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Does anyone have any experience of working in Russia?

6 replies

101damnations · 02/09/2010 21:17

DH has been offered some consultancy work which involves going over to St Petersberg and advising on a project.He is going next month for the first visit and I wondered if anyone has any experience or tips on Russian business practices/ etiquette? DH's host is a millionare and has promised to show him around the city while he is there,so DH wants to make a good impression and not inadvertently offend his host by saying or doing the wrong thing.

Many thanks.
101

OP posts:
GrendelsMum · 03/09/2010 17:15

I used to teach a Russian millionaire's wife English, but it was quite a while ago, and I expect that things are much closer to the way they are in the west, now.

If he's going to people's houses, a lot of people ask guests to take off their outer shoes and put on slippers. So nice, warm socks with no holes in.

There may be a lot of vodka drinking, where you drink appropriate toasts in turn. I have to say I find this tedious. You need to be prepared to make appropriate toasts, as they may suddenly turn to you and expect you to say something, but I don't know what those would be any more - it always used to be that 'friendship between nations' went down well, but this may be dated. Perhaps its all 'lets make money' nowadays. If he's with a millionaire, the vodka should be safe - you need to avoid drinking homemade vodka which can be lethal (literally, not metaphorically).

Also, some jokes / funny stories of the sort that translate easily might come in handy.

Also, might be worth being a bit sensitive about the Mafia, etc, not making jokes about this, not seeming excited in a voyeuristic way about Russia being overwhelmed by violent crime and generally staying off the topic.

And Russian women's fashions used to be rather more 'in your face' than UK fashions. Try to avoid staring. Wink

PatriciaHolm · 03/09/2010 19:32

Make sure they know he's married Grin The single banker friend of ours who spends a lot of time in Moscow and the former soviet republics has a lot of single young girls paraded his way Grin.

And yes, lots of drinking.....

101damnations · 03/09/2010 20:30

Thankyou,that is all very useful and I have passed it all on to dh,especially the bit about being married.Grin

I was talking to an elderly lady yesterday,who advised me against letting dh drink 'peasant' vodka,as she had done and was very,very poorly.It was bright green apparently.

I'm jealous,I'd love to go too.I've never been to Russia.

OP posts:
Matsikula · 08/09/2010 18:16

he should perhaps also be prepared to get naked in a banya. It's meant to be where all the real business is done.

UnePrune · 08/09/2010 18:28

I have a friend who does consultancy work for Russian oligarchs. Gets paid in dollars in brown envelopes. Apparently this isn't unusual. Just warning him not to be surprised!

MrsThisIsTheCadillacOfNailguns · 22/09/2010 22:20

Sorry,hadn't checked the thread recently,but thankyou both.I have updated DH re envelopes and banyas.

I'm spitting jealous as they have booked him into a huge 5 star hotel on Nevsky Prospekt,that looks absolutely amazing.EnvyI think he will be away for my birthday - what shall I guilt him into buying for me?Grin

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