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[Alexandr Korol]

it was honest money, real work, and something self-sufficient. But then I saw that in Petersburg, people were all angry, envious, beaten down, and aggressive. I honestly admit, when I traveled the world, and after America, I said I hadn’t met more angry people than in Russia. Now, again, you might say that means I don’t love Russia. No, I love Russia. I love Petersburg. I’m a St. Petersburger. And there’s a lot I love in Russian people. Especially our cunning, intelligence — we still have it, even if it’s not always honest, but we have intelligence. For example, when comparing it to Europeans, I don’t like Europeans. They seem to me like characters from the game Sims, like strange zombies. But that’s honestly my opinion. And I’ll say this: it would be foolish to argue with me or try to provoke me, but the truth is, if you’ve been to some kind countries that are truly kind, after you come back to Russia and see how everyone looks at each other with eyes as if they’re about to kill you, you realize that it’s not just your imagination. I honestly admit, I’ve felt this every time I’ve returned to Russia, as if they were going to eat you, tear you apart. I’ve never seen such angry eyes anywhere else in the world as in Russia, especially, interestingly, from women. Just eyes as if they’re about to rip you apart. But again, I’ve always tried to explain to people, those who speak badly of Russia, I tried to tell them, yes, I’ll agree that maybe in some things we are poorly raised, in some ways like children, and in some ways we’re angry. But you need to understand, there are reasons for this: hard times, revolution, World War I, World War II. People went through so many difficulties in the 90s. Naturally. But thanks to all these qualities — maybe people are a bit embittered, nervous in Russia — but there are qualities, many of them, that no one else in the world has. Like, for example, not throwing away a half-used tube of toothpaste but squeezing it all out, finishing your food to the end. You understand? And valuing things and money. So this moment — valuing money and things, not just being a dreamy person, like in Asia — Russia has this, and it’s very valuable and important. So everyone has their pros and cons, but we should be talking more about New York now. But I noticed that in New York, people seem to be more positive, lighter, more open, less tense. They have this thing where they wear five different-colored jackets, sweaters, some mismatched shoes, go down the street, and no one judges them. Yes, I felt that the first thing I noticed in New York was that when you go into any establishment, shop, restaurant,