На фронт визы не нужны. Украина, т. 64

I am an American who has traveled extensively and lives in Russia now for the last 16 years, I am reminded each time I return to the US how different they are and why I love being in Russia. For people who enjoy personal freedom and options, it is really hard to beat Russia. Life can be as simple and stress free as one wants or as western if one wanted to live a stressful pressured life of debt and worry. It is your choice. Cost of living is low, much lower than in the west so few people have any debt, which means a lot of personal freedom. Most locals own their home free and clear, with no debt. For citizens,free education as far as your talents can take you, free medical care, low taxes, low cost of utilities, low cost efficient, convenient public transportation in cities so no need for a car and all the expenses involved but you can rent a car for the trip out of the city to the woods for very reasonable prices. Those are all benefits which lay a groundwork for personal freedom few in the west could imagine. Almost any job from part time street musician to artist or waitress is enough to live on when you own your home clear and have no monthly debt payments for phones, appliances, cars etc. That allows options and choice that is not available to many in the west. Those are elements of security and low stress but the real reason it is awesome living in Russia is it is highly cultured and social. It is FUN! The people you meet are all very well educated..very. I doubt if I even know anyone without a university degree. Russians tend to be cordial and polite and don’t judge people on single traits, assuming all people are a healthy mix of good and not so good traits so anyone who has something interesting to say is welcome to introduce themselves to anyone on the street or pub or in a theater. Young people seem to be living a charmed life of travel, career, and social relationships, with very little stress or fear. I have been going to dance club, bars and social events since the 90s and never seen a fight in one. I stopped going to clubs in the US years ago because there are always hostilities at some time during the night. As a result of the positive social environment, people go out more, and they have a lot more free time than in the west where job and TV dominate life for the working and middle class. Russia is beautiful with the most unspoiled wilderness on earth. The cities are cultural paradises for those who appreciate the arts. In my adopted city there are 354 museums within walking distance of my apartment. 330 drama theaters. 54 classical music venues with regular performances, including some that are the tops in their field in the world. They are low cost and accessible to all income classes. Free for students from any country, if you have a student id card. There are 11,000 restaurants and a fast growing foodie culture of fine dining and wines that hardly existed 15 years ago. A 3 course lunch in an Italian or Japanese restaurant usually is about $5–6. Russian made to order fast food like Blini filled with caviar or ham/cheese might be $1–2. There are 255 English style pubs in this city, probably a lot more in Moscow, all friendly, cheerful places where it is normal to strike up conversations with strangers, and being so well and widely educated the conversation will be interesting. An interesting fact is that clubs and pubs are filled with girls, typically outnumbering men by a good margin because they tend to be more social and

out with their girlfriends, in small or large groups. Walking home at 4am or 6am through any neighborhood is safe, street crime is low and there are no no-go zones where visitors are warned not to enter. Since every neighborhood is dominated by owner occupied homes, they are stable and safe and a mix of income levels. It is easy to start a business, low cost and fast incorporation. Business taxes are low and the best feature or advantage is employees are top notch because everyone who applies will be well educated and well informed. The start up costs are low for a small business because the cost of living is so low, the owner does not burn through their cash reserves just living. If one owns their home, they can have a remarkable pleasant secure life on $500 a month. In smaller cities, $250.

Another advantage of the awesomeness is how little division there is. There is almost no identity politics that separates people into small factions that hate other factions like in the US. Personal opinions are not something to get upset about. Friends tolerate almost any opinion of their friends as long as they are a good person overall, they remain tight friends. If you are gay, religious, a communist, a racist, no one asks or cares unless you are a bad person, you do not identify opinions with identity. Having one opinion that might brand someone in the west with a label, is viewed simply as just one opinion of many other opinions a person had. That means anyone who shares some interests can be friends,which means anyone you meet could be a valued friend. That is very pleasant about socializing here in Russia. Young Russians travel much more often than Americans, the lack of debt is one reason but the passion for it is great. Every young person I know in their 20s and early 30s has traveled to multiple foreign countries in the last year. When you have no debt to service, and save a little, it is easy to take off and explore another country.

I do hear more grumbling from young people in Moscow about how bad they have it, despite decent wages and great opportunities for travel and fun I keep hearing how unlucky they think they are being in Russia where the salaries are not like Europe or the US and keep pointing to average salaries in the US at over $60k a year and they make 1/3rd of that. The problem is they have no perspective in that they believe what they have…no college debt, no home debt, no insurance payments and a million other expenses they do not have, ,and assume that is the norm, everyone has that. No, few people in the world have that. But growing up with that security and very low unemployment, high personal and economic security that is only open to the very wealthy in the west. Making$10k a year, typical for a waitress in a restaurant or an office worker starting is enough for foreign travel, remaining debt free and have a great many social and cultural activities for a full exciting life that in the US would represent dire poverty with crushing debt and a truly miserable life.

It is fun to live in Russia if one is outgoing and social and adaptable. Living in village is quite different but also a lot cheaper but with fewer options for recreation and social life which is

why young people leave the villages and head to the 15 cities with over 1 millions residents as soon as they are able. I really can’t imagine living anywhere else and having so much fun and such great friendships or cultural activities. Returning to California for visits, even San Francisco is just boring after a few days. People sit and watch tv, until they fall asleep only to start the work, TV sleep cycle over again. The only ones out after midnight are the thousands of homeless on the streets. Oh, Russia does not have homelessness And paid 30 minimum vacation is a right, and so is family paid family leave with full pay for the first year and reduced or unpaid the second year. A young family starting out has a lot of advantages over a similar couple in the US where everything requires crippling debt. Heck, the government, to encourages having babies,pays to mother and child about $9000 for expenses or savings.