When I first moved to Russia in 2011 during the depths of winter, it became incredibly apparent to me that life in Russia is not for the faint of heart. Perhaps it is because I arrived at the end of January when there were twelve foot snow piles and twelve inches of ice covering the sidewalks; killer icicles hung from the buildings, bitter cold temperatures pierced through every layer of clothing, and dark overcast days seemed in abundance. There were days when I would wake up ready for a warm shower only to find that the hot water was off, again, and it was -30°C outside. Over time, you begin to see how incredibly difficult life can be for many Russian people and it is not uncommon for one’s skin to thicken in response. Russian people are very tough and if you do not toughen up yourself while living there…