Another fascinating Russian truth is that Russians learn not to grin as they get older. While many cultures consider smiling to be a sign of happiness and friendliness, Russians do not. Smiling, according to Russians, is a sign of weakness and not expressing one's actual sentiments. Russians grin when they see individuals they know and care about, but not when they see strangers, as many other cultures do. If you smile at a Russian on the street, don't expect them to reciprocate the favour; nevertheless, while driving around Russia, we noticed that many Russians smiled and waved back.