Universities, Here, There, Everywhere
Education
By Andrew Guenther

In America the university is a place where boys and girls become young men and women. It is the place where they first live on their own without the parental supervision, and most importantly, it is a place for higher education. However, the university system is not limited to the United States. Clear across the world, in Russia, I found out that the university is a worldwide system. Even though there are many similarities I have also found differences in the length of their classes and how they are organized.

The most obvious difference between the two countries is the amount of time spent in class. Russian students graduate from high school after the 11th grade and then go on to the university for five years. Unlike America, Russian students can take up 15 classes at once and are in actual class time for thirty hours a week. They have two semesters; which are also in the fall and spring, but they are each one-month longer. It seems that in America we go to the university to learn from experiences and in Russia the main goal is learn how to work, and trust me they are good at it.
In Russia as in America they have large lecture classes and also smaller classes with about thirty students in each. The students are put into groups with the same major and same grade level. For instance, after the large lecture is finished the students break up into smaller groups called seminars. The small groups of students study together and not only become close to one another, but they also have a very close connection with their professors.

MSAU students laboring over class assignments

The last month of the semester is spent taking final exams and each exam must be passed to move on to the next class. Each student receives a grade of 2=unsatisfactory, 3=satisfactory, 4=good, or 5=excellent, a grade of three is needed to pass the exam and the class. A cumulative grade point average is not calculated, although permanent records are recorded.
The Russian university system is much different than those found in the USA but please do not get alarmed. Walt Disney was right “It’s a Small World After All”.

When I first said I was coming to Moscow, Russia everyone I knew said I was going to have to take LOTS of long johns. Friends and family all looked at me as if I was crazy and told me I’d end up being dressed like an Eskimo. So as I packed I brought things to layer and long underwear, but to my surprise when I got here we Americans were the only ones with snow boots and noticeable layers.

On first impression, Russians seemed impermeable to cold, women walked around in stiletto boots and cuffed jeans with a single layer underneath their coats. Russian men in jeans and pointy leather shoes walk around the frozen streets completely unaware of the cold. Upon inspection I realized that while Muscovites are fashionable, the fashion has been modified for their needs. Those stiletto boots are always leather, which is water proof, and most have fur linings to keep feet warm. Jeans are kept from getting wet by being cuffed and those girls really do have a very thing layer of long johns underneath. And last but of course not least is that fur! Fur everywhere, most if not all Muscovites have it somewhere on their bodies. Hats and coats, inside and out, as an entire jacket or just around the hood even simply as pom-poms to finish off a hat.

Anna, Vera, and Leann model their urban fashions

Here it is not only a necessity, to protect them from the harsh temperatures and wind, but it is a fashion statement in itself. While we in the states only see fur on the rich and famous, and even that is dwindling, here you are the outsider if you don’t wear it. Because of fur’s natural resistance to the inclement weather it is an obvious choice when living in such frigid temperatures. Why wear anything else when you should only have the best?

Russian Christmas

Holiday decorations in the GUM

We arrived in Moscow at the end of the holiday season. Increasingly, holiday decorations can be seen in many locations throughout the city. This photo was taken in the GUM. This is a large shopping center located just off Red Square in downtown Moscow (Editors).

The Russian Diet
Culture
By Weston Rathje

Our first meal together in Moscow

I have a great diet for those Americans who may be just a little heavier than they want to be. A few months in Russia will drop those pounds. Russians’ stomachs must be half the size of Americans. What once filled me up at home would make me sick here. Not only the size is different, but also the food itself.

For the average Russian student, they dine out for fast food only a handful of times per month. It’s not that the food is bad, it’s just they really can’t afford it. Just like in the states a value meal goes anywhere from $3 to around $7. So far I have found my new favorite food joint. It’s a fried chicken chain called Rosticks. Klassica, is the best two pieces of chicken, fries, and a drink meal deal this side of the world.

Going to a Russian grocery store compared to an American one may be quite a different experience. Take for example our local little grocery store. We as Americans load our carts with groceries that may lasts months just waiting to be eaten. Russians shop differently, they may take home a few items to make their meals for the next few days. For example, a loaf of bread and a carton of milk can go bad within a few days.

I have still kept my love of eating alive though. Our favorite little Italian restaurant offers some great cuisine. Yes, they even have English menus and prices! Moscow can be a very expensive city and usually only the rich and tourists dine well. Compare to typical Russians – we are rich tourists. In our local store the food is relative inexpensive. Downtown at the western style restaurants we pay US prices. So consequently, we pay the same amount in Moscow as you do in the states for a good meal. For the budget eater, we have a nice little chicken stand a block or two away. For around $2.50 you can buy yourself a chicken wrap filled with a special sauce, carrots, onions, and many other tasty items.

Javier and Halsey pose for a quick shot

What makes a good couple? Is there a way to predict how long two people will last together? Is love really the key factor to a successful relationship?
Much has already been said about love, commitment and dating, and although I don’t have the resources or even the experience to answer all these questions, I can make observations about the Russian culture that may surprise you. Having grown up in a Latin American country, terms such as love, passion, and romance seem to be almost second nature to me. Before coming to Moscow, I wasn’t sure what to expect about Russians and their thoughts regarding love relationships. Actually, I had made some assumptions that now I know were totally wrong.

But after talking to any Russian lad, or simply taking a walk down Timiryazevskaya Street, one realizes that Russians do, in fact, enjoy expressing their feelings for their loved ones in very open ways. What in the United States of America may be deemed as “Public Display of Affection” (PDA), in Moscow may be considered entirely acceptable and normal.
When taking the metro, I’ve noticed that young Russian couples are not bashful about hugging and kissing in public places. In an effort to ease my curiosity, I decided to ask my Russian classmate, ???? (Julia) and her boyfriend ????? (Anton) about this matter. “Russian couples enjoy holding hands and gazing at each other’s eyes,” she said. “Spending time together is a necessity. Showing affection for each other is also a requirement,” he added.
When I inquired about dating traditions and customs in Russia, they proceeded to tell me that a Russian guy must bring flowers to a first date. If this is not the case, he might be thought of as “careless and unkind.”

Russian couples can be found strolling in Red Square in the center of Moscow, or simply walking down the Kremlin Embankment. Like most American couples, they also enjoy going to the movies, walking at the park, dancing at a nightclub or just chatting at a café. According to Julia, “When you are in love, it doesn’t matter where you go or what you do – that’s love!”
Maybe Julia is right. When love is the bond that connects two people, then everything else might just be trivial. After spending four weeks in Moscow, I’ve finally been able to understand that there isn’t much of a difference in between American and Russian dating customs. Love is still love no matter the language, country or part of the world you are in.

Group photo in front of the Kremlin on a typical winter day

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