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There are many things that foreigners find shocking and astounding about Russia and the Russian people. It is an open secret that foreigners think of Russians as those who do not like to smile much, whereas the Russians find the habit of smiling on every occasion quite bizarre. There are other things in the Russian culture that one may find it very hard to explain to foreigners.
Russians always drink teaIt was generally believed that people consume largest amounts of tea in England, but those times have long gone by. Today, tea enjoys great popularity in Russia. In Russia, people drink tea all the time: they drink tea with any dish (and sometimes even pills), a guest would always be offered a cup of tea, they drink tea both on hot summer days and freezing winter days. Tea is a drink that connects people in Russia, and one does not have to be thirsty to have some tea,
and if you're offered a cup of tea you simply can't refuse. At the same time, teatime usually implies some sweet snacks on the table: they can be chocolate sweets, some pretzels, waffles, biscuits, jam and anything else sweet.
Russians treat themselves at home, avoid hospitalsAny adult Russian person is an expert in the field of health and medicine, and they do not need a doctor to arrange their own treatment. A sick Russian person knows all about his or her symptoms to diagnose the disease. Afterwards, A Russian "patient" chooses between folk remedies or some pills that they decide to take for themselves.
Going to the doctor's on a regular basis is something unreasonably whimsical for an average Russian.Russians do not shake hands or kiss "over the doorstep"Both people have to stand on one side of the door to either shake hands or kiss, and they cannot do it otherwise: this is a bad omen.
Comment: Israeli soldiers get their kicks out of bullying, attacking and arresting children - and then many of them are tortured in prison. From our recent article on the arrest of Palestinian teenage girl Ahed Tamimi: