Why Russian's Don't Smile

[chooter]

Interesting read and comments.

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-some-countries-dont-smile-2016-5

[ML]

This used to be discussed here a lot; not so much anymore.
Thanks for posting a more scientific approach.

[chooter]

My wife and I were in Moscow several years ago and I asked her about that and her reply was...nothing to smile about.

I remember when I met one of her friends in Russia and she couldn't speak a bit of English. I was smiling and laughing at her kitten playing and she asked my wife, why does he smile and laugh watching my kitten play. Her answer to that was, he's an American and they're always smiling and laughing and they love animals and kids.

Her friend just shrugged it off and said no more about it. Her other friends always gave me a big smile and hugged my neck when we met with them and welcomed me to their homes.

My wife had already been here for a number of years and had her US Citizenship when I met her. I've never noticed the stoic look on her you see in Russia. She's always smiling and laughing, especially with our grand kids.

[ML]

They do tend to smile  more in private homes.

The 'rules' mainly discouraged smiling in public . . . or so it seems.