8 Facts About Russia the Guidebooks WON'T Tell You

Today, I'm havingPolly from A girl and her travelsto share some Russian quirks with you. Nope, it's not gonna be about polar bears, matryoshkas and vodka, but some really in depth and ironical points made from a girl gone deep into the local culture! 
I've lasted in Russia longer than a lot of foreigners. I've lived in and around Moscow for four years. I first moved here to teach ESL in a small town just outside of Moscow and somehow I never left. I've moved to several different schools, traveled to two continents, quit my job, and taken up as a full-time freelancer and editor-in-chief of a new travel magazine,Like a Local. Oh, and I married a Russian. That wasn't too bad either.
Living in Russia has been a roller coaster of a ride. Some days I'm so happy to be here and to have the freedom to do what I want. Other days I can't believe I've lasted so long and can't wait to get out of here. I definitely can't say that I 100% love Russia but there are a lot of wild, wonderful, and sometimes frankly insane aspects of living here that I'd find hard to part with. I'd also definitely miss some of the quirks that makes Russia and Russians so truly unique.
In honor of my second home, I'm here to impart some wisdom...

8 Facts about Russia the Guidebooks WON'T Tell You

1. Russians actually aren't unfriendly! I definitely understand why this stereotype exists. If you walk through the metro at rush hour or down any busy street, chances are you'll come face-to-face with stoic (if not outright hostile) expressions everywhere. If you head into any grocery store or restaurant... Well, let's just say Russians don't have the greatest concept of 'service with a smile'. But in fact, Russians are very friendly people who just don't generally believe in kindness for no reason. An American will expect a smile from their waitress – a Russian will be suspicious that she wants something from them. (In fact, Russians have a saying that makes Americans seem quite stupid: смехбезпричины -признакдурачины -laughter without reason is the sign of a fool.)
So it's not that Russians are cold, they just save up their smiles and good cheer for the right occasion with the people they love.
2.On average, Russians consume 18 liters of alcohol per year.Yes, Russians like to drink. Be prepared.

A beer + vodka cocktail is called “yorsh”, but I wouldn't ever recommend anyone trying it. Ever. 

3.Russians love plastic bagsStroll down any Russian street and I can bet that you will see a bevvy of Russians displaying an armful of colorful plastic bags. (Note: This is not a typical grocery bag, but its sturdier cousin – something you might get after a medium-sized purchase.) Almost universally Russians carry both a purse (or murse) and a plastic bag filled with things. This Russian habit has always been incredibly mysterious to me, as I’d prefer to avoid multiple bags and just carry a slightly larger handbag or fewer possessions. Here in Russia, though, the plastic bag is ubiquitous.
The stranger thing is that these bags aren't always just leftover from a previous shopping trip. Oh no, these plastic bags can actually be purchased with any number of patterns or brands! Walk through any outdoor market and you’ll see tons of shops offering all manner of plastic bags. There are even “status” plastic bags. Take a stroll through the metro and see the classiest ladies carrying a Chanel plastic bag (which they probably bought at said market).
4.Russia is bigger than PlutoWe all know Russia is giant, but do you realize that it's larger than a (former) planet? Pluto has 16.6 million square kilometers of surface area – Russia tops it at a little over 17 million.
5.Russian clubs lovefeiskontrolFeiskontrolis exactly as it sounds – face control. It's basically the practice of boosting a club's street cred by only letting in the most beautiful (or alternatively, the most wealthy).The system is pretty simple: outside of the club's entrance stands a bouncer or two waiting to judge you like you're in a beauty pageant that you didn't sign up for. Depending on the club's status, either the bouncer himself or a man inside watching a video feed will decide if you're hot or not.
The easiest way to avoid face control is to simply avoid higher-end clubs which still employ this practice. However if you absolutely must get into the hottest clubs, make sure you follow these rules:
- Follow the dress code.For men this usually means at least a button-up shirt, no jeans, and no sneakers. For women, high (high) heels are a must as well as a club-appropriate dress (short) and lots of makeup.
- Watch your group's size gender ratio.A sure-fire way to get denied is to come in a large group or with more men than women. Before you get to the club, divide up a large group into smaller pairs or trios and be sure to have at least a 1:1 ratio of men to women.
6.Russians are largely Orthodox which makes holidays a bit different.
For a long time Russia used a different calendar for the rest of the world; although they are now using the same calendar as the rest of the world, Russia continues to celebrate holidays according to their former calendar. So for example, Orthodox Christmas is celebrated during the first week of January. 'Old' New Year (yes, it is as confusing as it sounds) is celebrated the week after that. Easter is usually around mid- to late-April. It's all a bit confusing but offers some awesome extra days off for everyone in Russia.
Yet while it's great to have two days of Christmas / Easter, but if you live and work in Russia you'll likely be working on the western dates which is a lot less fun. On the topic of holidays...
7.Russians don't celebrate Mothers' or Fathers' Day.Instead they celebrate Women's Day (March 8th) and Men's Day (technically more like Veteran's Day but all men are celebrated regardless of service on February 23rd).
8.Russians love dill.I have never seen a country so obsessed with one particular herb in my life. Dill is everywhere and if you don't like it – too bad. You can try to avoid it by asking for things'bez ukropa'but there is literally no way to avoid it. Dill on potato chips? Check. Dill on potatoes? Check. Dill on pasta? Check. Dill on sushi? Check check check. Dill is here to stay – get used to it.
Polly Barks is an American living in Moscow, Russia. After graduating college she decided to move abroad for a year and four years later... she hasn't quite managed to leave. Polly is a former ESL teacher who now works as a freelance writer. She blogs frequently atA Girl and Her Travelsabout her life in general, living as an expat, and being in an intercultural relationship with the strangest Russian she knows.
She's also currently in the process of writing a Moscow guidebook. As if that wasn't quite enough writing for one person, she and her husband are the co-founders ofLike a Local, a quarterly online travel magazine dedicated to going beyond the guidebook. Each issue focuses on one city and its hidden depths – the first issue was based, of course, inMoscow. Like a Local recently started aKickstarter campaignto fund the initial start-up costs of the magazine – check out how to contributehere!