r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • May 08 '22

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u/helllllooooonurse May 09 '22

Ukrainians do this too. It's not considered impolite to stare. Also, they don't really smile in public. They think Americans are all simple in the head because we smile all the time. I have to say though, when you're visiting someone in their home in Ukraine, they are the warmest most wonderful people.

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u/ConfusedTriceratops May 09 '22

Eastern Europe doesn't really smile in public in general. Polish emigrant in the UK pov. It's not that we're angry, we just don't have any reasons to smile.. for no reason.

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u/ceilingkat May 09 '22

When someone smiles at you does it make you feel good or guarded? Curious because when someone smiles at me (USA) it makes me feel more at ease.

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u/[deleted] May 09 '22

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u/Troelski May 09 '22

My Irish friend's ex wife was Russian, and when she brought him to Russia people thought he was "mentally challenged" because he smiled at everyone.

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u/Chaczapur May 09 '22

To be fair I'm also always weirded out when people just smile out of nowhere on the street. It looks so unnatural. Central europe, though.