Searching for my music...

Hi All!

What a thrill to discover this site! D About 2 years ago I started my search by first reading 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace. Since then my journey has continued and has been exhilarating to say the least. I have consumed many of Dr. Dyer's CD's and books and share what I have learned at every opportunity (and there are many wink ) with my friends and students here in Moscow. Oh, I guess I forgot to mention, I'm American but I work in Moscow, Russia teaching English as a foreign language. So each day is an adventure and an experience, just the way I like it. Dyer has helped me return to my lighthearted, warm and enthusiastic self and I welcome the opportunity to share my passion for his thoughts, views and 'knowings' with others here. My thanks to all who make this site possible and looking forward to meeting some of you who share my passion.

D Jerilet

Wow, Moscow.

Welcome to the discussion friend.

I hope to visit Russia/Moscow sometime this decade.

Curious Care to shed the differences from your perspective of how Russians are different than Americans in their thinking?

You know, there is always that typical Western vs. Eastern thinking...but Moscow is not Western or Eastern in philosophy, right?.... Collectivisim vs. Individualism... Which is it for Russia ?

Wanted an opportunity to learn from your experience. D

Thanks in advance!

Gee, Chris, you better pull up a chair because once I get started talking about Russia.... Well, I'll try to keep this short. When I read your message my first thought about how to explain the differences between Russians and Americans was just to look at the way they respond to the question "How are you?" Americans, of course, would say, "Fine, thanks." But Russians would say "Normalna" or normal (in sort of a "such is life" tone) no matter who is asking or how they actually feel. This, I think is a reflection of society in general. They are usually ok or normal but not happy. In fact, most Russians believe they cannot be happy except for brief moments in time. Whereas many Americans, I believe, would express their current situation with a smile and often feel happy perhaps because they feel it is their right to be happy.

And you are right, Chris, Russia is neither Eastern nor Western in their philosophy but somewhere in between (in fact, I was just discussing this with a friend they other day). They do seem to be going through growing pains in some aspects of life. A shift is occurring in their views on education. In the Soviet period it was quite prestigious to have a good education or be a professor and / or scientist but now education is merely a means to getting a good job and making money (sound familiar?). Now education receives very little financial support from the government and since historically, university education is free in Russia, educators make very little money and thus it is not prestigious to work as an educator now in Russia. For example, I teach at the most famous university in Russia and a full professor here with more than 20 years of experience receives about $100 a month. Not much to feel a family on.

As for individualism vs. collectivism...I am constantly explaining the American idea of individualism and how it is developed in us for it is a foreign concept to them. Collectivism definitely rules here - still. Along with this though comes a strong sense of jealousy. Although some may fault Americans for "Keeping up with the Joneses" it may be healthier form of competition than the jealousy Russians feel (and sometimes act on) when their neighbors get a new car, for example.

Despite, or perhaps because of the differences, I love being here. I often tell my students that I learn more from them than they learn from me. Although I still hold some hope that my classes are useful for them, I don't think I'm far from wrong when I say this.

And one final comment, Chris (I warned you! wink ). I fell in love with the Russian people on my very first trip to Russia (Siberia, to be more specific). The year was 1990 and the political situation was precarious at best. The people had very little yet they opened their homes and shared everything they had. I was amazed by their warmth, generosity and kindness and decided on that first visit to return as a teacher. I have never regretted that decision although some days have not been a bed of roses. Yet every day I have grown and learned to appreciate not only another culture but the individuals that make up this, for us, foreign world.

Oh, and one Dyer point. As I understand there are a few translations of some of Dyer's works available here (on the internet?) but I'm told the translations are terrible. I hope that this situation will soon be corrected for so many people are ready to benefit from his teachings. Until then I'll keep bringing copies of Dr. Dyer's books in English to give to my students and friends.

Please let me know if you have other questions. As you can see, I love sharing my experiences of this part of the world with others.

Jerilet,

The jealousy comments you make were intriguing... I wonder if the high levels of corruption feed the jealousy mentality or justify it.

---------------------
... just like some Americans have an entitlement mentality because of the programming our government gave them/us for many decades. When I was in Germany a few years ago, I saw zero entitlement mentality within their society in general. What a paradigm shift from what I perceived here in America... even though I think that is changing under Bush's agenda.
---------------------

As I was studying in Mexico last year, I realized that the key for Mexico to just explode in economic growth was to enforce a zero tolerance on government administration supported corruption even if that meant a revolution in turning over the entire administration one person at a time. Perhaps Russia is in a similar situation.

Growing up in the 1980s, we were taught to fear or dislike the Russians. How ignorant could we be? I never thought I'd live to be 35 then because I thought we would have blown ourselves to bits via Nuclear weapons..., but here I am today knowing that we were extremely uninformed and only did the best with what we knew how to do back then. Today is a very different day and as Dyer would say quoting a Native American proverb

“no tree branch is so foolish as to fight with the other branches"

Meaning that we Americans, Russians and every nation of Earth in between are really made from the same metaphorical tree.


I see we have the same basic temperatures as it's about 28F by you right now and it's about 32F here and snowing... Except the summers are a bit warmer here.

Two things I want to experience when I come to Moscow

1) A taste of true Russian vodka at a local pub and
2) A Tour of Russian Banya - Sauna (Spa)


Thanks for taking time to share your perspectives!

The lessons you shared have helped to expand my understanding of the cool Russian culture you currently live in and perhaps others can learn more as well. 8)