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Hello everyone! Let's talk about what every one of you will have to deal with after arriving to Russia. Absolutely right! You will be invited on a visit by your Russian friends or acquaintances. And customs of different countries here coincide in something or cardinally vary from each other. I suggest you to come over to modern Russian's house together with me, and to enrich your vocabulary with new expressions concerning hospitality at the same time.
So, добро пожаловать /welcome!/ (it was said ''Милости просим, гости дорогие! Чем богаты, тем и рады!'' /Welcome, dear guests! Come and have potluck with us!/ in ancient times)!
What is any house glorious by in the first place? Of course, by its hospitality. Russian keep apace with other nations. There is even the expression, which we can still hear today – хлебосольный дом /very hospitable house/ or хлебосольные хозяева /very hospitable hosts/. In the past, mistress everywhere welcomed guests with bread and salt at the house entrance. She bowed to everyone low and suggested to eat a broken off snug of bread with salt (as a symbol of a house, that meant an inclusion to it). In such a way soul openness, innocence of thoughts, and benevolence of all in attendance towards each other were brought into focus. Now, this custom is preserved while meeting big foreign delegations in airports, on weddings, and also in provincial Russian towns and villages. Therefore, the sense this expression used to carry remains. You can be sure that if you are invited to visit Russian, you will be met in the best way, a holiday will be arranged, and whole family will gather.
Remember one rule – do not come to visit someone empty-handed! Not the price of a present is important, but your regard, as well as respect to a house and those you were invited by. It can be a small souvenir, sweets, a toy for a child – anything at your choice.
One of the forms of Russian speech etiquette is wishing everyone ''приятного аппетита'' /Enjoy your meal!/ before meal. This is our tradition to always wish each other a nice meal. By the present expression you let a mistress know that you are ready to help her to attain her primary objective – to wine and dine you to the full. In the past, the mainstream population was made up of village citizens – peasants. Distance between villages was long, and peasants were glad for every visitant tourist. He used to get the best food and drinks. Such guest always left crop full, and told everybody he met on his way about how hospitable were people he visited.
When you are going to leave a house, make sure you thatked to mistress and housemaster for reception. It's more than likely that you will hear ''На здоровье!'' /You are welcome/ as an answer. General meaning of this words is concordant with the word ''пожалуйста'' /please/, but is a bit wider. You will be actually wished health, richness and prosperity.
Well, and if you would like them to think of you as a modest and wise person, who can appreciate people's time, say before leaving, ''В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше!'' /East or West home is Best/. I guarantee, you would always remain a welcome guest in this house.
Now you are ready for visiting Russian family. The only thing that is left is to get pretty clothes, which you would put on going to an important meeting… That's all. And don't be late, please. Come in time. You will be waited with impatience for.
Good-bye for the moment.
