1st post…
My Australian art teacher made a simple statement: “Russia is a beautiful place, but not for Americans.” Is there truth to this? How would anyone know an American from an Aussie?
aeh
Maybe some parts of the former USSR are still reluctant to accept westerners but FWIW I’ve been treated like a god among men almost exclusively when I’ve been there. Russians, in my experience with them, have been some of the friendliest and most hospitable people on Earth.
I’ve heard that much of Russia looks like Kansas. Or maybe she was referring to the fact that the U.S. varies so much and so we wouldn’t be as impressed by the variety in Russia. Or maybe she meant that Texans will never believe Russia is bigger or prettier than Texas. And then there is a chance she didn’t know what she was talking about. 
The former Soviet Union is economically depressed and most cities have large zones of grey and dirty housing blocks. Normal apartments are cheap, but are often freezing cold, have insect problems, and hot water disappears for a month in the summer for renovation and repair of the boiler. An American who lived for a while in Kyiv, I was initially in a great state of culture shock. Americans grow up with a certain idea of “normal”, but what is normal to use often seems like extravagance to inhabitants of the former Soviet Union. In time, the open-minded traveller will get over it and enjoy Eastern Europe and Russia, which is in my opinion is a trip worth making. However, “ugly American” travellers who expect the trip to be like a vacation to Maui are in for an unpleasant surprise. Perhaps that is what your Australian art teacher meant.
UnuMondo
Now were Kansas bashing? 
Much of Russia looks like the Western 2/3 of Kansas, is more correct. Kansas has essentially two different terrain regions. The East features rolling hills and dense trees, in many areas.
I’ve heard wonderful things about rural Russia, and the former republics. Gorgeous scenery and landscape. Supposedly, if American real estate developers ever find out about the Ukraine, they’ll never get rid of us. Of course, they’d all be rich…
I have also heard that Russian CITIES are depressing collections of ugly concrete blocks, except for historical sites, and places where architecture was allowed to flourish.
Then again, I’ve never actually BEEN there…
Just a nitpick, but one I’ve gotten used to making as I’ve lived and Ukraine and fell in love with a Ukrainian by way of Esperantio, but since 1991 the name of the country is just “Ukraine”, not “the Ukraine”. English-speaking Ukrainians are prone to be offended when hearing that archaic term, because it makes their lovely and free country sound like just a region of another country. It’s just like how no one says “The Sudan” anymore.
UnuMondo
------Much of Russia looks like the Western 2/3 of Kansas, is more correct. Kansas has essentially two different terrain regions. The East features rolling hills and dense trees, in many areas.-------
Since Russia has 10 time zones and at least 5 different terrain regions (that’s how many I can remember), your statement sounds sounds a bit inaccurate to say the least… Have you ever been to Russia?
“Toto Babuska, I don’t think we’re in Russia anymore, …”
Think about this. When you think of Alaska, what do you think of? The gold rush, mountains, scenery, fishing, wildlife, adventure. When you think of Siberia, what do you think of? Slavery, political oppression, cold, starvation, misery. But Alaska and Siberia are essentially identical in climate, natural resources, wildlife, native peoples, etc. The difference is the political and economic system that Siberia had under the Czars and Communists.
Anyway, the OP doesn’t make sense. I’ve known plenty of Americans who’ve been to Russia and they’ve had wonderful times and been recieved very warmly by the people. If the OP’s teacher meant to imply that Russia is great but they hate Americans the teacher was wrong. If the teacher meant to imply that Americans would hate the country because it was backward but that people from other countries would love it, then the teacher was wrong. I’ve known many Americans who have been to Russia and loved it.
It seems to me that the teachers statement says more about HIM and his attitudes towards Americans/Russians than it does about either Americans or Russians.
Not to all 10 timezones and terrain types, no. But the previous statement asserting that it looked like Kansas was correct? You didn’t feel the need to call that one out. I wonder why not? 
When has a blanket statement ever been true? It sounds like your art teacher just likes stereotyping Americans.
Yeah! Art teachers are idiots!
No, I haven’t but my son attended the University of Moscow for a semester, traveled to Siberia and Armenia with a professor. My statement about Kansas however was based on watching a special on the Trans Siberian Railroad. Traveling east from Moscow you travel for days through land that they said “only a Russian could love”. Having said that you must then compare that to my next statement about the diversity of the U.S. and Russia. I said that Russia is very diverse, but that it is not as diverse as the U.S. and I’ll stand by that statement.
[sup]so when am I going to be attacked by a Texan?[/sup]
-----Not to all 10 timezones and terrain types, no. But the previous statement asserting that it looked like Kansas was correct? You didn’t feel the need to call that one out. I wonder why not?-----
The previous statement about Kansas was wrong, of course, but it was not much of a statement either… kniz have heard that Russia looks like Kansas, she did not state that all Russia looks like Kansas. At least not in the first post 
----No, I haven’t but my son attended the University of Moscow for a semester, traveled to Siberia and Armenia with a professor.----
Your son probably knows how different Siberia is from Moscow and from Armenia as well… BTW, Armenia is a different country…
If you want a generalization, I can give you one. Taiga covers almost 50% of Russian territory. If you say that most of Russia looks like northern Canada you might be more closer to the truth than with Kansas. I would say, based on my experience with both countries, Russia is much more diverse than the U.S.
As I was born and (half-way) raised in Ukraine, I would just like to say, yes, Russia is severely economically depressed. $75 per family per month is the average income there. Because of this, one could say that the cities are bleak. However, the museums and other landmarks are still worth a trip.
As for the countryside, it’s really just a matter of opinion. If you like colder climates, you’ll like the environment. The beauty of nature is purely subjective.
I think that the art teacher was making a generalization, but I suppose, for the majority of middle class Americans who have not traveled much, the poverty can be shocking.
Hehe. I realized I could easily make a blanket statement while composing that post, thus creating the Ultimate Irony. Therefore, I tried to change my wording to avoid the pitfall.
Man, you Canadians, you ruin everything!