Six facts about New York that drive Russian-speaking immigrants crazy
'09.06.2021'
Olga Derkach
New York is an exciting place, but living here is not easy even for those born and raised in the United States, let alone people who come from other countries and cultures. Edition Russia Beyond the Headlines published a list of six items that, in their opinion, will surprise Russians.
You are your credit rating. You will not be able to rent a home or get a good job if you have a debt in your credit history. Most Americans use multiple credit cards to make purchases. For foreigners, this is a perfect crazy concept. All over the world, people are trying to save money and live without debt, but in the US, and especially in New York, you will be suspicious if you live without loans.
"Grandma's" apartment: terrible housing. In Hollywood films, the main characters live in beautiful buildings and cozy apartments near Central Park. In reality, many live in New Jersey or Brooklyn. Foreigners live in tiny apartments that are shared with strangers. In Moscow, young hipsters call such old, tiny apartments “grandmothers” and avoid them at all costs. In New York, the opposite is true. Even such an apartment is a roof over your head.
On the subject: Where ghosts live in New York: seven places with chilling stories
Fear of water on the floor. In Russia, you can go into the room and roll up the wet umbrella after the rain. In the US, you are in a hurry to hand a plastic bag so that you put your umbrella there. Americans are afraid of lawsuits. And if someone slips on a puddle, he can break his neck and sue the owner of the store. This is another strange feature of New York - people love to sue each other for any reason.
The service is very bad. It looks like a return to the USSR: they always ignore you or prepare such a simple thing as cappuccino for a very long time. The reason for such a bad service is that people have several jobs, and they are in a hurry to finish things on one job in order to get a second or third job.
On the subject: LEGOLAND in New York: a place to immerse yourself in childhood and build your dream
Dogs in prams. Apparently, some New Yorkers believe their furry little animals are their children. They wear small hats and boots on them, buy special diapers and carry them in strollers.
New Yorkers are secret communists. Why else would they wash their clothes in public laundries? It is unusual for a Russian person to wash his clothes in the same place where hundreds of people do it. The problem is that apartment buildings can rarely afford to have their own washing machine.
