Spaniards about Russians. Three main words

Oh hot Spanish men!! How many articles and comments can you find on the Internet on the topic of Spanish temperament?! How many myths exist about their hotness!

In my spare time, I decided to read what they write about Spanish men on the Internet and I was so surprised by what I read that I could not restrain myself and decided to write this article, so to speak, to reveal the truth about what Spanish men really are like. In most articles you will find information opposite to mine. Whom to believe and who to listen to is up to you. As far as I understood, the articles I read were written by tourists. And, as I already said in one of my articles, tourists will never form the correct opinion about the country and the people in it if during their vacation they chose to visit the sights of the city or lie on the beach 2 meters from their 4-star hotel, instead to wander around the outskirts of the city and visit the local bars there. You need to live in a country to get to know it. In general, I’m telling you.

PS: The article is called “Spanish men”, but I will still talk more about the Valencians. According to the results of my survey of girls who visited different cities of the country, they find Valencians less attractive, muscular and well-groomed. I won’t judge whether this is true or not, I just told you what they answered me.

So, girls, it's time to find out the truth and come down to earth.

OPINION 1. Spanish men are tall, handsome and muscular.

Reality: Dear ladies, where did you get this from? From TV? From the Internet? From newspapers and magazines? Here's a photo from the cover of the article - do you really think that the Spaniards are like that?? You understand that all of the above is the media, and their task is to attract your attention, and not to tell the truth. Before my first visit to Spain, I also believed that Spanish macho men would conquer me at first sight. I have to disappoint you, girls. For the most part, Spaniards are not at all attractive, sometimes even too attractive. Of course, everyone’s tastes are different and there is no arguing about them, but ordinary Spanish men, so to speak, “from the street,” have nothing in common with the muscular handsome men from the cover.

First of all, they are very short, on average 170-175cm. For the most part, they have an ordinary physique, sometimes with a “beer belly” (although, it must be admitted, Russian men are leaders in this regard), not always attractive facial features and their appearance leaves much to be desired. They have dark eyes and black hair - that's true. But this is not always enough for beauty. It seems that due to the genetic characteristics of the nation, men's hair in some parts of Spain begins to fall out quite early, and many already have a shiny bald spot on the top of their heads by the age of 30-35 (there is usually hair on the sides). It suits some people, it doesn't suit others. With all the listed qualities, the Spaniards consider themselves tall, muscular, handsome men. ;)) There are tons of such “beauties” in Valencia.

Now many of you will shout that I am wrong and that Spanish men take care of themselves and dress to the nines. Well what can I say. Firstly, it depends on the city. Madrid and Barcelona are popular cities and, of course, men there, and people in general, dress at a higher level (although, to be honest, I didn’t notice this). Secondly, I say again, there is no need to compare a dozen Spanish men in a resort area on the “hunt” for easy prey – a “tourist” – with the general mass of Spanish men living in the country. This article is about Spanish men in general, and not about a bunch of macho men who sit on the beach for hours, looking for “prey”, and spend the rest of the time in boutiques, beauty salons and the gym. You will find such “goodness” in every country. However, they do not characterize all men in the country.

Conclusion: If I had come here for permanent residence, I think I would not have been able to find a life partner here. And the question is not only in appearance, but also in mentality and culture.

OPINION 2. Spanish men know how to care for women.

Reality: MYTH to all myths - the most terrible misconception of all! This is NOT TRUE, girls. Compared to Russians, Spaniards have no idea how to care for a woman. Again, we are not talking about a bunch of “beach and club hunters”, we are talking about ordinary average Spanish men. To be convinced of my words, it is not enough to have a holiday romance with a Spaniard, you need to live here. At the resort, all the men are good and gallant, and all the girls are doubly sensitive to the slightest manifestation of attention. However, if we dig deeper and talk about serious courtship to create a long-term relationship, then it will be revealed in all its glory - the Spanish art of courtship...

Once there was a case: my husband and I met relatives at the airport - two young girls. It turned out funny. When we met them, the girls automatically handed over all the suitcases to the only man who was with us, i.e. to my husband, and then we all went out together, joyful from the meeting. At home, my husband told me everything he thought about Russian customs. He said that he felt insulted because... They hung all his things on him, like on a slave. That such behavior is unacceptable and stuff like that. Interesting point of view for me... He was offended by this instead of feeling like a man. Now I make sure that this does not happen again and that he does not feel uncomfortable.Although, today, he doesn’t need to say anything, he automatically takes suitcases from all the ladies without talking. Of course, I help him.

Conclusion: Do you like the Spaniard? We will have to teach him manners of behavior and courtship. If the relationship is serious, he will go for it. If not, you don't need it.

OPINION 3. Spanish men are generous

Reality: Ha! Ha! Ha! In my opinion, it is no secret that all Europeans are not very generous people. The Spaniards are no exception. The problem, in my opinion, is not so much in stinginess as in culture - they do not have the habit of giving flowers, gifts, even, for the most part, on birthdays, not to mention gifts as a sign of attention. In terms of gifts, everything is very difficult - either they are not given, or they are given, well, it would be better not to give them. Thus, when going on a date with a Spaniard or expecting him to visit, do not expect the standard set - flowers, champagne, sweets. Eh... how I missed this banal, but, as it turned out, such a desirable set....

Conclusion: It's hard at first, but then you get used to it...

OPINION 4. Spanish men are hot men

Reality: It depends on what you mean by ardor. Emotionality? Yes. They can yell at you throughout the street, gesticulating. Explosive character? Basically, yes. Although it depends on the person. Loudness and hysteria? Yes too. Hotness in bed? Well, I don’t really have anything to compare it with, because... I'm married. ;)) I can’t write about other men, as you understand - he can read it and translate it with a dictionary. ) Joke. Indeed, I cannot compare with other Spaniards, because... in my life there was and is only one Spaniard.

In order to make such a comparison, you need to have a lot of “experience” in such communication, and with other nations too. Many ladies draw conclusions about the hotness of the Spaniards after a 3-day holiday romance with one of them. We all get hot on a hot beach during a holiday romance, when we know that it’s only sex and that it’s for a couple of days. I can say (I conducted a survey of my Russian female friends and summarized the information, combining it with my experience) that the Spaniards are really “more active” than the Russians. Their testosterone levels are higher, which, of course, affects sexual activity. To say that they are really hot... You can say this about young people who are not interested in anything other than sex (due to their age). Over the years, everything falls into place and men calm down, although, as I said, even after calming down, the Spaniards are more active than the Russians.

Conclusion: Spaniards are hot only with foreign women and last them for a couple of days. In ordinary family life they are different.

OPINION 5. Spanish men are reliable life partners.

Reality: Why the Spaniards? In any nation there are reliable ones and there are “hopeless” ones. To think that your life with a Spaniard will be perfect and you won’t worry about anything is complete nonsense. Life with a Spaniard is the same as with any other person - in sorrow and joy, with ups and downs, quarrels and reconciliations. Before being Spaniards, they are, first of all, men, people. With emotions, character, desires, shortcomings, weaknesses, problems, mood swings. You can find a reliable life partner anywhere - in Africa, in Russia or in some Tmutarakan.

As for male fidelity in Spain, then, as elsewhere, there are all kinds. I would say that the percentage of unfaithful men here is considerable. This is understandable, firstly, Spain is a resort country, where countless young foreign women eager for adventure arrive every day. And this always arouses interest in everyone.

Secondly, women in Spain are not only not very active sexually, they are also extremely conservative and unattractive (they do not know how and do not like to seduce), which also pushes men to satisfy their desires on the side.

Well, thirdly, do not forget that Spanish men consider themselves tall, handsome men with impressive sizes of all parts of the body (their sizes are different). Who dares to refuse such people!? Among the men I met while living in Valencia, I came across more often than not those who were unfaithful. Moreover, they considered this way of life - having a wife/fiancée/companion and periodically having fun with another woman - quite normal, they spoke about it calmly, and even with pride. Such “good” can be found in any country, so I’m not generalizing.

Conclusion: Trust but check. And the man, too. Spanish even more so. From the point of view of infidelity, they are the same as anywhere else, but with an inflated sense of self-esteem.

OPINION 6. Spanish men are very impressionable and sensitive.

Reality: This is true. ))) In my opinion, they are too sensitive. Not every woman is ready to endure tears and nagging, men especially if the relationship is just starting. Of course, it is good to know that a man is sensitive, however, sometimes this impressionability goes beyond boundaries and manifests itself in cases in which a woman would not be so impressed. Sensitive often provokes hysterics - screaming, noise, snot, tears. So, if a person is dear to you, you need to understand him, if not, let him look for another “pillow”.

Conclusion: Not everyone likes sensitive men. Although, when a man is a loved one, you will understand and forgive everything. )

OPINION 7. Spanish men are jealous

Reality: I do not know what to say. In principle, this is true. Although among my friends there are absolutely non-jealous men. Here they are more like Caucasians. However, I would say that this jealousy is not the fruit of great love for a woman, but the fruit of inflated male pride, like “This is mine - don’t touch it!”

Conclusion: Like everywhere else, Spanish men are different, but there are enough jealous people and jealousy is more pronounced than in Russia.

OPINION 8. Spanish men are good fathers and love children very much*.

Reality: Mmm…. I think this is true, although to compare, you have to raise a child with a Spaniard and a Russian. I don't have such experience. However, it should be noted that I see Spanish men much more often on the street with strollers and children. Of course, I won’t say that they love them more than Russian men, but perhaps they really pay more attention to them. Maybe I'm wrong, but I assume that this situation may be due to the fact that Spaniards work less or many do not work at all. Accordingly, instead of wives, they sit with children.

Conclusion: Yes, Spanish men spend a lot of time with children, in my opinion, more than in the Russian Federation.

This is what Spanish men are like!

* Item added 01/13/2017

Copyright of the article belongs toto the head of the company "SPAIN INVEST" andauthor of the text - Anna Lepshina. Copying the article to other sites without the consent of the author is strictly prohibited.

Arriving in Spain, you will find that 90% of our compatriots once married a Spaniard or were married to a Spaniard. Today I would like to write about why our ladies are so attractive to Spanish machos.
💓💓💓
Any Russian-speaking girl with average external and mental characteristics becomes the subject of furious attention from local low waters. I’m not even talking about dating sites, where there will be a lot of offers to meet (who invites is another question, well, you understand how difficult it is to find someone worthy on Tinder).

⠀⠀Why do our girls attract the Spaniards so much?

💃
⠀1. Clear femininity. Russian (by Russian I mean all Russian-speaking ladies from the territory of the former USSR) girls not only take care of themselves, but also emphasize their femininity: loose hair or styling, more feminine outfits, heels (oh yes!) even on the beach, mandatory makeup in any time of day.
⠀💃
2. Be sure to have well-groomed hands and feet. Among Spanish women, you rarely meet someone who painted her nails with polish a week ago and did not forget to wipe it off on time. I’m not even talking about standard pedicure, hand skin and cuticle care. Nail extensions of strange shapes and designs are very common, and no one even bothers to push back the cuticle, let alone remove it. Our girls, it’s worth saying, are always brand new.
⠀💃
⠀3. Falling under male influence. Russian girls, like no other in the world, pursue the main goal of their lives - to get married. And if it’s for a foreigner, then it’s totally bingo! Issues of career and self-development come first only when there is no man on the horizon. But even in this case, the search for the other half occupies all their thoughts, and all their actions are usually directed in this direction.
⠀Spanish women are mostly healthy feminists. For them, getting married is not an end in itself, and few people even think about children under 35. Until this age, women meet those whom they want to be around, think about themselves, their mood, their desires and build a career that brings them joy and brings money without being tied to any relationship.
💃
4. Beautiful figure. I can’t say that all Spanish women have bad appearance. It's not like that at all. A lot of girls have a wonderful figure with a beautiful bottom (well, that’s the Spanish breed) and a lot of them go in for sports. But unlike Russians, Spanish women are not at all concerned with emphasizing their advantages or hiding cellulite.

The Spanish woman, with a clear conscience, will pull on her shorts and cover all this splendor with a loose top. Cellulite is on the street, and the thin waist is hidden. But this worries everyone except the Spanish woman herself, because she is so comfortable and comfortable. Russian girls are designed for something else, because from childhood we were taught to hide what needs to be hidden and to emphasize those parts of the body that will play to our advantage in the process of conquering a male.
💃
5. Housekeeping. There are no options here, because any Russian bride will whip up a three-course dinner with the weather in hand. I’m exaggerating, but housekeeping is in our blood, and leaving your husband without dinner is like death. Spanish women don't think about this at all. If a spouse or partner wants to eat, he will come up with something. Men stand in the kitchen equally with women, walk with children and dogs, go shopping and clean the house.

How do they treat Russians in Spain?

There are opinions that Spaniards and Russians are very similar in mentality and behavior. So what do Spaniards really say about tourists?

Firstly, and most importantly, the Spaniards do not separate tourists by nationality. Russians, Ukrainians, British or Germans – it doesn’t matter. They didn’t divide it before, and they don’t plan to do it now. Ordinary Europeans are generally distinguished by a fair amount of not even indifference, but complete non-interference in the affairs and lives of other people.

Secondly, the Spaniards are friendly and sociable. And, unlike, for example, Turkey or Egypt, here they smile sincerely, and not because they want to sell you something. If you want to buy, they will be happy, if not, they will be happy to just talk.

General opinion

Not everyone has a favorable attitude towards Russian people, although they believe that this nationality drinks a lot, is rude and rarely smiles. The Spaniards are very afraid of the Russian mafiosi; they have heard a lot about the harsh 90s, so crime in Russia causes them to genuinely tremble. In addition, they cannot understand how we manage to work menial jobs, but at the same time buy expensive apartments, luxury cars and go to resorts. Spaniards are amazed to learn that such respected intellectuals as university professors receive mere pennies. Also, they can’t wrap their head around how they can work for two decades at the same company, doing the same duties, if they have the opportunity to get an appropriate education, move up the career ladder, or open their own business.

Russian attitude towards alcohol

As for vodka, the Spaniards believe that this is how Russians have fun, emphasizing that it is touching and innocent. Moreover, some Spaniards admire our endurance, thanks to which we can drink quite a large amount of alcohol without falling over dead.

Russians and their culture

They think that all Russians are very smart, and they are surprised when you try to convince them otherwise. The Spaniards think that we have a high level of culture, they know many famous actors, musicians and writers, so sometimes it seems to them that all we constantly do is act in films, engage in literary activities, or play musical instruments.

Not all residents of this country distinguish between Russian and Ukrainian. Some believe that they are no different, while others sincerely assume that Ukrainian is a dialect of Russian, and not a separate language. And everyone who lived in the former Soviet Union is called Russian, and it doesn’t matter that they have been living in other countries for a long time. Russians, period.

By the way, they are very surprised by the amount of food we have, because not all Spaniards prefer to store a large assortment of products in their kitchen.

Attitude towards Russian women

Spaniards are especially kind to Russian women, who are considered the best in the world. Many people are purposefully looking for a wife from Russia, they really like our traditional ideas about marriage, they like the fact that Russians prefer a classic marriage, when a man takes on the role of head of the family, earns money and brings it into the house, and the woman is the keeper of the home.

In Spain there are big problems with this, feminism is widespread among the female half of the population, girls want to make a career, they don’t know how and don’t want to cook, they think that paying for themselves in a restaurant is in the order of things.

Spaniards often notice that Russian women are very complex, that they prefer not to have fun and enjoy life, but to think about its meaning, thereby overcomplicating the situation. And in general, all Russians, as residents of Spain believe, restrain their emotions too much, answering “normally” to any question, no matter what they ask. For us, this word means that we like something. Some Spaniards reproach Russian women for commercialism and in search of a rich man. And even if this is not the case, a pretty Russian appearance dooms its owner to many Spanish gossip.

What do the Spaniards themselves say?

“In Spain, Russians are generally treated very well,” says sports official Miguel Angel. “This country helped us during the difficult period of the civil war and hosted our children. There are many rich Russians in Spain now, and as long as they contribute to our prosperity, they will be treated well. But this is until some kind of mafia arises again. And Russians are also very good workers and adapt quickly, they learn Spanish quickly and this is incredibly important for the Spaniards. Russians often surprise Spaniards with their ability to be flexible, embrace local culture, and quickly master the Spanish language. For conservative Spaniards, this is very important and is an important touch to the image of citizens of the former USSR.

“When I first arrived in Russia, it was a huge shock for me,” says Victoria from Madrid, who lived in Moscow for several years. – Culturally, we are very different people. The Spaniards are more like Georgians or Armenians. In Russia, for a whole year I couldn’t get my neighbor, who was going out for a walk with his dog, to return my greeting! I met him almost every day, carefully pronouncing “zdrazbuite”, but in response there was only silence. In Spain we are much more open and accommodating, in Moscow I was amazed by the coldness and even rudeness, for example, from babushka at the metro ticket office when I bought a travel card. Over time, I found people who were very nice to me, especially those I already knew. Well, I always communicated well with taxi drivers, although they were often from the Caucasus or Central Asia. Also, lovely girls worked in a manicure salon next to the house, we often talked about Spain, because the owner was once in the Canaries. When I called them, I said “eta ya, ispanka debushka”, and they laughed a lot.

“Russians are very conservative, excessively so,” says Miriam, who worked as a journalist in Moscow for several years and managed to get to know the Russian character well. – There are exceptions, but in general machismo and homophobia flourish in society. I met many Russian gays, I can’t understand why society rejects them, because no one should care about who a person sleeps with, it’s everyone’s personal matter. What also killed me was the desire of all Russian girls to get married, that is, machismo was provoked by the women themselves, which is even worse. I also don’t accept that a man should always pay for a woman. With communism, of course, the role of women in Russia increased, they were able to get the same jobs as men. But why does this absurd desire to get married at all costs still exist, as if it were a lifelong mission? All this is under the pressure of society and family. In general, Russians, despite such dislike for the United States, are more similar to Americans than they imagine. And Trump’s victory once again demonstrates this, the conservatism of society. It's very sad for me to see this in the 21st century.

Video

Surely every person is interested in knowing what others think about him, but if you think big, then an entire nation has no less interest and desire to know what residents of other countries and continents think about it. The author of the project walked around Barcelona, ​​Spain, photographed its inhabitants and at the same time asked them the same question: “What are the first three words, phrases or associations that come to your mind when you hear about Russia and Russians?” Some answers were predictable, while others were quite unexpected and atypical.

— Matryoshka, Russian constructivism, Kandinsky

Matryoshka for me is the embodiment of femininity and romanticism, Russian constructivism is associated with freedom of expression, and Kandinsky was the first artist I liked when I was studying art. (Elizabeth Urpi Rafols, 29, clothing and hat designer)

— Snow, mountains and grandeur

I’ve been to Russia three times, and I was amazed at how much snow there is, I’ve never seen so much. In Barcelona I have to deal with the Russians. It can be difficult to understand their emotions. Although, when you spend time with them, you see that they are very honest and cheerful people. (Marco Fermi, 48 years old, trekking instructor)

— Luxury, Russian salad, a lot of people

The Russians I know care a lot about their image, their appearance, they like to demonstrate that they belong to the elite and are different from the rest. (Killian Garrigos, 24 years old, hair stylist)

— Works of art in the subway, the transition from communism to capitalism, language

The Russian language seems very melodic to me, but you speak quietly. (Esperanza Pardo Borrell, 54 years old, dentist)

— Communism, the Orthodox Church, birch groves under the snow against the backdrop of vast landscapes

Previously, we did not really use the word “Russia”, we said “Soviet Union”, which we associated with communism, red stars, the army and military power. (Jordi Serhs, 49, director of the Photography Archive)

— A gigantic country, Moscow and its architectural masterpieces, cold

Although I have never been to Russia, I watched documentaries about your country and read about its scale. They are truly amazing! (Pilar Castro Valdivia, 50, real estate consultant)

— Contrasts, spirituality, beauty

My favorite composer is Rachmaninov, I can now sit down and play his preludes. I need to train more with Mussorgsky. As for Russian women, unlike Western women, they are more traditional, very feminine and know how to listen. (Jofre Horta Antoniou, 39, composer and pianist)

— Seriousness, responsibility, phonetics

I worked with the Russians. The first impression of them is that they are very serious. It is unknown whether it is because of shyness or for some other reason... But in business they demonstrate amazing responsibility. I like it. (Javier Vidal, 42, bookseller, journalist)

— Good people, a country where I would like to go someday, business

Yes, I'm telling the truth, Russian clients often come to our bar. They are always polite, decent, and there are no problems with them. Russians are very good people. And it’s good for Spain that they come here. (Pedro Manuel Aguayo, 64, waiter)

—Extremes, communism, money is the soul

I have always liked Russian literature for its spiritual depth. And when I think about Russians, it’s amazing to me how they mix this - soul and money. If we talk about students from Russia, their main difference is that they always know what they want. (Sofia Pariente Buson, 40, director of a language school)

— Vodka, caviar, the Ural Mountains as the border between Europe and Asia

I had to drink vodka at parties, in the company of Russian friends, but I usually don’t do that. And caviar has always been associated with luxury and with rich people from Russia, of whom there are plenty here now. (Joel Raventos, 38 years old, online store owner)

— Tea, individuality, friendship

If there is something special about Russians, it is their individuality. Why tea? So in Russia I just became addicted to it and now I drink it every day. (Merichel Margens, 31 years old, translator, secretary)

— “Mikhail Strogoff: the Tsar’s courier”, Kremlin, pointe shoes

It's funny, but the first thing that comes to mind is the novel by Jules Verne. A deserted steppe along which a man in Cossack clothing is galloping. Neither snowstorms nor other disasters will interfere with the fulfillment of his mission. I was fascinated by this book as a child. (Imma Muñoz, 41, journalist)

— Travel, Moscow - St. Petersburg, metro

I was in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Oh, I got lost there! I left the hotel in the morning and it was beautiful all around: a river, monuments. I look and don’t know where I am. I go into another hotel and say: “Call the police.” They say: “No need to go to the police, do you have documents?” Basically, they told me where to go. (Rosa Bardina Noguera, 77 years old, pensioner)

— Culture, pride, vastness

Russians have always defended their independence and worldview even under the most unfavorable circumstances. They are very kind and cultured people who can be proud of their history and traditions. (Antonio Rey, 44 years old, programmer)

— Chekhov, Stanislavsky, pronunciation

As a child, I could not pronounce “erre” correctly, my tongue did not vibrate, and my friend said that I looked like a Russian, they say, they have the same pronunciation. I myself am from Barranquilla, from Colombia. Do you know how funny they pronounce the name Stanislavsky there? Yeshtanishlashki. (Gerson Payares Figueroa, 28 years old, actor)

We decided to continue and do a whole series of similar photo projects. This time, the author of “My Planet” walked around Barcelona and asked the residents of Spain the same question: “Name three associations that come to mind when you hear about Russia and Russians.”

Matryoshka, Russian constructivism, Kandinsky. Matryoshka for me is the embodiment of femininity and romanticism, Russian constructivism is associated with freedom of expression, and Kandinsky was the first artist I liked when I was studying art. (Elizabeth Urpi Rafols, 29, clothing and hat designer)

- Snow, mountains and grandeur. I’ve been to Russia three times, and I was amazed at how much snow there is, I’ve never seen so much. In Barcelona I have to deal with the Russians. It can be difficult to understand their emotions. Although, when you spend time with them, you see that they are very honest and cheerful people. (Marco Fermi, 48 years old, trekking instructor)

- Luxury, Russian salad, a lot of people. The Russians I know care a lot about their image, their appearance, they like to demonstrate that they belong to the elite and are different from the rest. (Killian Garrigos, 24 years old, hair stylist)

- Works of art in the subway, the transition from communism to capitalism, language. The Russian language seems very melodic to me, but you speak quietly. (Esperanza Pardo Borrell, 54 years old, dentist)

- Communism. Orthodox Church. Birch groves under the snow against the backdrop of vast landscapes. Previously, we did not really use the word “Russia”, we said “Soviet Union”, which we associated with communism, red stars, the army and military power. (Jordi Serhs, 49, director of the Photography Archive)

- A gigantic country, Moscow and its architectural masterpieces, cold. Although I have never been to Russia, I watched documentaries about your country and read about its scale. They are truly amazing! (Pilar Castro Valdivia, 50, real estate consultant)

- Contrasts, spirituality, beauty. My favorite composer is Rachmaninov, I can now sit down and play his preludes. I need to train more with Mussorgsky. As for Russian women, unlike Western women, they are more traditional, very feminine and know how to listen. (Jofre Horta Antoniou, 39, composer and pianist)

- Seriousness, responsibility, phonetics. I worked with the Russians. The first impression of them is that they are very serious. It is unknown whether it is because of shyness or for some other reason... But in business they demonstrate amazing responsibility. I like it. (Javier Vidal, 42, bookseller, journalist)

- Good people, a country where I would like to go someday, business. Yes, I'm telling the truth, Russian clients often come to our bar. They are always polite, decent, and there are no problems with them. Russians are very good people. And it’s good for Spain that they come here. (Pedro Manuel Aguayo, 64, waiter)

Extremes, communism, money is the soul. I have always liked Russian literature for its spiritual depth. And when I think about Russians, it’s amazing to me how they mix this - soul and money. If we talk about students from Russia, their main difference is that they always know what they want. (Sofia Pariente Buson, 40, director of a language school)

Vodka, caviar, the Ural Mountains as the border between Europe and Asia. I had to drink vodka at parties, in the company of Russian friends, but I usually don’t do that. And caviar has always been associated with luxury and with rich people from Russia, of whom there are plenty here now. (Joel Raventos, 38 years old, online store owner)

- Tea, individuality, friendship. If there is something special about Russians, it is their individuality. Why tea? So in Russia I just became addicted to it and now I drink it every day. (Merichel Margens, 31 years old, translator, secretary)

- “Mikhail Strogoff: the Tsar’s courier”, Kremlin, pointe shoes. It's funny, but the first thing that comes to mind is the novel by Jules Verne. A deserted steppe along which a man in Cossack clothing is galloping. Neither snowstorms nor other disasters will interfere with the fulfillment of his mission. I was fascinated by this book as a child. (Imma Muñoz, 41, journalist)

- Travel, Moscow - St. Petersburg, metro. I was in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Oh, I got lost there! I left the hotel in the morning and it was beautiful all around: a river, monuments. I look and don’t know where I am. I go into another hotel and say: “Call the police.” They say: “No need to go to the police, do you have documents?” Basically, they told me where to go. (Rosa Bardina Noguera, 77 years old, pensioner)

- Culture, pride, immensity. Russians have always defended their independence and worldview even under the most unfavorable circumstances. They are very kind and cultured people who can be proud of their history and traditions. (Antonio Rey, 44 years old, programmer)