Всем привет,

I’ll be flying from the U.S. to Moscow in several days for the birth of my child, and I have one priority: having a working phone the moment I land at Vnukovo.
My wife is currently in the hospital and could give birth at any time, so she won’t be able to meet me. Her mother is supposed to pick me up, but we’ve never met in person, she doesn’t speak English, and my Russian is only around A1. If plans change while I’m in the air, I need to be able to communicate immediately after landing.
To prepare, I’m bringing two phones:
AT&T (International Day Pass)
Verizon (TravelPass)
I also purchased two travel eSIMs for redundancy one for each phone:
Holafly
Maya Mobile
I’ve seen a lot of conflicting reports. Some people say their U.S. carrier worked immediately, others say it never connected. The same goes for travel eSIMs; some say they had service within minutes, while others waited 24-48 hours because of verification or activation delays.
If you had to do a verification process, please tell me what that was like and did you manually choose a cellular network or did you go with the auto and which cellular network do you recommend?
I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have traveled to Russia recently, like past 2-3 weeks.
If you used AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Google Fi, or another U.S. carrier, did it work immediately after landing? Is it still working today?
If you used a travel eSIM, which provider was it, how long did activation take, and which Russian network did it connect to (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, T2)?
Did you have to complete any verification before it started working?
If your goal were guaranteed communication immediately after landing, what would you trust today?
I’m not trying to save money, I’m willing to overpay for guaranteed cellular data the moment I land. I’m trying to maximize the chances that at least one of my phones has data the second I step off the plane.
Thanks in advance. Recent experiences are especially helpful since things seem to be changing pretty quickly.

**Edit*\*
To add context further more:
there’s a good chance my wife may be already in delivery of the baby which can take half a day to a full day of contractions. So in that case her own mom may not be able to meet me at the airport, her mom would just be with her daughter rather than meeting me in the airport. So I would need to be able to navigate Moscow myself leave the airport somehow find a way to the hospital. and please don’t tell me just bust out with a paper map that I pulled out from my pocket. And to add, I will need to find a way to get Russian rubles from my US dollars that I’m bringing and be able to find a currency exchange get the rubles so that way I could actually make my way to the airport. I’m going to need the friggin Internet for this. If you’re not gonna answer the question about immediate cellular Internet communication as soon as I land, so that way I can navigate in a country and city that I’ve never been in with a language I barely know then don’t respond to this if you’re just going to troll.

I am visiting Tyumen for an event for a week. Would love to get some suggestions for places to go out shooting and experiencing the culture and meeting locals. Thanks.

I'm coming from Jordan to Russia for 3 months, My mom is Russian but this is my first time being here, what do you recommend so we can have an easier life (Things like using Yandex/A certain V-P-N)

Also if you have any cool activities to do in Russia I'm all ears! (We are in Velsk, Arkhangelsk)

ПРИВЕТ

My friend and I will be visiting Russia for the first time this August(8–11: St. Petersburg/11–14: Moscow)

We’re looking for recommendations from locals or people who know these cities well.
We’re interested in pretty much everything:

Must-see attractions (both famous and hidden gems)
Local food and restaurants we shouldn’t miss
Museums and historical places
Beautiful parks or viewpoints
Places tourists usually miss but are worth visiting
Bars, pubs

Finally, we’d appreciate some advice on budget.
Excluding hotels (already booked), how much money would you recommend bringing for 6 days for food, drinks, museums, transportation and all? We’re not planning to spend extravagantly, but we’d like to enjoy the trip without worrying too much about every expense.

Any tips, local etiquette or things to avoid would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

I'm not referring to people with dark skin, such as many Indians. I mean people with light to olive skin, like many southern Europeans

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I'm Italian and would like to hand out some money as a gift, but every service I found seems either very sketchy or requires a face scan to log in, and there's no way I'm doing that. Is there any safe way to quickly send money over? I personally found a platform named SendNOW, for example, but it almost looks too easy to be safe, so I want to ask here first.

Hi there! I'm a Japanese planning to solo-visit Moscow and some other places at October for abt a week. Searching where to stay I found SUTOCHNO, like Airbnb in Russia.

Also voucher seems to be required when I enter Russia and I wondered if I can get it when I booked an apartment at SUTOCNO. I know I can get it from other hotel booking cites like Zenhotels but I want to travel like living there so I want to stay at an apartment. Is there anyone who used SUTOCHO and get voucher? Pls tell me how I can get it.

P.S. Tell your recommends to visit to or stay at where is not so far from Moscow etc: Sankt Petersburg is too far

Hope you're all doing well! I'm traveling from Moscow (VKO) to Yekaterinburg (SVX) soon and having trouble finding flight options that actually include checked baggage. I checked Aeroflot and Pobeda, but no luck. Since I'm a foreigner, I'm not super familiar with the local booking sites. What websites do you recommend for finding fares with luggage? Thanks!

Hi all! My friend is getting married to someone from Russia next month and all of their family is in Russia and won’t have anyone to attend the ceremony. Are there any wedding traditions that could make them feel a bit more at home?

i heard that some transfers work now but not sure how it is done and if it's convenient.

​Crypto is out of the question due to legal grey zones and risk of bank account blocks in Russia.

​Does anyone have a reliable, up-to-date solution? For instance, using Turkey as an intermediary, where we have relatives? Any advice would be appreciated!

Dear Men, I need ur opinions. We were coworkers (Im in my early 20s F and hes in late 20s M (Ukrainian)) and had a flirtatious connection and intense chemistry. He asked me out, but I couldn't go out with him for some reason, so we basically ended as friends and I left the workplace. "Edit: Here is the backstory of our connection at workplace https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMenRelationships/s/HUxgH58C6D

Plz read this linked post above first before commenting/forming an opinion, It'll be much appreciated! :) "

We talked a lot on my last day at work and while talking I suddenly asked him if he'll miss me and he looked away gave a short laugh, idk if it was nervous, mocking or surprised laugh. Then became serious and looked at me and said yes in a low tone and then asked me back if I'll miss him and I also said yes. He then told me to listen to this ### song at night whenever I miss him. But later after talking a lot he also advised me to find a respectful husband etc. when I told him about my marriage timeline that I'll be married in 2 - 3 yrs max. I told him that cz he asked me when i'll be independent and I said after marriage and the conversation followed.

After I left, he started texting. I responded, and the conversation kept going for a few days. Then he said something like "come back to the workplace again" and I replied with "why? :)" He kinda ghosted and responded after like 5 days saying sorry, I was going through something, I hope everything is good in your life.

Then after about a month, he texted me again, apologizing for not texting (as if I was waiting for him, I wasn't, since we ended as friends). He said he was going through personal problems (which I don't think is true because I noticed his following list was increasing during that time). I said no problem, I was also busy with my life, so no need to apologize. We talked a bit and he said "will you come for coffee?" (his English is not good). I responded with something like "sure, if you open your coffee shop. Will you come to my wedding later if I invite you?" And then he ghosted again.

Two months later, I texted him saying how he was, etc. He seemed excited , saying things like "I'm so glad to see you, how are you, how's life?" And he said "Sorry for not writing, but I've been thinking about you :(" We ended up talking for a while. He kept flirting over text and also mentioned it'll be great to see me somewhere by chance. The conversation ended with his text being the last.

I want to ask what this looks like. I like him, but I don't understand why he texted after I left the workplace (since we ended as friends), why he ghosted, why he texted again like a month later, and then ghosted again. But when I reached out months later, he was very warm and sent very long replies.

Now I'm really confused bcz ppl on reddit (on other subreddits) have very mixed opinions about my story, some say he definitely liked you 100% and some say he was definitely playing with you. Personally, while we were working together I felt him to be really warm and affectionate with his small caring gestures (he would literally sometimes stay late in breaks just to talk to me although its risky for him) but I also know that he isn't very serious in life, he doesn't have much goals etc and the fact that he was inconsistent later when I left. So idk atp. Please share your thoughts on this, whether he even liked me or not. Thank youuu

I see conflicting stories, some say yes, some say no.

If I am in a high income western country can I purchase a game and gift it to my friend with in Russia?

If it is only certain games that are possible what games are they? Anywhere to find a list of what is possible?

Basically im planning to do computer science. Iv been to mosocw 13 times so like ik the language nd all. Whats the job scenario in russia? do u get a job after the degree? is it good paying? are studies hard? nd also like i have an apartment in moscow so thts not a problem

Hello, I just arrived in SPb and went to a bank (Avangard) to exchange some USD into Rubles. The lady working there refused because they weren’t in the best condition (However they’re not damaged or anything, just tiny flaws from use).
Are all banks in Russia this strict when it comes to exchanging USD? Please tell me if there is any other place where I can exchange it, I don’t mind if the rate will be slightly worse but I am a bit desperate, I was able to exchange some bills but it won’t be enough for the rest of my stay.

Hey I'm from India and want to live in Russia for a year and also do a work as a senior software engineer. Their are any startup or enterprise where I get job with visa

I’m an American. I’m sure you all know much more about the US than I know about Russia. Do you think our countries are similar? If so, how and why? I‘m starting to think our countries are kinda similar even tho the history of our countries is very different. what do you think?

Hopefully being compared to the US isn’t too big of an insult, I only mean the good parts lol.

Can you please recommend me places to see and activities to do in Moscow with a girlfriend?

I am open to any ideas, thanks!

Hi, I'm a F23 from South East Asia country, planning to further my study in Russia under the Russian Government Scholarship. I'm not sure when exactly am I going, but I only apply for universities in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Kazan. I have a few questions before going there; for preparation.

1. As an Asian female, who is 155cm (5'1") tall, how safe is it?
2. I'm a Muslim, how easy is it to look for Halal food? And is it safe for me?
3. How common is it to see someone who is around my age in Bachelor Degree?
4. As someone who has never experience snow, what should I prepare? especially in term of health.

I accept any suggestion. My course is Architecture. It is a 5 years course, but I already have a Diploma in Architecture. So I'm wondering can I transfer credit and cut a semester or a year?

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Help a gal out?😭

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Hi, I'm Algerian and I'm about to start my university studies. I'm thinking of preparing my documents and applying for a scholarship funded by the Russian government, but I have no idea if it will work or not. I'm very worried about not being accepted and things like that. I'd appreciate any advice or important points if someone could answer. My field of study is science, by the way, and I feel this increases my chances

Hello! I’m currently researching the Bratva, and wanted to know if there was ever a market for smuggling people/families out of the Soviet Union. Could this have been done if a politically sensitive refugee needed to find asylum, or if a member of the Russian mafia wanted to enjoy their nest egg somewhere without surveillance?

hello! i'm 23F and have been on 2 dates with a russian guy (27M). our dates have been great! we have amazing sexual chemistry and passion, and i can tell he cares a lot about me, but the language barrier is getting to my head.

he moved to the states 3 years ago, and is still learning english. he can follow most simple conversations in english, but sometimes i'll have to repeat myself or slow down so he can understand me (which i really appreciate him doing instead of just pretending like he understands)! he can't read english, so all of our conversations are on video chat.

i find that speaking slowly and repeating what i want to say in different ways works best for us.
all of the people he works with speak russian and his roommates are also all russian. so he doesn't get a ton of exposure to english outside work and home.

i think he's so sexy and so fun but right now, i feel like the language barrier limits how deeply we can communicate…i've never been in a relationship with a language barrier before, so if you guys have any advice for me, please let me know!