New dynastic struggles followed the death of Peter. His only son to survive into adulthood, Tsarevich Alexei, did not support Peter's modernization of Russia. He had previously been arrested and died in prison shortly thereafter. “We - people in the media business inside Russia - live in a state of anxiety, depression, existential alarm,” he told RFE/RL’s Russian Service. Software free download. “We live and we don’t know if tomorrow. That we can live in cold climates is a result of behavioural adaptations such as wearing appropriate clothing and building shelters. Successfully surviving cold requires two simultaneous events. Firstly, generating sufficient body heat by burning food and secondly, preventing the loss of that heat by suitable clothing and shelter. So, surviving in Russia isn’t as hard as it may seem language-wise. You should learn a few phrases, which are an absolute must, including basic greetings, asking for directions, shopping (just in case) and so on. In case you haven’t quite mastered the Russian language yet, don’t worry.

When traveling abroad, whether long-term or for a few days, some extent of culture shock is inevitable. It can be a disorienting experience for those who don’t prepare themselves. For Americans embarking on a trip to Russia, especially anywhere east of the Ural Mountains, cultural differences will be enormous, so it’s good to know what you’re getting into beforehand. Here are five of the biggest changes first-time visitors to Russia may find difficult to cope with.

1. Distinct lack of smiling. Russians, due in part to a general mistrustfulness hanging on from the Soviet era, do not go out of their way to smile at strangers. While their typically stern demeanor can be intimidating to Americans, this does not mean Russians are unfriendly, just that they prefer to save smiling for when they really mean it. Conversely, many Russians find Americans’ habit of constant smiling to be artificial and off-putting.

2. Higher pollution levels. While an eco-friendly, green lifestyle will certainly earn you brownie points in the United States, it’s practically unheard of in Russia. Recycling is not something that registers in their social consciousness, although Russian consumer goods are long-enduring and can be reused for decades before they wear down. There are no laws concerning littering or vehicle emissions, and for that matter, smoking bans in bars and restaurants are loosely enforced, if at all. Moreover, cities in Russia also have a high level of stray dogs and cats.

3. Better public transportation. Hands down, public transportation is vastly superior in Russia where bus and tram lines are safe, efficient, and affordable. The Metro system in Moscow especially is a masterpiece of grandeur and engineering, servicing millions of people each day and with over 200 miles of routes. In the US, on the other hand, you are virtually forced to buy a car if you want to be able to get around at all, as public transportation is in most cases poorly planned and unreliable.

4. Chivalry is still alive. Many Americans view Russian treatment of women as sexist, while Russian men insist it is their way of expressing respect and gallantry. Either way, in Russia it is expected by both sexes that men will pay for dates, hold doors for women, give up their seat for a woman, and so on. Although there are plenty of high-powered career women in Russia, many assume that they will be married and starting a family by their mid-20s.

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5. Very different food. Russian cuisine is composed of a few key staples: poultry, cabbage, potatoes, dill, pickled cucumbers, game, and black bread. Each key ingredient is readily available for you to buy at both produkty stores and open-air markets. Mushrooms are very popular, often handpicked by people in forests. Unlike the variety of ethnic food available in the United States, Russian food does not divert far from their traditional plates. The exception to this is the delicious Georgian dishes they’ve come to incorporate into their menus Additionally, Russians are very proud of their dairy products, such as tvorag, a sweet cheese that can be spread on cakes and cookies, and their sweets.

If you are planning a trip to Russia, you will certainly find out many more cultural differences on your own. To get by in Russia, it will be necessary to learn the basics of the Russian language, as English speakers are rare even in big cities. Take our free online Russian language level test, or send us an inquiry for more information.

The early history of Russia, like those of many countries, is one of migrating peoples and ancient kingdoms. In fact, early Russia was not exactly 'Russia,' but a collection of cities that gradually coalesced into an empire. I n the early part of the ninth century, as part of the same great movement that brough the Danes to England and the Norsemen to Western Europe, a Scandanavian people known as the Varangians crossed the Baltic Sea and landed in Eastern Europe. The leader of the Varangians was the semilegendary warrior Rurik, who led his people in 862 to the city of Novgorod on the Volkhov River. Whether Rurik took the city by force or was invited to rule there, he certainly invested the city. From Novgorod, Rurik's successor Oleg extended the power of the city southward. In 882, he gained control of Kiev, a Slavic city that had arisen along the Dnepr River around the 5th century. Oleg's attainment of rule over Kiev marked the first establishment of a unified, dynastic state in the region. Kiev became the center of a trade route between Scandinavia and Constantinople, and Kievan Rus', as the empire came to be known, flourished for the next three hundred years.

By 989, Oleg's great-grandson Vladimir I was ruler of a kingdom that extended to as far south as the Black Sea, the Caucasus Mountains, and the lower reaches of the Volga River. Having decided to establish a state religion, Vladimir carefully considered a number of available faiths and decided upon Greek Orthodoxy, thus allying himself with Constantinople and the West. It is said that Vladimir decided against Islam partly because of his belief that his people could not live under a religion that prohibits hard liquor. Vladimir was succeeded by Yaroslav the Wise, whose reign marked the apogee of Kievan Rus'. Yaroslav codified laws, made shrewd alliances with other states, encouraged the arts, and all the other sorts of things that wise kings do. Unfortunately, he decided in the end to act like Lear, dividing his kingdom among his children and bidding them to cooperate and flourish. Of course, they did nothing of the sort.

Within a few decades of Yaroslav's death (in 1054), Kievan Rus' was rife with internecine strife and had broken up into regional power centers. Internal divisions were made worse by the depradations of the invading Cumans (better known as the Kipchaks). It was during this time (in 1147 to be exact) that Yuri Dolgorukiy, one of the regional princes, held a feast at his hunting lodge atop a hill overlooking the confluence of the Moskva and Neglina Rivers. A chronicler recorded the party, thus providing us with the earliest mention of Moscow, the small settlement that would soon become the pre-eminent city in Russia.

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