They love America and dream of coming here to visit or stay.
Most Russians are not big, burly men. A lot of them are average-sized, just like Americans. The average Russian our age probably does know more about hacking than we do, but that's only because Russia has very lax Internet laws that allow them to hack into certain platforms without any punishment. Russians are initially cold to someone they don't know, and they don't typically smile. Russians view the American obsession with smiling as disingenuous or dishonest because we often smile at people that we don't know to make them feel better. Russians do not do that; they only smile when they mean it. However, when they do get to know you, Russians are incredibly loud and welcoming.
Russians do not drink vodka with every meal, though it is very cheap in Russia which is why it is so commonly their drink of choice. Not all Russians love Vladimir Putin either. While the majority are fine with Putin, some see him for what he is and eagerly await his retirement. Russians love to talk about American politics, but often are unwilling to talk about what is happening in their own country.
These are only a few moments that stand out to me when I think of Russian stereotypes as opposed to my own experience. When you travel to another country, I would encourage you to research stereotypes and expectations you should have going into your travels. However, I would also encourage you to take these things with a grain of salt and be prepared to have an experience, unlike anything you expect. I would encourage you to live according to the 'when in Rome' mentality. When in Moscow, eat dessert at the intermission of every theater production.
