Once upon a time I thought I was starting to understand Russia (sort of) but then new things happen and everything is weird and topsy-turvy because, as we like to say when strange things happen, "it's Russia" - and Russia is weird.
Russians do not do engagement rings like they're done in the United States, they're extremely simple just gold or silver bands that just become wedding rings after the ceremony. Wedding rings aren't worn on the left ring finger here, they're worn on the right ring finger if they're even worn at all.
Women are held to a very high standard of fashion here, everyone looks like they're going to a fancy party (where mini-skirts are allowed), it's like -100 degrees outside and they're wearing mini-skirts because apparently that's what happens in Russian society. They always look so put together and amazing, it makes me really feel uncomfortable because I know I stand out a lot, I'm lucky if I don't have my hair flying in every which way. How do people even deal with humidity? How do people deal with the freezing cold?
One thing I was sadly mistaken on was animal sounds being universal. THEY AREN'T. It makes it really difficult to say "it's a duck, ducks say 'quack, quack'" and the whole class is saying "nooooooo" and laughing at you because you're a dumb foreigner and then they start jumping around like frogs because that's similar to the animal sound frogs make in Russia (I'm assuming it's like a croak). Sorry kids, I'm right, ducks totally say quack and frogs say ribbit in America, deal with it. One thing I'll never forget (and we say this to each other all the time) is what every kid says at some point during class "teacher it's a no", so I get that a lot as well. If I come back and say, "it's a no", you know why, the kids made me do it.
Public displays of affection are very common here, one of the schools I teach at the teachers kiss the kids on the faces and everything, the kids will kiss each other on the faces and arms when they pass by just because, but I notice it so much more now because in one of my classes there is a little girl who will kiss up my arms, yesterday she kissed me on the cheek and a week ago she randomly kissed my side. It's pretty strange, but I guess "normal" here.
This last one isn't a Russian quirk, but I've noticed it in myself since being here...I'm losing my ability to speak English, which wouldn't be bad if I was gaining more Russian, but that's not really happening so I'm just becoming language-less. Which I guess all of the charades we do with the language barrier will help me in that aspect...I've also found myself almost shocked when I hear people outside our group speaking English.
More on the note that Russia is weird - some guy at our apartment building was outside smoking in his recliner (which wouldn't be easy to get outside, the elevators are super small) and then 5 minutes later he and the recliner were gone. Today it was snowing upwards, there is fish jerky in the store and there are so many more things that apparently just make Russia a strange place.
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