A Dutchman in Russia

A truly original and interesting look at Russia from a foreigner!

Makhil Sneip is an internet star, a Dutchman who moved to Russia from the Netherlands 8 years ago. During this time he managed to fall in love with our country, marry a Russian girl, and become a popular author on Dzen!

It’s always interesting to hear what foreigners think about our country. It’s like an outside view. And it’s fascinating, because many of our customs, traditions, and habits seem strange, funny, and sometimes even incomprehensible to foreigners. Makhil Sneip is a Dutchman who moved to live in Russia, married a Russian girl, had children and a Russian mother-in-law. He has plenty to compare life in Russia and Holland—and plenty to tell. Love brought Makhil to Russia. “We met at Eurovision in Düsseldorf in 2011. Alya went there as a journalist, and I worked for a Dutch company—he says. — Then she came to Holland to study, and that’s how we started dating.” And in 2015, after the wedding, they decided to move to Russia.

Makhil writes about completely different topics, showing a completely original and interesting perspective of a foreigner on Russia. From his first acquaintance with Russian manners and customs—including Russian cuisine, Russian habits, family relationships, the Russian language, education, and much more—to immersing himself in the culture of specific cities and regions of Russia. He travels a lot: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, the Golden Ring, Karelia, the Volga region, the Caucasus, the Far East, etc., and from everywhere he brings back fascinating blogs on completely different and unusual topics. His texts are full of kind humor and a fresh, original look at Russia—and, above all, full of love for our country. His work is helped by his Russian wife, Alevtina.