10 everyday habits of foreigners that shock Russian housewives

10 everyday habits of foreigners that shock Russian housewives

Remember this saying: what is good for a Russian is death for a German? Foreigners are often surprised by our habits. But after all, their way of life seems to us sometimes amazing.

We take off our shoes at the doorstep, cook soup almost every day, drink hot tea in liters, chop salads with basins, and try to feed the guest from the belly. Foreigners are surprised, shocked, even frightened by many things in our habits. But they also have very strange rules, especially when it comes to everyday life. We have collected those that our, primordially Russian mistress, will never accept.

Does not include heating

Especially tight-fisted in this respect in Europe. It’s better to dress warmly than to pay extra euro cent for heating. And some simply do not have the money to heat their homes.

“In England there is a completely sociological term ‘fuel poverty’. That is, people make ends meet, but they are not able to pay in full for heating. Over the years, from 20 to 50 thousand people die excessively for reasons related to the cold in their homes. The situation in southern Europe is similar, there are very few houses with central heating, it is expensive to heat with special electrical appliances. Excessive winter mortality is a common thing, ”explains the head of the council of the Expert Institute for Social Research, political scientist Gleb Kuznetsov.

Walk around the house in shoes

The streets in many Western countries are actually much cleaner than ours. Shoes practically do not get dirty, except for days when it rains or snows. And all because there is almost no dust and soot on the streets. How the European-American utilities manage to do this is a separate question. But the residents of Western countries are happy: they can enter the house without taking off their shoes, go into the bedroom and fall right on the bed. But what about microbes, bacteria and other invisible abomination? But in no way. Apparently, foreigners care about this issue much less than us.

Do not use duvet covers

It turns out that in America it is quite difficult to find such a simple thing. More often they sell bedding sets with two sheets instead of our own duvet cover. It is supposed to attach a blanket to the top sheet using fasteners or Velcro. By morning, this “burger” turns into a swallow’s nest. And what are the sacrifices for? Incidentally, the Americans themselves seem to understand the absurdity of such a habit. Therefore, in the movies, they show exclusively normal beds that are familiar to everyone – with a blanket in a duvet cover.

Take an “interval” shower

And also from the economy. Water is an expensive pleasure, it must be protected. Otherwise, you will have to pay the lion’s share of the salary on utility bills. Therefore, we wash ourselves like this: get wet, turn off the water, lather, turn on the water again, quickly wash off the foam, turn off the water. Now it seems finally clear why a bath is considered a special event – an event on a special occasion, akin to going to a restaurant.

Do not wash with running water

For the same reason. We can turn on the tap and brush our teeth thoughtfully under the murmur of water. And a foreigner is taken aback by such extravagance. Water for washing is poured into the sink and splashing, like our great-grandmothers once did in the pre-water era. A basin, a jug, that’s all.

Lay their feet on the table

Yes, right in sneakers or boots. Well, why is it okay to go to bed, but not to the table? Moreover, the coffee table. But our hostesses know that food is on this table much more often than magazines. After all, sitting in front of the TV, we are obviously not turning a magazine in our hands, but a cookie or a sandwich. And there suddenly someone’s legs? So to snatch off the cuff for a short time.

Pets ride in strollers

Small dogs are dragged with them everywhere. And when it gets boring to wear, they put the animal in a stroller like a nursery. The stores sell special ones designed specifically for animals, so you don’t have to take away a toy (or even a real one) from a child. And then there are kindergartens for dogs. You can leave the dog there for a while, while the owner is at work, so that he does not get bored, howl and annoy the neighbors. Because they can complain to the police for howling.

Returning underwear to the store

We do not have. You won’t even hand over your socks back to the store. And no pajamas either. And it’s funny, you must admit, considering that you can try on a bra, but you cannot return it back. In America, even cowards can be turned back. Even after a month. And no one will say a bad word to you.

“The only thing that cannot be returned back is earrings,” says a blogger under the nickname American Princess, our compatriot who moved to New York, on her TikTok page.

Drink tap water

Because she’s clean. Filters? No, you haven’t. Here, however, they say, it is also possible, but very few people take risks. In fact, in some cities of our country, water is really sent to the water supply system that can be drunk fearlessly. But on the way, passing through the old pipes, the water is not “enriched” with anything. It is not for nothing that many local water utilities say that the pipe stock is 70 percent worn out – there is scale, bacteria, and God knows what else.  

Do not buy washing machines

Rarely in any American apartment you will find a washing machine. And without her – as without hands. There are more in use special carts and bags for laundry. We pack all the dirty things in a bag, load them into a cart – and go ahead, wash. You will have to spend some time on this, but you do not need to buy a machine and a dryer for home. And the laundry can be right in the house, you don’t have to go far.

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