My Encounter with Russians
August 2009, Philippines

I am new in Germany and the first persons I met were Russian people. I like to share four different situations I encountered in four different places in Germany. My wife has two very good friends. They are husband and wife. The husband is a German while the wife is a Russian. They are really friendly and they tried to make you feel home in Germany, with their smiles, eating out with them, and with their warmth like a family. I appreciated these people very much that even they don't know me personally, I felt the respect and acceptance that I, as a Filipino, will stay in their own country. Perhaps, the Russian wife understands completely my feeling that she was once a foreigner of Germany, but her 10-year stay in Germany made her speak the german language proper. In fact, she is now one of the prominent news reporter in one german news channel.

On my second month in Germany, I was able to get a two-month german lessons. Eighty-five percent of my classmates are Russians. Five percent are not actually Russians but they are from the Russian colony so they also speak the russian language. I felt so alone. One russian girl was always trying to translate to me in german everything what was going on inside the class so I started to get by. We also had small computer class as part of the lessons. Modesty aside, I can say that I was one of the best in the computer class. It made some Russians come to me and asked for help. I am also very happy to help them because in that way, I can better learn the german language. The course ended thereafter but I can say that 20 per cent of the Russians in the class are not really friendly. They will let you feel that like they own Germany. Did they know that we are all and the same foreigners of this land? Maybe not. Maybe they already forgot about it.

My third encounter with Russians was also from another class. He feels that he owns Germany by always telling that he knows this and that. Well, good for him. But he cannot speak German proper that is why he is in the class, but when he projects himself, he will always tell that you are wrong and I am right. To minimize my eyebrows from raising, I did not sit beside him anymore. Luckily I found one space at the back of the classroom. Did he ever wonder why nobody wants to sit beside him? At the end of the course, he pretended to be friendly, yet, nobody except his fellow Russians kept him like somebody. One time he happens to sit beside me and asked, "Why do you know how to speak in English? That is not your native tongue. Your native tongue is Filipino." I answered with a smile, "Just like you, you learn the German language, I like to learn, too. In the Philippines, English is almost our mother tongue actually because since elementary, we were taught how to speak, the mode of communication in the school is mostly English. We Filipinos will not be scared to speak because we were raised in a school with English language as our neighbor. To answer your question, that is the reason why I can speak the English language." He asked me again, what kind of learning do you have in Philippine schools? It seems to me that they cannot teach proper. I just sighed and asked him back, "Why, have you been there?" He said, no. If he is wise enough, he must understand the question. One time, we have our examination in the history and political laws of Germany. He was the one who finished first and passed by my seat and stared at me with a sarcastic smile. He shows that he is the best. Well, good for him. If the Russian aimed for the highest score in political law exam, then a Filipino just humbly aimed to get a perfect score. He thinks Filipinos are stupid? Then I gave him the silent stupidity that he deserves.

Then comes in my little apartment in one city. My neighbor is a Russian. When my family moved in, we saw him smiling. So we thought he is friendly. We just want to ask him where to throw the garbage, when are they normally collecting the garbage, and what are their experiences living in this apartment. He only answered like this, "I don't know." He was three years in the apartment, it will be unusual if he does not know how much he pays for the rental. He said again, "I don't know." My wife and I bought a kitchen. We live in the 4th floor and there is not one elevator. We have to carry all the pieces up and down with 100 kilos each carriage and 15 times back and forth. Even I'm the man of the family, I lost my energy. The last piece, I gave up to carry already. I asked the Russian to help me just carry the last piece because my wife is already tired, take note, just the last piece. The Russian said, "Sorry, I still have more important things to do." When I heard that reply, I stood up, I told my wife, "Come, let's finish this." If one day, emergency comes to the Russians and they will need my and my wife's help, I will show them how real help is all about.

I know that I just met the wrong Russians around. But these are from four different towns, how come they are just almost so same? I still wish that I will meet the person who will remove my bad impressions of these kind of people around.