Another common stereotype is fact #3. Everywhere you turn, people are talking about America, claiming it's a terrible country and that they hate us so much. No! No! And no again! After our trip to the States, we are ready to argue with anyone who thinks that way. These are just exaggerated, or rather, blown-out-of-proportion inventions of the tabloid press. Having experienced it ourselves, we can say with confidence that Russia and Russians, in particular, are respected and treated very well there. There were many times when we struck up a conversation with locals, and upon learning we were from Russia, they would continue chatting with even more enthusiasm. They asked a lot about Moscow and St. Petersburg, about the harsh frosts in Russia, our holidays, education, what music we listen to, and what we usually eat for breakfast. They love to jokingly ask about Mr. Putin, whether bears walk the streets of our cities, and how the World Cup went. (I felt incredible pride when they showed matches from our hometown on TV). By the way, every third person had been to Russia and would love to visit again. But not a word about hatred, anger, or aggression.
As soon as I arrived in America and called my younger brother, he asked me how often I go to McDonald’s and how many KFCs I could find near my hotel. Then he started giggling about overweight Americans. Again! No! Yes, Americans cook very little at home, but they often order food from nearby restaurants or go out somewhere, which, by the way, often costs no more than cooking dinner at home. And it’s not out of laziness; going out is just a great way to unwind after a hard day at work, meet friends, and have a good chat. The average American eats fast food no more often than a Russian. In America, there are many cozy cafes that specialize in a specific type of healthy food. For example, there are yogurt cafes. They have an incredible number of yogurts with different toppings. There are cafes where every dish features eggs in some form. That’s how fact #4 turned out.
Perhaps this won't bother many, but we couldn't have imagined that small things like the absence of tvorog (curd cheese) could be a problem for us. Store shelves are bursting with beautiful jars labeled "Cottage cheese," but it’s not at all what we are used to seeing as "Tvorog." Being foodies and lovers of making syrniki, we were a bit disappointed after our 10th attempt to make them from what was available. However, the sale of organic products is very common in the USA; the items we are used to seeing on regular shelves are sold separately there, with a significantly higher price tag.
