When I landed in Berlin nearly 20 years ago, I kept noticing what felt like these big differences between US roads and German roads - the cobblestones, the cars parked on the sidewalk, and of course everything European about the road was different.
Now, familiar with European road signs, I land in Moscow and am struck by similar/familiar everything looks. I can follow the road signs, so I could theoretically drive here if someone would hand me directions. Even though many of the letters are wildly different, I can figure out the names of some businesses and what they sell (ресторан is a restaurant; аптека is an apothecary = pharmacy; банк = bank).
Course, it's easier to identify some businesses than others:
Partly that's my development and experience, but it's also amazing how much convergence there has been over 20 years. I bet you 20 years ago Moscow at night did not look like "random western European city." Today I see all sorts of US and European brands that I'm confident were not here in 1996. On the other hand, the reason I'm describing a city as a set of brand names is just because I arrived at night and the neon signs are most all I can see and identify.
I may have a different idea seeing the city in the daytime, but that's at least my first impression.
Now, familiar with European road signs, I land in Moscow and am struck by similar/familiar everything looks. I can follow the road signs, so I could theoretically drive here if someone would hand me directions. Even though many of the letters are wildly different, I can figure out the names of some businesses and what they sell (ресторан is a restaurant; аптека is an apothecary = pharmacy; банк = bank).
Course, it's easier to identify some businesses than others:
Partly that's my development and experience, but it's also amazing how much convergence there has been over 20 years. I bet you 20 years ago Moscow at night did not look like "random western European city." Today I see all sorts of US and European brands that I'm confident were not here in 1996. On the other hand, the reason I'm describing a city as a set of brand names is just because I arrived at night and the neon signs are most all I can see and identify.
I may have a different idea seeing the city in the daytime, but that's at least my first impression.
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