Cultural Reasons To Start Dating A Russian Woman? (Insights)

Anyone who has traveled to Russia knows that Russian culture is quite different from western cultures in many ways. Furthermore, Russia is so big that even within Russia, you’ll encounter many different cultures from one part of the country to another. You find big cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg with millions of inhabitants, down to small towns and villages with maybe only ten families living there. Thus, when dating or wanting to date a Russian woman, there is a lot of difference between what part of the country the woman is from and if she lives in a big city or a small town. Single Russian women living in big cities such as Moscow are generally speaking pretty well off compared to the rest of the country. There are more job opportunities in Moscow, and salaries are bigger; thus, it is easier for a single Russian woman to get by in Moscow than a single woman living in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Furthermore, Russia’s gender imbalance, with significantly more women than men in the country as a whole, also differs when it comes to living in a big city vs. a small town. Some small towns have 2-3 times more women living there than men, whereas, in the big cities, it is more leveled out between the genders.

Another issue worth touching upon is Russian men. Cultural reasons, combined with the fact that there are many more women than men, do that Russian men are not exactly known to appreciate their women. Thus, finding a good husband and a potential father of her children can be difficult for a Russian woman. Therefore, believe it or not, even highly educated, intelligent, and beautiful women in Russia will never find a husband to share her life with. Thus, one of the reasons you’ll find so many beautiful Russian women on international dating sites or marriage agency websites, hoping to find someone with whom to have children or share their life. It is estimated that around 20% of all Russian women today live with a not Russian man, either inside of Russia or somewhere else in the world. Hence, even when a Russian woman lives in Russia, she often prefers to live with someone from a different country. So if you are a foreigner, dating in Russia has its perks, in contrast to dating women in the west, where the number of men per capita is greater than women.

Moving on to some of the cultural stereotypes you hear about Russian women, some are true, and some are not. For example, you often hear that Russian women only marry men with money, which of course, is far from the truth. Likewise, in many Hollywood action movies, you often find a Russian-speaking prostitute in high heels and blond hair, giving the impression that all Russian women are for sale. However, the truth of the matter is that Russian women, for cultural reasons, are much less promiscuous than women in the west. E.g., it is improbable that a Russian woman would ever sleep with a man on the first date, whereas it is not unheard of at all in the west. Also, the way that Russian women to dress up in skirts, lipstick, and fancy hair is often taken the wrong way or misunderstood. Fashion in Russia is simply different compared to fashion in the west. Women in the west usually like to dress down and be as casual as possible, whereas women in Russia enjoy doing the opposite. In conclusion, there are quite a few cultural differences when dating a woman in Russia compared to dating a woman in the west.

Gender roles in the west have since the 1970s changed dramatically; women have entered the workspace, couples getting married has declined, far fewer children are born, abortions have become legal, and a large percentage of women today prefer to live alone. Hence, in the west, it seems like that the concept of having a family to some extend has been disintegrated. Moreover, we are told by media and governments that men and women are exactly the same and can perform any task equally. On top of that, we are told that anybody can choose what gender to identify with and that biological genders are a social construct. In Russia, however, things have moved slower, and genders are still limited to a man and a woman. Likewise, traditional gender roles are more or less what they used to be 20-30 years ago in the west. E.g., for a Russian woman, being feminine and a mother is something she is proud to be. During Soviet times, people in Russia were brought up to believe that the state should take on parenting in order to serve the state best. Hence, women in Russia today are wary whenever the state tries to enter her domain.

Also, for a Russian woman, the concept of marriage is still something she values and sees as a great achievement. A Russian woman knows that it takes two to bring up children and that having a man in the family, no matter how impossible he might behave, it is still better for the children than no man at all. Additionally, a Russian woman works hard to make her family and marriage situation work; instead of complaining, she tries to find a solution. Thus, a Russian woman prioritizes having a family instead of living alone as a single mother fencing for herself. When it comes to the workplace, Russian women, despite traditional gender roles in Russian culture, generally bear many influential jobs within both government and business. A report from the international consulting firm Grant Thornton identified that Russia is the top country globally for senior female leadership, with a 45% representation. Hence, somehow Russian women still manage to combine having a family and having a career. Whereas in the west, it seems like it is one thing or the other, with no middle ground for a career woman.

Moving on to some of the stereotypes associated with Russian women from a gender perspective, well, knowing that matters are a little more complicated depending on the location, age, social class, etc. However, we’ll begin with some generalizations about Russian women and how they view gender matters in Russia. Overall, most women in Russia are pretty satisfied with traditional gender roles and responsibilities. Thus, they have a hard time understanding why women in the west want to, e.g., join the army, become security guards, take on challenging physical labor, and even why women want to become CEO’s with an 80 hour workweek. Russian women do not in any way see or understand how doing a man’s job can be attractive for a woman – on the contrary. A Russian woman will preferably spend time with her children and friends if possible, and if her financial situations allow it, she can spend all day doing things she enjoys. Thus, to Russian women, the whole idea and philosophy of so-called western “wokeness” is one big mystery and something they laugh off as irrational and ignorant behavior.

Like gender roles, the notion of motherhood has changed dramatically in the west over the past 30-40 years. Today, for cultural reasons, women in the west become mothers much later than they used to; thus, having children is no longer the priority for women in western societies. Likewise, women in the west often prefer to be single mothers bringing up their children without the father’s involvement. The reasons are many, from being able to study, wanting to have a career to women who feel they don’t need a man. Media, governments, and society as a whole seem to push the agenda that family life somehow is old-fashioned and that women especially become victims if they choose to stay home and bring up their children while the man provides for his family. Consequently, in western societies, children grow up without a father figure that, back in time, served to teach the children what is right or wrong, cope with difficult situations, etc. Moreover, this development in western societies has had a devastating effect on children. Statistics today show us that children, who grew up without a father, are much more likely to commit a crime, submit to substance abuse, and generally have a much lower chance of success in life than children who grew up with both parents.

On the other hand, women in Russia marry and have children from a much earlier age than women in the west. Likewise, a Russian woman does not see herself as a victim if she has to “sacrifice” her job to be a housewife – on the contrary. For a Russian woman, family means everything, and it is the core of her identity. In Russia, couples marry from the early to mid-twenties and, on average, start having children around 25. Thus, if a Russian woman is single and unmarried at the age of 30, she considers herself a failure to some degree. Furthermore, in the cases where a Russian woman lives as a single mother, it is often not something she has chosen to do, but likely because her husband left or died. However, even in the cases where a Russian woman has to bring up her children by herself, she takes a quite different approach than women in the west. First of all, Russian mothers are much more strict than women in the west, and children are taught that most things in life have to be earned and are not given to you. In western societies, children are told that they can do or become anything they want, only to find out later in life that it was a lie.

In conclusion, we identify a significant difference in culture and mentality. When comparing Russian mothers to Western mothers, Initially, one can argue that Russian women are more robust and more willful than women in the west; but it is more than that. It seems like Russian women are made from a different fabric altogether, both regarding their intelligence and the pragmatic way they approach life, including bringing up children. For women in Russia, everything is not driven by emotions as it sometimes seems in the west. Furthermore, Russian women somehow seem to have a sixth sense or an intuition that tells them what is right and wrong, especially when it comes to family. Thus, bringing up healthier children, which is reflected in much less crime and less drug abuse in Russia as a whole compared to, e.g., the United States or Europe. Also, families in Russia compared to families in, e.g., the United States and Europe are a much tighter unit. Even in modern-day Russia, it is still common for grown-up children to share a house or an apartment with their parents and grandparents. Something that in the west today is unheard of, and nobody would understand.

Thousands of men, especially from the United States and Europe, each year go to Russia to meet someone they have met on a Russian dating site or through a Russian marriage agency. Most often, these men have been corresponding with single Russian women for months and have found someone where the match seems perfect. However, now facing the reality of having to go to Russia to meet someone in person, some questions emerge. Issues such as the language, cultural differences, Russian dating etiquette, intentions for the future, travel arrangements, etc., all have to be addressed simultaneously and thus, to some extent, can be stressful. Here we’ll try to give a few of the most important issues to consider when starting to date a woman in Russia. When corresponding through a Russian dating site or a Russian marriage agency, all correspondence between the man and the woman has been translated from English to Russian or vice versa. So, if the woman you are meeting does not speak English, how do you manage? On the first couple of dates, it is no problem if you have met her through a Russian marriage agency. A high-quality marriage agency can usually provide an interpreter that will help you in the beginning.

Nevertheless, after a few dates, you have to make it on your own. Thus, bringing an English-Russian dictionary together with downloading a translation app from the internet is a clever move. Furthermore, ask the woman you are meeting if she has any friends or family that speaks English, and if so, invite them along when you go out for dinner, etc. This way, you get a better insight into the woman you are dating and become part of her social circle. There are a few things to consider when it comes to Russian dating etiquette: some dos and don’ts. First of all, Russian women are old school and expect the man to pay for dinners, going out, etc. Also, bringing flowers or a small gift will be expected in the beginning. In contrast to the western dating culture, Russian women spend a lot of time dressing up, doing their hair, and so forth so that the man she is dating can be proud to be seen with her. Thus, bringing her a beautiful bouquet of flowers is the least a man can do.

Finally, when you begin dating a woman in Russia, it is essential to take into account that she is just as nervous as you are. Russian women seem unaffected by most matters; nonetheless, even though the Russian woman you are meeting does not seem to be nervous or insecure, she most likely is. Hence, making her relax is alpha and omega. Furthermore, for cultural reasons, women in Russia are known not to trust men before a man has proven he is trustworthy. Therefore, you should always be on time and keep your promises, at least until she starts knowing you better. Another thing to consider is how you present yourself in terms of how you dress and what your hair and nails look like. When you start dating a Russian woman, she will always pay attention to minor things, such as if you are taking good care of yourself, knowing that if you can’t take care of yourself, how will you be able to take care of her. In conclusion, meeting a Russian woman’s parents and other family members is quite likely when you start dating her; thus, you have to be prepared for that. Bringing a small gift from your home country or at least something you can’t buy in Russia will make a good impression and help you become accepted more easily.