Eastern+Europe

Russia Casual Life: Russians like to visit and have guests. Sitting and talking for hours is a favorite pastime. One usually removes shoes when entering a home. Hosts generally offer refreshments, but guests may decline them. Friends and family may visit anytime without notice but they usually arrange visits in advance if they have telephones. They make themselves at home generally can except to be welcome for any length of time. Visits with new acquaintances are more formal. Government: Russia is a federation of 21 autonomous republics and 46 oblasts, or regions. The president is head of state and the prime minister is head of government. The president has power to dissolve parliament, set foreign policy, and appoint the prime minister. The Federal Assembly has two houses, a 168 seat Federation Council and the 450 seat State Duma. An array of political parties is represented in the Duma. The actual party names are less important than their alliances. Communists form the larges block, but nationalists and liberals form other substantial voting blocks. The voting age is 18. Tiffane