Russian friendships

[Emily Tall]

A student in my Russian culture course has gotten annoyed about all this
talk about Russian friendships and how warm, close and wonderful they are.
He says he has lots of warm, close and wonderful friendships and can't
see what all the fuss is about (yes, we've read G. Gerhart). (and yes,
he is of northern European ancestry). Would anyone like to contribute
some concrete examples? The ones I've provided don't seem to have
gotten through. I should think sociologists have studied the question.
Thanks! Emily Tall