One of the things a foreigner has to get used to in Russia is the difference in the way people interact with each other in public situations. A conversation in a supermarket or post office, which in many countries would be prefaced with a smile and a "Good morning", or even a "Can I help you?", passes in Russia with the minimum of verbal interaction, let alone a smile.

The foreigner, already nervous and self-conscious at having to conduct a transaction in a language other than their native tongue, may frequently interpret the lack of social niceties as rudeness on the part of the assistant.

Alternatively, they may assume that the brusque response means that they have themselves caused offence in some way.

After my arrival here in September 2009, it took some weeks of bracing myself for such interactions before the penny dropped: most of the time, it is not a question of rudeness at all, but just a different way of doing things.

Take my recent attempt to send a box of Russian sweets back to the UK as a Christmas present for my folks: I presented my carefully packaged goods at the post office, only to be met with (I felt) an icy stare from the postmistress and the message, delivered in a strident tone, that it wasnt possible to send food items to the UK due to customs regulations. However, seconds later, noticing my crestfallen look, she surprised me by asking "Don't they have tasty sweets in the UK, then?"

There ensued an enthusiastic exchange regarding the merits of Russian confectionary, and I left the post office with a warm glow - albeit with my parcel still tucked under my arm.

So fear not, my expat friends, when paying at the supermarket, asking for directions on the tram, or mailing parcels to the folks back home: for the chances are that beneath the gruff exterior of your local postmistress, tram conductor or supermarket assistant, there really does beat a heart of gold.

About the author: Louisa King, from London, UK. Teacher of English as a second language. Ekaterinburg.

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