№2) part of the payment for an apartment.



On every door in the stairwell is intercom. In connection with the attacks, an outsider would not go into the entrance. By the way, people love flowers ennobling entrances. On the eve of New Year holidays at the entrance there is a festive tinsel and an invitation for Santa Claus!
I think that the author of pando far from Russia. :)

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #32 on: July 16, 2016, 09:42:50 AM »
Annushka, Thank you for the pictures. I have fond and still wonder as I wandered about in the Moscow subway system.


I might be deviating from the original topic of this thread, but the last post, claiming that lifestyle in Russia is more communal (than in the US and in Europe, I presume) puzzles me.  With the risk of having misunderstood the posting, my impression is to a large extent the opposite. People in Russia very seldom, in my experience, act communally (communal in my dictionary defined as "belonging to or used by a community as a whole"). Some examples: in the apartment block of my parents in law in Russia, the entire main entrance and stairs stink of puke and piss, no paint, sparse or no light, no renovation, and outside areas look the same. The same with many blocks I have visited in the same city and elsewhere in Russias. Reason: since it is common area, nobody cares, nobody preserves, washes etc. Not possible to arrange a system between the residents to wash and repair, since it "is not mine, why should I care - none of my business".  Inside in the flats it suddenly looks impeccable, clean and fresh. This is completely different in the countries I have lived in in Europe, Norway, Netherlands, Germany. Italy. Especially in the Scandinavian region, people are acting far, far more communal then in Russia. This can also be witnessed in for example popular spots on the countryside outside of big cities; for instance lakes where people barbecue in the summer.  People routinely leave litter and rubbish after them, no big deal, people simply don't care for common areas. What matters is the private space, where the family live. Everything else - not my business. I will not even start on the topic of corruption and tax evasion etc.  From this perspective, I can not agree that the lifestyle is more communal than in Europe.

While I uncertain what regions of the former Soviet Union or Russia that Pando is replying to. Often in Stalin era housing the public areas (being the stairs and entry way) are not clean, the same can be said of public housing in the United States. And they can stink in paticular during the summer. Once inside of a residence it is impressive how organized and clean it is.

As for area's like public parks and pedesterian in cities ways in Russia and Ukraine they are clean, even very clean. But understand there is army of babushka's that sweep and polish.

Once in the countryside the reality in the fSU is very ugly. It is more in my opinion of a sense of your place on the earth and the nation. On the times I have had cook outs (shaslik) I have carried out far more trash than I what I brought in.
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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #33 on: July 17, 2016, 05:24:42 AM »
AvHdB, I am certainly not suggesting that Russia is some kind of earthly paradise, however, the reality is that the picture described by Pando is more applicable to a time 15 to 20 years ago rather than today.

The housing to which you refer is now managed, as I noted and as Annushka attested, by tenants associations and management companies. As a result the situation that you recall, and maybe see when you visit Ukraine, has become much more rare in Russia. The places that do not have any kind of building management will be the ones that nobody considers worthy of of maintenance - the very worst areas, worst people and worst buildings.

That's why we can be fairly sure that if his only knowledge of Russian housing is as he described then one of three things is true:
1) He is recounting travelers' tales from long ago and has never been to Russia himself
2) His experience of Russia was gained 15-20 years ago
3) His experience is relatively recent but was to only sink housing where nobody (including the residents) had felt the housing was worth managing

We don't know which of those options is the truth but he has told us that his experience is recent; therefore my inference is that he met people who existed in a fairly low grade environment, lower than is typical for Russia today.

Incidentally he also showed that his understanding of English is a little limited. I am sure that most people, fluent in English, would not limit their understanding of the words 'communal' or 'community' to only the communal areas of apartment blocks, we know that the meaning, in the context provided by other posters, is much broader.
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Offline Annushka

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #34 on: July 17, 2016, 09:52:45 PM »
Annushka, Thank you for the pictures. I have fond and still wonder as I wandered about in the Moscow subway system.


I might be deviating from the original topic of this thread, but the last post, claiming that lifestyle in Russia is more communal (than in the US and in Europe, I presume) puzzles me.  With the risk of having misunderstood the posting, my impression is to a large extent the opposite. People in Russia very seldom, in my experience, act communally (communal in my dictionary defined as "belonging to or used by a community as a whole"). Some examples: in the apartment block of my parents in law in Russia, the entire main entrance and stairs stink of puke and piss, no paint, sparse or no light, no renovation, and outside areas look the same. The same with many blocks I have visited in the same city and elsewhere in Russias. Reason: since it is common area, nobody cares, nobody preserves, washes etc. Not possible to arrange a system between the residents to wash and repair, since it "is not mine, why should I care - none of my business".  Inside in the flats it suddenly looks impeccable, clean and fresh. This is completely different in the countries I have lived in in Europe, Norway, Netherlands, Germany. Italy. Especially in the Scandinavian region, people are acting far, far more communal then in Russia. This can also be witnessed in for example popular spots on the countryside outside of big cities; for instance lakes where people barbecue in the summer.  People routinely leave litter and rubbish after them, no big deal, people simply don't care for common areas. What matters is the private space, where the family live. Everything else - not my business. I will not even start on the topic of corruption and tax evasion etc.  From this perspective, I can not agree that the lifestyle is more communal than in Europe.

While I uncertain what regions of the former Soviet Union or Russia that Pando is replying to. Often in Stalin era housing the public areas (being the stairs and entry way) are not clean, the same can be said of public housing in the United States. And they can stink in paticular during the summer. Once inside of a residence it is impressive how organized and clean it is.

As for area's like public parks and pedesterian in cities ways in Russia and Ukraine they are clean, even very clean. But understand there is army of babushka's that sweep and polish.

Once in the countryside the reality in the fSU is very ugly. It is more in my opinion of a sense of your place on the earth and the nation. On the times I have had cook outs (shaslik) I have carried out far more trash than I what I brought in.

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #35 on: July 17, 2016, 11:29:33 PM »
I like this Twitter account. Backward Russia. ;D

https://twitter.com/BackwardRus

And it is always dirty streets of Moscow. They went out at 5 am on Tverskaya, dirt, bottles, packages and drunk Tajik janitor.



One of the worst is the underground world in Kazan. Everywhere graffiti, swearing on the walls. Homeless drank chekushku.





In Russia, the farther away from Moscow, the more terrible. Let's look at God forgotten, dense and impenetrable Khabarovsk.





Russia does not produce anything of their own! What kind of crap is that? We think that this is another moonshine ...



Russian stand in line for moonshine, near the garage Santa Kuzmich, from which he rolled his moonshine.



Hells hostel of Tomsk Polytechnic University. It's just a terrible place, similar to some dens.





Bloody Russian regime, the bloody sky and bloody river bloody ship with prisoners of Putin's camp ...



Excellent photo's Annushka.
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Offline Jerash

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #36 on: July 20, 2016, 09:25:30 PM »
I've got thick skin

Fun factoid. In Russia saying that someone has thick skin is an insult. It is usually a person who is insensitive, inconsiderate and cannot read people. Took me a while to get used to this being practically a compliment in the West.

You've got to do something with your caliber-a,b,c thing, it's a huge turnoff. Putting people on a 1 to 10 scale isn't going to fly in Russia.

otherwise, good luck.

Fashionista, thank you for this very fascinating bit of trivia! I did not know this and find it some great food for thought!

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #37 on: July 20, 2016, 11:52:24 PM »
Now we understand that you simply cast your net in a fairly dirty and shallow pond.

You wanted to say "barrel" didn't you?  ;D

Making friends again?

His point about communal entrances was valid. A decade ago anywhere in the region average buildings might be as he described (and many still are). But it has always varied from building to building. I know in my inlaws building there is a team of Babushkas who stand guard, nosey watch everyone who comes and goes, and clean the communal areas. Each flat chips in two or three quid a month for them or something. Modern buildings as you know will have a management arrangement. That he encountered some ropey communal areas doesn't necessarily means he was dredging the bottom of the barrel.
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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #38 on: July 21, 2016, 01:18:17 AM »
Also you there starting? I had not even been to Russia a decade ago :-) So much for your "truth".  Relax now, there is no need to get personal in this. There is no price to be won, just an exchange of opinions.

I am reminded, yet again, that judicious use of the "ignore" feature can greatly enhance the RUA experience for some users.

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #39 on: July 21, 2016, 01:21:15 AM »
If I wanted to use a different word I would've done so.

The guy told us his 'experience' is recent. What used to happen is thus not relevant because he told us it  wasn't.

If the bloke's entire experience is as he told us,  which is what he says, then the point I was making stands, is true and relevant. If all that he saw was crappy, uncared for, dirty communal areas in all the buildings he entered then he was dealing only with people who choose to live,  or are unable to leave, in the lower strata of society.

15 years ago that would not have been an accurate statement of reality. At that time very many buildings had yet to have organised any form of management and it was something of a cliché that apartment blocks had shitty public areas but the apartments themselves were a different matter,  much better cared for and pleasant.

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #40 on: July 21, 2016, 01:25:05 AM »
If I wanted to use a different word I would've done so.

The guy told us his 'experience' is recent. What used to happen is thus not relevant because he told us it  wasn't.

If the bloke's entire experience is as he told us,  which is what he says, then the point I was making stands, is true and relevant. If all that he saw was crappy, uncared for, dirty communal areas in all the buildings he entered then he was dealing only with people who choose to live,  or are unable to leave, in the lower strata of society.

15 years ago that would not have been an accurate statement of reality. At that time very many buildings had yet to have organised any form of management and it was something of a cliché that apartment blocks had shitty public areas but the apartments themselves were a different matter,  much better cared for and pleasant.

I know some appartments that don't even have their own toilets, they use a communal toilet block on the side of the street. Care to use one? I'd much sooner use a public toilet on the street than that place of hell.
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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #41 on: July 21, 2016, 01:37:46 AM »
And such places with their foul middens are universally inhabited by people from all ranks of Russian society - NOT!
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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #42 on: July 21, 2016, 02:42:26 AM »
And such places with their foul middens are universally inhabited by people from all ranks of Russian society - NOT!
Of course not, but in my experience from travelling around Russia, dirty/unmaintained communal areas are still more common than clean ones.

I'd say from medium-middle class to rich have good management/clean areas whereas lower-middle-class and below still have the old soviet system.
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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #43 on: July 21, 2016, 03:32:06 AM »
I'd say from medium-middle class to rich have good management/clean areas whereas lower-middle-class and below still have the old soviet system.

Well, that's kinda the point I was making. :)

If one ONLY saw the crap then one was experiencing the crap. If one had met nice people, not from the lower rungs of society then one would not write as our hero wrote - see what I am getting at?

I have not suggested that ALL apartment blocks have communal areas that are like a vision of heaven's ante room. I suggested that the places that were not decent tended to be a reflection of the denizens of such places. Everything that you and Manny are saying supports that reality.
...everything ends always well; if it’s still bad, then it’s not the end!

Offline Steveboy

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #44 on: July 21, 2016, 04:30:59 AM »
The UK is full of shit hole housing estates and slums..

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/uk-housing-crisis-could-mark-return-slums-232900922.html?vp=1

Much depends on who you mix with..
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Offline Gipsy

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #45 on: July 21, 2016, 05:29:48 AM »
And such places with their foul middens are universally inhabited by people from all ranks of Russian society - NOT!
Of course not, but in my experience from travelling around Russia, dirty/unmaintained communal areas are still more common than clean ones.

I'd say from medium-middle class to rich have good management/clean areas whereas lower-middle-class and below still have the old soviet system.

There are certainly many "Slum" areas around Mos & St P's, and across all of the country which have absolutely vile communal areas, mostly related to poverty areas, but not exclusively.

Just my 2p's worth..
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Offline Bruce Lee

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #46 on: July 21, 2016, 05:51:15 AM »
There are certainly many "Slum" areas around Mos & St P's, and across all of the country which have absolutely vile communal areas, mostly related to poverty areas, but not exclusively.
That would be my observation as well, during our upcoming visit we will see middle class properties as well as probably the lowest end you are likely to see - my wife's home town is literally an outpost in the middle of nowhere with next to zero investment in infrastructure and construction be it improvements or new builds! The towns idea of a new build is to stick a block of flats onto a foundation that was built when the wife lived there - almost 20 years ago!!

There are many that choose to leave as soon as they are able, others for whatever reason be it family, habit or whatever will stay there forever, I'm sure they wouldn't be happy to be classed as low level citizens. I dare say that many people there would like and probably do have the ability to live in a nicer, better maintained building but if nobodies buildings them it ain't going to happen!
If you get a minute check out Bruce's TR - Its not quite finished, however its still a pretty good read IMHO.

If I win the lottery I'll finish it this week if not I'll probably complete it when I retire!!! Until then I hope you enjoy the story so far!

Offline Steveboy

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #47 on: July 21, 2016, 05:57:21 AM »
And such places with their foul middens are universally inhabited by people from all ranks of Russian society - NOT!
Of course not, but in my experience from travelling around Russia, dirty/unmaintained communal areas are still more common than clean ones.

I'd say from medium-middle class to rich have good management/clean areas whereas lower-middle-class and below still have the old soviet system.

There are certainly many "Slum" areas around Mos & St P's, and across all of the country which have absolutely vile communal areas, mostly related to poverty areas, but not exclusively.

Just my 2p's worth..

I have slept in some Moscow slums , washed and changed in the communal shower/toilets in several Moscow train stations.. :laugh:
I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Online AvHdB

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #48 on: July 21, 2016, 06:00:03 AM »
There are certainly many "Slum" areas around Mos & St P's, and across all of the country which have absolutely vile communal areas, mostly related to poverty areas, but not exclusively.
That would be my observation as well, during our upcoming visit we will see middle class properties as well as probably the lowest end you are likely to see - my wife's home town is literally an outpost in the middle of nowhere with next to zero investment in infrastructure and construction be it improvements or new builds! The towns idea of a new build is to stick a block of flats onto a foundation that was built when the wife lived there - almost 20 years ago!!

There are many that choose to leave as soon as they are able, others for whatever reason be it family, habit or whatever will stay there forever, I'm sure they wouldn't be happy to be classed as low level citizens. I dare say that many people there would like and probably do have the ability to live in a nicer, better maintained building but if nobodies buildings them it ain't going to happen!

 :thumbsup:

The same holds true for the United States and while the Netherlands also has area's that leave allot to be desired. The reality it is often the residents are who resist change.
“If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” T.S. Eliot

Offline Annushka

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Re: FSUW Dating Process - Current and Up to Date
« Reply #49 on: July 21, 2016, 06:07:09 AM »
Hey, boys! You all work in sanitary supervision? You are coming to the country to take swabs of the USSR on microbes or cheap brides in town type settlements? ;D :chuckle: :ROFL:
For your information, 50 years ago, the toilets were on the street. All of the USSR went to the bath. Can anyone remember the older buildings? Stairwells in the hallways washed in turn. Or hire a cleaning woman for money. I said above: Russian more cleanly than other nations of the USSR.
10-15 years ago, we have already started to put doors on the entrances. Because in Russia surged refugees from all over the Soviet Union. I do not hide, and now they do not live in the best conditions. But! No Russian genocide, as we have seen previously fraternal Soviet republics!











 

 

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