r/AskARussian 22h ago

Culture Russian Dating

4 Upvotes

As an American, what are some of the most important things I need to follow when dating a Russian woman? I met her while traveling and we have been talking constantly with plans to meet up again soon in another neutral country, I know about the odd flowers and that dating is serious in the culture but I want to surprise her.


r/AskARussian 23h ago

Culture Is the name "Mishura" an actual name?

15 Upvotes

So, I'm writing a character who is Russian and I liked the nickname Misha and what it means ("one who is like god", since he's basically trying to create artificial human life). However, I don't quite "vibe" with the name Mikhail, I find it to be too common I guess. So I read in a site it could be written as "Mishura" Мишура, however, I searched it and it means "tinsel, glitter" and stuff like that! I'm not too sure if it really means that. I've also read in a site that it could be written as Mishutka, Mishuka, but i'm pretty sure those are diminutive. Any answer would help!


r/AskARussian 23h ago

Travel Will an African American be safe traveling to Kamchatka?

0 Upvotes

Hello i am i young African American man who likes to travel the world. I have respect and love for all walks of life. I recently came across Kamchatka Russia and It looks like a place i would love to visit but i would like to make sure I’m safe there first.


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Food Blinchiki recipes?

5 Upvotes

One of my favorite Russian foods was блинчики с мясом. Can anyone provide me with a recipe, please?

Edit: I’m looking for favorite family recipes for this. No, Google still works.


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Culture Frip in St Petersburg

6 Upvotes

Hey what are the best frip - second hand clothes - in St Petersburg ?


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Community Find lost items

4 Upvotes

I live in Saint Petersburg and I've lost something, but I don't know where I dropped it. Are there any places that return found items, and are there any centers where I can look for it?


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Work Каковы шансы получить разрешение на работу в России?

8 Upvotes

Я из Индии, имею трехлетний опыт работы в сфере кибербезопасности; работала с клиентами из авиационного и банковского секторов. Каковы шансы найти там работу, если я владею русским языком на уровне не ниже B2 (я изучаю русский язык последние восемь месяцев)?


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Culture Help online shopping...

0 Upvotes

I am in Australia but traveled to Russia in 2018, a friend bought a Russian orthodox christian ring and I absolutely loved it but it was stolen off me. I have found it online for sale on Russian websites, but none deliver to Australia. Can anyone please tell me some Russian websites that will ship to Australia? Thanks :)


r/AskARussian 1d ago

Travel Latin American man going to Russia

0 Upvotes

Hello! I’m a Brazillian man going to Russia to, sincerely, find my wife. I’m in love with Russian culture and values and I find Russian woman the most beautiful in the world.

Any tips to find my wife there? What do Russians girls like?

Do they get impressed by what?

I like to do business, hit the gym and learn about everything (read a lot). Is it something the Russians care about?

Please, any tips for helping me find my future wife will be welcomed. (I’m going to Moscow primarily).


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Foreign Pursuing a phd in Russia

2 Upvotes

Hello

I hold a master's degree in Language science (English) from an Algerian university, and I was thinking of applying for a phd program in Russia(self-funded). Which university would you advise me to check? And also as someone who does not speak Russian, do you think I still can a manage?


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Study After аспирант, you become кандидат наук, right?

12 Upvotes

Is that right? When you're still a PhD student, you are considered аспирант. When you successfully defend your thesis and graduate, you become кандидат наук and awarded the PhD degree?


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Misc Finding Biological Family

9 Upvotes

Hi guys. I was adopted from Yaroslavl when I was a baby and found some old heartbreaking handwritten letters from my biological mother in a bunch of old folders. I found a picture of her and my half brother and wanted to see if there was a way I could contact them. I have an old Russian postage envelope with an old address. Anyone have any idea how I could find them or contact them? I tried VK and a few other websites but no luck. I appreciate the advice.


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Foreign Citizenship

0 Upvotes

Russia issues a two-year work visa contract. After the two years, workers usually have to return to their home country and apply for a new visa. Is there any way to obtain Russian citizenship while working in Russia on a work visa?


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Travel Would it be a really bad idea to fly to Russia to visit the Kubinka Tank Museum?

9 Upvotes

Hello, I'm from Slovakia and I really want to go to the Kubinka Tank Museum and I'm not sure how smart that would be right now. Should I wait until the war is over instead? I know a bit of Russian so that wouldn't be much of an issue


r/AskARussian 2d ago

Travel Passport control as a dual citizen of EU and a visa-free country

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I'm planning on going to Russia at the end of this month with my GF for a short stay in Moscow.

We're both born in Brazil hold Italian and Brazilian passports as we live in Italy.

I'm aware that as Brazilians, we don't need to apply for any visas. My question is - if they ask us where we live, and ask for proof of it, won't it raise further questions if we show our Italian passports?

I've looked up some advice online and I saw that it's not recommended to show the EU passport at any time during border control. Even from some communities on Reddit.

I'd like to know if anyone has been through something like this or if you guys have any advice online how I can explain this thing to the officers.

Both citizenships we have are by birth.

Thank you in advance!


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Travel Latin American going Russia: what would you recommend me?

9 Upvotes

Hello! I am a Latin American single man going Russia. What would you recommend me?

I enjoy classic music, despise drugs and want to enjoy Summer in the Zlatoglavoy.


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Travel Travel advice for august

5 Upvotes

Hey everyone, im travelling to russia next month via turkey, and then leaving via train to mongolia. my russian is terrible and i live abroad but im a belarusian citizen so visas and such arent a problem for me.

One of the biggest questions i have is around internet. i was looking at getting and esim whilst i was there, probably either with Maya esim or Yesim, i wanted to know if anyone has had some experience with them or knows any better options.

same thing with vpns. obviously my whole life is built on western companies and resources, so are there any vpns that work in russia to still access stuff like google or instagram, etc

and im assuming i will need to bring Euros to convert to rubles and pay for everything by cash right?

thanks so much for any help


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Culture Culture Shock?

0 Upvotes

What's considered normal for Russian people but surprises foreigners who live in/ visit Russia?


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Travel Travelling to Izhevsk!

8 Upvotes

I am an Indian, who is for work in Izhevsk for a few weeks. I went around Izhevsk, it’s a small, quite and beautiful place with good weather.
I went out for walks and went to fee cafes as well but I observed that very few people move out of their houses in this locality nearby the outskirts.

I needed a few suggestions with some good cafes, walks, scenic views, lake camping and places to explore around! I want to make some local friends as well but very few people speak english and hence communication becomes one of the barrier.

Hoping to talk to someone local and who can speak english and can guide me!


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Meta What are Bulgarians supposed to be impressed by?

35 Upvotes

Hi. I am a Bulgarian that was born after the fall of the Berlin wall. Sometimes when watching Russian content, I hear the phrase “the Bulgarians cheered” or “the Bulgarians are impressed”. From what I could gather, the phrase originated during the Cold War and is supposed to be ironic. Maybe news sources back then claimed that we were impressed by a Soviet achievement or something? What is the source?


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Study Master's degree in electronics and communications

1 Upvotes

Всем привет

I am a fresh graduate electronics and communications engineer from Egypt and I wanted to get a master's degree in my field especially antennas and microwave engineering where I wanted to move to Russia and I'm actually interested in taking a master's degree and become better in my specialisation.

What universities are strong in that field?

Also my GPA is 2.4. Is there a chance for my gpa to get accepted or is it over?

Is it possible to get a job after graduating from master's?

And I'm sorry if this is a sensitive topic but is actually moving and studying in russia right now safe? You know because of the war I mean


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Travel Traveling to Russia in August

13 Upvotes

Hi Everyone,

I maybe traveling to Russia for a forum in October in the Yamalo-Nenets autonomous Okrug and I will be attending a preparatory year course in Tyumen from December.

Now the issue is I will be attending the forum on a humanitarian visa and which I hear is valid for 3 months.

I would like to know if after the forum, I could stay and start the course later and and get the school to extend the visa or I would have to live and come back for the course. I heard I would have to leave immediately after the forum and that kind of bothers me because I don't have the funds for 2 flights in the space of 3 months looking at the fact that I will be paying for tuition fees and other miscellaneous.

So please I would like to know,

Can I stay the full three months the humanitarian visa offers?

Do I have to leave after the conference ends?

Would I be able to rent an apartment on the humanitarian visa within that 3 months.

And also if there's any info you think is valuable, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Thank you all 😊


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Books Looking for a book

8 Upvotes

Hi everybody,

I would like to learn the Russian history, but I don't know where to start. Both English and French are good

I want to understand the whole timeline. From the early Kievan Rus, the Tsar and the Romanov empire, through the USSR,
All the way to modern Russia.

Does anyone have a recommendation.


r/AskARussian 3d ago

Culture My Russian friend says it's normal in Russian culture to show up at people's homes unannounced without telling them first

140 Upvotes

I'm trying to figure out if this is actually a cultural difference or if it's just his personality.

He'll text me that he's "nearby" and then five minutes later he's at my apartment expecting to come in. A couple of times he didn't even text until he was outside my building. When I told him I'd rather have some notice, he laughed and said that's how friends are in Russia and that Westerners are "too formal."

I'm from another Eastern European country, so it's not like I'm unfamiliar with different social norms, but this still feels unusual to me. None of my other Russian friends do this, so now I'm wondering if he's exaggerating or if it's genuinely common in Russia.

Is dropping by someone's house with little or no notice considered normal in Russia, or is this just him?


r/AskARussian 4d ago

Culture Is taking your shoes off at the door really that strict in Russia?

207 Upvotes

I’ve been reading a bit about daily life in Russia and one thing I keep seeing is how serious people are about indoor shoes and slippers. Is that really as universal as it sounds?

Like, if you go to someone’s apartment, are you basically always expected to take your shoes off right away, even if it’s a super casual visit? And do people judge you if you forget and just walk in for a second? Also curious if this changes a lot between cities, older people, younger people, that kind of thing.

Random question, I know, but I’m genuinely curious because it seems like one of those small things that says a lot about everyday culture.