Let me lead you through the streets of Moscow

by Brit Muscovite

We find it very important to know what do other people think about us. Do you agree? With this purpose I’d like to start today a new theme in this blog - attitude of russian people to different countries and nations. Before you go to Moscow, let you inform about.

Article by Giryaeva J. www.fom.ru

Portugal

When asked "Is Portugal friendly towards Russia, or not?", 49% of those surveyed said yes (against 10% who said no).

Only 24% of those surveyed know that Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal; 73% didn't even try to guess, and 3% named Barcelona, Santiago, Addis Ababa, Lima, Rio de Janeiro, or other cities.

45% of respondents answered the open-ended question: "What do you think of first when you hear the word `Portugal'?» This is a pretty low percentage, which is perhaps due to Russian's poor awareness of the country's life. "There is little information on Portugal nowadays,» "in recent time, one hears nothing at all about it,» poll participants said to explain why they can't think of anything in connection with Portugal. And few of them have the personal memories or associations that so frequently occur in connection with other countries.

The responses can be divided into four blocks: geography, history, culture, and economics. Climate and geographical setting lead, with 14% of respondents referring to them when talking of Portugal. The majority gave a correct description of the country's location: "a European state"; "a small country bordering Spain"; "a large seaboard; it is in Europe's south.»

At the same time, many respondents were not quite sure where Portugal is. Some thought it was situated in South America ("a Latin American state"; "in South America; it's stuffy there"). Some place it in Africa ("an African state,» "tropics, jungle"), in India ("it's close to India,» "it's in India"), some mix it up with other countries such as Italy ("a small state that looks like a boot on the map,» "Portugal reminds me of a giant's boot").

The common idea of Portugal's climate and nature is that "the nature is picturesque,» "the climate is mild,» "the skies are bright and sunny,» "it's so beautiful there.»

Poll participants frequently (5%) recalled historical events, mostly from the times of Great Discoveries: "participation in discovering America"; "Vasco da Gama, the great seafarer from Porto"; "the conquerors of South America"; "they were the first to travel around Africa"; "a country of discoverers.»

As for cultural associations, respondents recalled the Portuguese corrida (which became so widely known in Russia not long ago), festivals, masquerades and "dances to fiery music" (5%). Accordingly, Portuguese people are imagined by Russian respondents as "full of temper,» "Southerners full of emotions" (1%). Poll participants (3%) also didn't fail to mention Portugal's achievements in soccer: "a soccer country"; "the soccer teams are not bad"; "the `Porto' soccer team plays well.»

As far as Portugal's economy is concerned, opinions were divided. Some (4%) imagine it as a rich country and emphasize especially that life in Portugal is steady: "the high living standards of the population"; "a wealthy nation"; "a prospering country"; "stability, security.»

Respondents sometimes compare life in Portugal (as they imagine it) with that in Russia. And the comparison is, as happens so often, not in Russia's favor: "a new state, but they have a better life than we"; "a country more developed than Russia.»

In other respondents' (1%) opinions, Portugal's economy is far from prospering, and the country is poor and backward: "I feel pity with this country, it is so backward"; "poverty, indigence.»

Poll participants (4%) also recalled Portuguese-made goods, mostly alcoholic drinks and leather products, and stressed that they are of high quality: "they produce good wines"; "they export shoes to Russia"; "rum: Portuguese rum is the best.»

WHAT IS THE CAPITAL OF PORTUGAL?

IS PORTUGAL FRIENDLY OR UNFRIENDLY TOWARDS RUSSIA?

OPEN-ENDED QUESTION: WHAT COMES INTO YOUR MIND FIRST OF ALL WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD "PORTUGAL"?

Russian assosiations for the following words about Portucal:
Climate, nature, geographical situation
"Exotic nature"; "a hot country"; "not far from Italy"; "a country where there are no frosts"; "bright sky and sun"; "pictorial nature of the Mediterranean Sea"; "soft climate"; "beautiful nature"; "the Amazon, jungles"; "the Straits of Gibraltar"; "the greater part of the country is washed by the ocean"; "they live in the South of Europe, it is warm there"; "a country that borders on Spain and has an exit to the ocean"; "Latin America"; "Pyrenean half-island"; "it is in South America – it is crowded there"; "an African country"; "close to India.»

Culture
"Festivals, dances"; "Portuguese songs"; "Erich Maria Remark – his works are connected with Portugal"; "the peak of art in the Middle Ages"; "actors, serials"; "fiery music"; "cowboys, corrida, masquerades, dances"; "serials"; "Paganel from the book "Captain Grant's Children.»

History
"People who discovered America"; "conquest of South America"; "there is always a war there"; "it used to be an English colony before, and now it is independent"; "Vasco Da Gama – the great navigator from Portugal"; "the century of the great geographical discoveries"; "Christopher Columbus"; "colonizers, conquerors"; "it used to be a great sea state.»

Portuguese goods
"Port"; "leather"; "coffee"; "good wine"; "they bring footwear to Russia"; "different things – footwear or something else"; "rum – Portuguese rum is the best "; "medicines, footwear – I can remember only the consumer goods"; "watches, cars"; "cigars"; "tomato paste"; "sanitary equipment.»

Rich, happy country
'Well-to-do people"; "high living standards of the people"; "more rich and developed country in comparison to Russia"; "a country where people live well.»

Sports
"The football club "Portu""; "they played football before and they play it now"; "the football team of Portugal plays very well.»

Population, national character
"Wise people live there"; "a temperamental nation"; "emotional southern people.»

A normal country
"Mediocre, noticeable in nothing"; "a normal European country with a middle level of development, no high culture or science, a European province.»

Poor, unhappy country
"I feel sorry for that country – it is backward"; "a poor country.»

Other
"That country is laughing at Russia, like other countries"; "romance"; "their swear at the ports"; "drugs"; "a kingdom"; "a putsch.»

Article by Giryaeva J. www.fom.ru

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