Russians are used to being Russians: they perceive themselves as a nation possessing the so-called Russian soul, which is a peculiar feature that no other nation in the world has. People of other nationalities realize that too and thus have various attitudes to Russians in different parts of the globe. As a rule, Russians are proud of themselves, although this feeling of pride is rather distinctive and paradoxical.

If a Russian person goes on vacation to France, he or she will be pleasantly surprised about the gratitude of a French waitress for quite a large order of French champagne and generous tips. This attitude can be absolutely different in other countries, where foreigners prefer not to express their loving feelings towards Russian citizens. There were certain occurrences when Russians were jailed in Kenya or India or even in Switzerland for laundering fraudulently obtained money, as foreigners think. Foreign people were taught at schools that Russians come from the fatherland of Yuri Gagarin (first man in space) and Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Russians must therefore know that it is not good to steal.

Russian people want foreigners to understand their national peculiarities and outstanding spirituality. A lot of Russian people may have a certain quite infantile opinion: they think that they would enjoy greater international respect, if they were Germans, or Americans, for example. This is absolutely untrue: Americans have similar, albeit slightly different problems too. 

Unlike Russians, American citizens adore themselves. The American national pride is based on quite earthy factors: the US flag, almost 230 years of history, the Constitution and its Fifth Amendment, human rights, the economic power and even snow-white teeth. However, it just so happens that almost all other nations unfairly dislike Americans. The French openly express their aversion to the USA, the Brits chuckle at Americans too, whereas the Egyptians and the Arabs do not hesitate to express utter hatred to the US of A.

The Slavic world has its own opinion to the American nation as well. The Slavs, including Russians, would obviously love to visit the States, they watch Hollywood films and NHL matches with pleasure, but pleasure and excitement go up in smoke when it comes to all other factors of this kind of love.

Source: Pravda.ru