To PaulVDV: russians

[jmdias]

paul

russians aren't so fluent in english and many people try to avoid to talk with us in such idiom.
I liked a lot russia and I would travel again there if I could...
I had some troubles with some people about communication, but it is a safe country, I never felt unsafe in russia.
it is a marvelous country, lots of art to see and nature (not the main focus of my last trip)
the troubles I had in the railway stations could be solved if I had bought the tickets by internet. many women who work in such places don't like to speak english and are rude with tourists , it is the same with some people in some museums.. sometimes people who works in public service think they are kings, this is usual in places like spain, portugal, italy and brazil too..
I remember a rude woman who worked in a metro station in paris. I didn't know french, I asked her an information and she was rude with me because this and I was rude with her too.. it was the same I faced in russia..
at the end, I have "hot blood" as most of latins has and when a people is rude with me I am rude with them..
reading your note I was sad you are giving up the idea to know russia. ---- russia is marvelous, one of the best places I knew, and I knew many.. please, visit russia, only try to do a better project than the mine, using more internet to buy tickets in trains and museums...
at the end, good and bad people are at each corner of this world, I knew many marvelous russians too.

take care

jorge

[PaulVDV]

Hi Jorge,

I've not yet given up the idea of ever going to Russia. But I will think twice anyway

Similar stories (especially in cheaper restaurants) I've heard from budget travellers in France. Especially when those people want to speak English. Even worse when they're coming from the USA
American tourists who go to better restaurants in France and who stay in more expensive hotels have no problem at all. There they speak the language of the customer.
It are rather the owners of simple eateries who find it awful that a foreign tourist wants to speak English in France ...

A problem that you will not experience in French-speaking Belgium.
I'm a Flemish Belgian but in France I communicate in French of course.

Many years ago I travelled in Brazil. I've never studied any Portuguese but used a small phrase book and tried to ask my questions in Portuguese and everyboy was very friendly and helpful.

All the best !
Paul

[jmdias]

Paul

in brazil most of people don't speak english, anyway most of people have good intentions to help someone from another country. this is usual in places with few tourists, usually tourist places are harder in some aspects, like porto, barcelona, paris.. In paris I had lots of troubles with locals and in buenos aires too. I remember when I was inside a museum in siberia a womas wanted to guide me and asked me if I speek french, I said no, only portuguese, spanish and english and she wanted to talk with me in your language and after that she despised me with some elegance.. haha. --- I presume the russians like who speak in french..
anyway I like a lot russia and I would come back more and more times if I had an opportunity.. probably I would have much less troubles about communication..

take care

jorge