33 Countries of Origin’ Profiles

Gender roles Russians do not refer to women as ―the weaker sex‖—nor do they think women are weak at all—but instead women are ―the prettier sex.‖ As such, women do everything they can to live up to that idea. Whenever they are out in public, Russian women dress pristinely, always in high heels, regardless of the weather. Even now that it is starting to get colder and winter is settling in, women continue this custom with high heeled boots. It would be a social scandal to wear sweatpants or running shoes unless one is on their way to the gym. In response to the gracious exterior display, men generally act in a way that Americans would describe as ―gentleman-like.‖ They give up their seats on the metro, hold out a hand to help you off a bus, and hold doors open for women, even if they are strangers. As one of my professors pointed out, it is ingrained in their minds that if a woman is in their presence, they, as men, should be on their best, most polite behavior. While these ideas of chivalry have been discouraged in the United States—due in part to extreme feminism—the gender roles of men in Russia have nothing to do with the idea of women needing their help. On the contrary, men help women because they are women, i.e. ―the prettier sex.‖ Maybe the most shocking part of Russian gender roles is the idea that love always outweighs work. That means that the majority of Russian women devote their efforts to finding a husband, and then caring for their children. That is not to say that women don’t receive educations or have careers here, because they most certainly do. In general, though, most set aside their career until their children are grade school age, meaning that they leave behind a job they might have had prior to having a child. Russians prefer to care for their children without the help of a nanny, and the idea of preschool is a foreign concept. They are completely devoted to their family and the love within it. Food Justin Dodge Historic Russian f ood is based on surviving the cold, long winters. For this reason, Russian food is based on animal byproducts, including meats and fats, and heavy vegetables, like potatoes and other carbohydrates. Additionally, due to the short growing seasons there are few fruits or vegetables in the traditional diet other than mushrooms. Over time, other ingredients have been introduced as bread products and cakes have exploded in popularity as both are now regularly served. As a slowly expanding nation, however, there have been few outside influences on Russian c uisine. Rather, the largest influences on Russian f ood are by the nationalities that the Russians took over. Few of these foods have made the national dining table, but they do allow for vast variety from region to region within Russia. Staple Foods Bread: the Russians l ove their breads from standard white bread to pastries with fruits, nuts, and chocolate; one of these varieties is served with nearly every meal 8