WOOHOO! i recently got accepted for a full scholarship to attend the ecology of war and peace conference in St. Petersburg! i know i know. .. st peterburgs is the white, london, part of the country, but i hardly ever travel. AND IM SUPER EXCITED! just thought i'd let you all know
Sounds good. But some advice for your short trip. There are armies of street gang kids that will rob and kill you if you're not careful. And from your pic you seem quite dark- be careful of skinheads. They're everywhere in SP and if you meet one you will not get out of there alive. Happy trip.
You'll want to check out the Hermitage (a famous museum) and bring a good camera to take pictures of Saint Petersburg's beautiful architecture. Don't walk the streets all by yourself, and certainly not at night. Stay with a group of close friends or acquaintences. Your experience will be memorable. Oh, and very important, prepare to wear layers of clothing because the city is freezing.
You may be right, but it's hard to tell how dark she is because her photo is black and white. You can't really see her features all that well by the pic either. She may do just fine because although northeast Europe is very blond, there are plenty of dark-skinned elements, not just among the minorities. Many Russians have brown eyes and brown hair, although St. Petersburg, being far north, is very blond. But like you say it's good to be cautious.
I'm just saying cuz a friend of mine (American) is white skinned but has darkbrown hair and brown eyes and for that was chased by a bunch of skinheads. Luckily he got on the subway and he was fine. And if you look like a hippie with a nosering then you're asking for trouble.
Skinheads are idiots, they can attack anyone. I think that over 50% of Russians have dark hair, so it's not just that.
Perhaps they sense who are the foreigners and, regardless of skin tone, go after them. Right now, for example, there is a lot of anti-American sentiment in Europe, and especially in Russia. Still, Russia is not so bad, just more corrupt than the West. Basic precautions are important, but it's still a great place. However, I wouldn't advise non-Europeans to go loitering around the city with no sense of direction or without a large group.
HAHA! quite the contrary, i have red hair and lots of freckles. i think i will be fine concerning the skinheads. . . but thanks so much for the advice everyone! like i said i am super excited! and i will definately tell you all about it! thanks blessed be liz
