Due to the hard work of several generations of Americans, at the moment the United States is one of the richest and most developed countries in the world. The mentality, national characteristics, and values ​​of Americans are known all over the world. 

In relation to the psychology and lifestyle of US citizens, few remain indifferent. Some representatives of other nations condemn Americans for their “great freedom” and fake smiles, but the other part admires their patriotism and independence. Is the “American dream” really just a picture that everyone sees through TV screens, and are American smiles insincere? What features are similar and different in relation to the Russian mentality?

You have to live in the USA to understand the American mentality. Faced with the culture of another country, we evaluate it from our own point of view. This assessment is very subjective, depending on the conditions in which we live and our status. 

When interviewing an American girl, DVC senior Daniela Torres, she pointed out that the main difference between Russia and America has to do with the type of government.

“I think there’s more open society in the United States because of the type of government that we have. It’s just, you’re born with diff[erent] morals and kind of like you vote for your President, you do this. I feel like that all leads back to the way that you behave.” Torres said. 

In truth, America is a more open society than in Russia because you can be whoever you want to be, starting from the color of your hair and ending with your identity or your personality. In Russia, everything is much stricter with this, since there is much forbidden there, which is the “norm”.

The most notable difference is communication, especially communication among teenagers. Speaking about how friendship is perceived in Russia, a teenage girl who has lived in Moscow her entire life, Marina Shulikova shared her perspective on this. 

“Well about friendship, I think that friendship in Russia is not only for fun. We always support each other and we’re like psychologists for each other. And I think that usually relationships and friendships in Russia are deeper than in America. But I think that American teenagers [are] more outgoing, and it is easier to communicate with someone you don’t know well,” said Shulikova.

Increasingly, Russians living in the United States cannot understand whether some Americans are genuinely friends with them or not. After all, when they compliment you and maintain a dialogue with you, it is often because they are used to it. There is no doubt that Americans are good at making friends, but most often they communicate with friend groups that have been together since middle school.

It can also be taken into account that differences appear even in relation to study and work. More Americans know in advance where they will go to study and make a plan for the future. Russian teenagers, on the other hand, do not particularly think where they want to go, but simply where they need to go. After all, these are such basic professions as an accountant, economist or primary school teacher.

What is even more amazing is that in America, everyone on the streets are very friendly; even strang

ers can come up and ask how you are doing. This is manifested in the friendliness that is built in their mentality. Even if you walk down the street in Russia and see a handsome person and want to compliment him, most likely you will not do it. After all, the Russian mentality does not even have such a base of communication as in the United States.

Russia and the United States are two very different countries that differ in many aspects of culture, but 

at the same time, their people can still communicate effectively.

It takes time to understand a different mentality no matter where you come from. It is difficult for Russians to adapt here in the United States because America seems to them a utopia. At the same time though, over time, people do not feel this difference and feel like a part of this society.