"I bought flowers, and the girl made a scandal": an American about superstitions in Russia

There are many traditions in Russia, most of them are accepted by foreigners with warmth. But unlike traditions, superstitions are biased. Here is a small incident that occurred with an American and a Russian girl, because of which the failed fan had to feel extremely embarrassed.

Фото: Depositphotos

Most often, Americans are calm and warm attitude to Russian traditions. For example, they wonder how Russians gather the whole family on weekends or holidays to spend time together. Although, judging by the films, Americans are also lovers of gathering all their relatives under the same roof. Cinema, of course, is different from reality, in America rarely anyone often arranges family evenings, the author writes Zen.Yandex.

While foreigners understand and accept traditions, they treat superstitions with prejudice. Moreover, some of them are similar in many countries - for example, the absence of the 13th floor in a house or the 13th row in an airplane.

On the subject: These strange Russians: what the Americans are discussing behind our backs

I stumbled upon the story of an American by Henry, who has been living in Russia for several years and is studying in the capital university. A rather interesting case happened to him, he shared it with his subscribers in a blog.

“I had just arrived in Russia, literally a month had passed, I began to get used to it. I invited a girl from my group to a cafe, wanted to do something nice and bought her flowers. I didn’t even understand how it happened, but suddenly the girl became upset, began to be indignant and say something to me. I did something wrong. At first I didn’t even realize what was going on. It turned out that I bought her 6 flowers, but she needed 5 or 7. Later, my friends laughed at what had happened and explained everything in detail. Nothing worked out with that girl. She ended up throwing away one rose. It seemed to me that the reaction was inadequate. Russians can cause a scandal because of superstitions. I felt very awkward in that cafe, I didn’t even go there anymore,” Henry said.

The case is funny, but it turned out really very strange. Given that the girl knew that Henry arrived in the country not so long ago. It is logical that a foreigner does not know such subtleties.

On the subject: What habits give you a person from the USSR

Let us remind you that in Russia and the countries of the former USSR an even number of flowers is brought only to funerals or to the grave; it is customary to give an odd number to living people, including on “round” dates - in these cases, as a rule, one more or less flower is given .

As explains AiF.ruThis superstition appeared in Russia in pagan times. The Wise Men of the East Slavic tribes believed that even numbers personify the completion of the life cycle, that is, death. Hence the adage about the fact that "the trouble does not come alone." Odd numbers, according to our ancestors, on the contrary, symbolized life and acted as a kind of talisman against those evil spirits that could harm a person. Belief reached our days.

At the same time, for example, in the USA the most popular gift bouquet is from a dozen roses, and in Germany there are eight, the newspaper notes.

After the incident, the American asked his friends to tell him about other similar things. The Russians prepared Henry, explained that if they knock on a tree or a head in a company, then people would not go crazy, this is because of the evil eye. The American did not understand the essence of superstition in Russia, but he tried to find out everything, since he lives in this country. It all seems ridiculous and meaningless to him.

Read also on ForumDaily:

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What habits give you a person from the USSR

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