Russia or Italy for vacations- Confused

It depends. What do you like to do when you travel?

As for me, I'd go Russian in a heartbeat. The nation and its culture bears a VERY special significance to me.

I want to know different cultures, want to develop a deep understanding of it.So historical sites do it for me. I totally fancy walking around ruins and visiting really old places.

The only thing that holds me back from russia is the language problem. I heard nobody speaks english there and as i will be travelling alone so i dont want to take a risk

Now I've never been to either country, but I'm sure Russia isn't a favorite of many.

I am going to Belarus late Dec, I will be going with my mates.

I have always wanted to visit that part of Europe. been to different countries on western part of Europe. loved it, now it is time to see the other side

enraged1 wrote:

I want to know different cultures, want to develop a deep understanding of it.So historical sites do it for me. I totally fancy walking around ruins and visiting really old places.

The only thing that holds me back from russia is the language problem. I heard nobody speaks english there and as i will be travelling alone so i dont want to take a risk

It is true, even in moscow it is very hard to find english speakers, you should consider this if u ll go alone.

Emre wrote:

even in moscow it is very hard to find english speakers, you should consider this if u ll go alone.

Actually, the challenge involved can be a big attraction. It is for me.

Samakauk wrote:

I will be going with my mates.

Wow! he has mates! isn't that cute or what?

MoEl wrote:

Emre wrote:

even in moscow it is very hard to find english speakers, you should consider this if u ll go alone.

Actually, the challenge involved can be a big attraction. It is for me.

Russia is certainly a challenge. Imagine everybody around you speak "DA" and a strange look when you speak english with them. But i guess their culture is really rich so it must be worth the risk.

MoEl wrote:

Samakauk wrote:

I will be going with my mates.

Wow! he has mates! isn't that cute or what?

Cute is it just me

enraged1 wrote:

MoEl wrote:

Emre wrote:

even in moscow it is very hard to find english speakers, you should consider this if u ll go alone.

Actually, the challenge involved can be a big attraction. It is for me.

Russia is certainly a challenge. Imagine everybody around you speak "DA" and a strange look when you speak english with them. But i guess their culture is really rich so it must be worth the risk.

Surely, there are tons of places to visit in Moscow, if u go there, u ll enjoy it

Emre wrote:

enraged1 wrote:

MoEl wrote:

Actually, the challenge involved can be a big attraction. It is for me.

Russia is certainly a challenge. Imagine everybody around you speak "DA" and a strange look when you speak english with them. But i guess their culture is really rich so it must be worth the risk.

Surely, there are tons of places to visit in Moscow, if u go there, u ll enjoy it

I hope so

MoEl wrote:

Samakauk wrote:

I will be going with my mates.

Wow! he has mates! isn't that cute or what?

yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah it is cute, like u

Sorry guy, but you gave a lot of wrong opinions about Russia to blogers. We have a good education and people could understand you if you'll be speak in English with them. A tons of interesting places there but it isn't only in Moscow. You could visit St-Petersburg but only in Summer (very interesting and beautiful city with rich culture). Very rainy in winter. St-Petersburg cheaper than Moscow but more interesting.

DronYA wrote:

Sorry guy, but you gave a lot of wrong opinions about Russia to blogers. We have a good education and people could understand you if you'll be speak in English with them. A tons of interesting places there but it isn't only in Moscow. You could visit St-Petersburg but only in Summer (very interesting and beautiful city with rich culture). Very rainy in winter. St-Petersburg cheaper than Moscow but more interesting.

Rainy in winter so new year will be the worst time to visit Russia. No two views on its rich culture but abit skeptical on language though. As i said earlier, it must be worth it all.

I think language shouldnt be seen as a barrier and its nonsense to stop anyone for visiting places where English is not the lingua franca. Doesn't stop people from going to China or Japan, and even Libya.

I would pick Russia for the sole reason to bump into Marat Safin lookalikes.. *dreamy*

Our colleague was in China and he said that nobody in China speak in English.

DronYA wrote:

Our colleague was in China and he said that nobody in China speak in English.

But there are more Chinese learning English than the population of Great Britain...

I think it is depend of China population ))) We had similair situation yesterday on english lesson. I said that Chinese language will be probably language number one in the world coz it's most popular language in the Internet according to statistics ))).

If this was a fact that they got more english speakers than the pop of GB itself :

China Population (Mainland Only) : 1,331,460,000.000
Great Britain Pop : 61,838,154.000

Still, that only makes about 4.64 % english speaking civilians scattered all over mainland China. Thus having 6.4 english speaking individuals for every kilometre square.

I was in China on business last year and early this year too for a total of 6 weeks. I was in Shanghai, Shenzen, Hong Kong and Nanjing, I never had any trouble communicating and I don't speak 1 word of the lingo. Every person I spoke to knew enough English to have a conversation as such.

kes1978 wrote:

I was in China on business last year and early this year too for a total of 6 weeks. I was in Shanghai, Shenzen, Hong Kong and Nanjing, I never had any trouble communicating and I don't speak 1 word of the lingo. Every person I spoke to knew enough English to have a conversation as such.

That also depends alot on whom you are doing business with. Established companies have translators and some executives can speak it too but on the other hand if you go out yourself i'll have to agree with the ratio stated above i.e.

"Still, that only makes about 4.64 % english speaking civilians scattered all over mainland China. Thus having 6.4 english speaking individuals for every kilometre square"

DronYA wrote:

I think it is depend of China population ))) We had similair situation yesterday on english lesson. I said that Chinese language will be probably language number one in the world coz it's most popular language in the Internet according to statistics ))).

Congrats for RUSSIA winning the 2018 FIFA world cup bid

By the way.. We did it )) Thanks.

and also congratulations to Qatar....

Just goes to show that bribes and dodgy dealing had nothing to do with the result!

Well, what can I say... Go to Russia!

But to be on your side, don't do it in winter, especially if you like walking around and see some things. Russia is a cold country

And don't worry about the language. If you don't plan to go farther than Moscow or St. Petersburg, you'll find it not that bad. There are signs in English everywhere, the subway/metro map is, if the memory does not fail me, also in both languages. English-speaking guides are avaliable, at least this is what I remember from St. Petersburg of 2007-2008. And as for taxi drivers, do there as you do it here. Don't say the Red Square, say Saha Hamra I mean Krasnaya Ploshad.

If you will go to Kazan City.. Let me know I'll give you translator phone number Very interesting city.