tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post3450365802863302665..comments2024-02-07T11:31:44.141+03:00Comments on On Life in St. Petersburg: In search of taboosElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15283395756742923658noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-4311002879432865272008-10-19T16:23:00.000+04:002008-10-19T16:23:00.000+04:00This topic has been analyzed to death, so I can't ...This topic has been analyzed to death, so I can't claim originality, but I do think it is interesting.<BR/><BR/>Vitali, you're right, I may have been too negative. I'm sorry for offending you. I try to keep a positive attitude, but I also try to be honest about my reactions to various cultural contrasts. I think it's healthy to discuss them once in a while. Once in a while I have mentioned cultural things on my blog and Russians have explained something graciously or corrected me, and it's very helpful.<BR/><BR/>As for missionaries, they're not perfect and a lot of the maturity only comes through experience. There is only so much you can learn sitting in the "shelter" of home or in some kind of "training."<BR/><BR/>Annie, thanks for the positive comments. I didn't really mean that the traditions are bad, they just seem illogical sometimes. But there are many wonderful things in life that are illogical.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15283395756742923658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-29768134641428044682008-10-19T06:35:00.000+04:002008-10-19T06:35:00.000+04:00That's our controversial Elizabeth!Actually, I had...That's our controversial Elizabeth!<BR/><BR/>Actually, I hadn't really seen these things as bad....maybe because I think everything Russian is wonderful??? Or perhaps because I have the "American" view of supersitition, that it is not "real" but just a sort of game (i.e. tooth fairy, Santa, etc.) You pretend you believe. <BR/><BR/>Taking ones shoes off before the icons is lovely, but I was told it was so as to keep the floor clean in a culture where few have vacuums. <BR/><BR/>Someone told me about the baby gifts - I'd forgotten that! <BR/><BR/>Do people really count the flowers? Surely not! In the US we do have "talk" of certain flowers meaning certain things. Or, certain gifts being "right" for certain anniversaries... Again, I just figure that's all for "fun". <BR/><BR/>I had a Spanish man come up to me and say "You've gained weight, haven't you?" And then expect an answer! I used a reply I borrowed from Miss Manners, "Why do you ask?" Unfortunately this response did not work to quell his personal comments. He said, "Because you look fatter, that's why!"Anniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12623179886908222942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-23158724358750703032008-10-19T01:17:00.000+04:002008-10-19T01:17:00.000+04:00Liza, Please, stop bashing Russia. Look, I have be...Liza, <BR/><BR/>Please, stop bashing Russia. Look, I have been in the US for over 11 years now. You seem to be like a person who have lived a very sheltered life here in the US. If you'd go to the hillbilly country of West Virginia or a lrge city of any US state or interact with people of non-religious background anywhere in the US, you'd see that they have the same hang-ups as anyone else in any given country. There's absolutely no difference. <BR/><BR/>I am sorry for saying that you should stop bashing Russia, but I am asking you not to do that. It only shows your lack of understanding of the global world.<BR/><BR/>I worked with the US Christians in Russia and have been interacting with them in the US long enough to know that they need to mature rather quickly if they want to work on a mission field.<BR/><BR/>When you live on a farm land 10 mi. away from anything that may may make you feel uncomfortable and your next neightbor lives 3 mi. away from you, how do you expect to come to a secular, densely populated country and not to be shocked at virtually everything. But you see, it is not their problem. It is yours.<BR/><BR/>And please, do not say, I am reading too much into your post. You say these controversial things and when I give you an acutal reply - oops! it becomes bad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-84780503783359761732008-10-18T21:55:00.000+04:002008-10-18T21:55:00.000+04:00Very interesting and enlightening. Thanks for put...Very interesting and enlightening. Thanks for putting it on your blog.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15230898402299847447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-51271704089046884212008-10-18T12:49:00.000+04:002008-10-18T12:49:00.000+04:00This is absolutely well put! I love it...I might ...This is absolutely well put! I love it...I might put it on my blog as well some time! I had no idea about the shoes...the Russians we are with do it because of the dirt.The Herdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04472507772885670488noreply@blogger.com