Do not judge Turkey by five-star hotels and an all-inclusive system. After all, in fact it is a contradictory country with interesting people. Angelika Shcherbakova, who has been living in Istanbul for 10 years, knows everything about the Oriental way of life and the cool disposition of Turks.

If you are thinking about emigrating to Turkey or just want to see its non-tourist side, the book is definitely worth reading. You'll figure it out:

how does a Russian person live in the former Ottoman Empire;
where and how to find a job for the first time;
how Turkish medicine and education differ from Russian.

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2. "How to go to Dubai and stay there. Non-fictional stories of a foreigner in the UAE", Alina Mustafina

If you dream of moving to the hot Arab Emirates, acquaintance with the honest stories of emigrants may be useful to you. There are no sugar narratives about sights and shopping in the book. Blogger and journalist Alina Mustafina boldly shows both sides of Dubai: bright fun and stuffy artificial looking glass, where a beautiful picture hides emptiness.

Whether the reception will be warm or cold depends on you, the author is sure. And to make it easier to start in a new country, Alina told:

how to adapt, rent an apartment and find a job;
how to overcome the language barrier and get used to the difference in mentalities;
why it's better not to make Russian-speaking friends in clubs and bars;
how much money will you have to spend if you live in Dubai with a child;
how to get a chance for a resounding success in the Emirates.

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3. "Diary of a modern geisha. Secrets of the night life of the Land of the Rising Sun", Marina Chizhova

The writer and translator Marina Chizhova has been living in Japan for 13 years. This book is dedicated to the amazing night entertainment of the Land of the Rising Sun, in particular hostess clubs for men. If you have not heard of such establishments, then the "Diary of a modern geisha" will tell you a lot about the handsome and at first glance shy Japanese. Here's what you'll learn about them and the industry in general:

what the hostess club employees are obliged to do with clients and how much they are paid for it;
why the male population of Japan is rampant on "new geisha";
how to find and, if desired, visit such a club.

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4. "France from the inside. How do they really live in the country of fine cuisine and high fashion", Anastasia Sokolova‑Bouallet

Even if you have been to France more than once, the historian and guide Anastasia Sokolova‑Boilleux will show what remains inaccessible to tourists: traditional lunches and dinners with family, internal cultural codes and the French view of people and the world. And the book will tell you what you need to be mentally prepared for if you come not just to walk, but to live in the country of Rimbaud and Cezanne. Anastasia will describe in detail:

how the French grow up, study, work, spend their free time;
what Parisians wear, how they choose bags, shoes and scarves;
what's going on at traditional french weddings,
how much does it cost to rent a house in different parts of the country.

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5. "Laowai. How China changes people and can a foreigner become "her"", Katerina Kulik

If you want to imagine the real life of an immigrant in China, "Laowai" is what you need. This is how foreigners are called in China, who are poorly oriented in local customs and orders. Traveler Katerina Kulik is the most laovai. She moved to the Chinese city of Kunming to teach English, and in her spare time she hung out with friends and recorded everything that happened to her. Go on an adventure with Katya and her book to:

virtually visit China and beyond;
to understand the intricacies of local street food and drinks;
imagine what people do in small, by Chinese standards, cities;
find out what kind of alcohol the citizens of the Celestial Empire prefer when they want to get drunk.

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6. "This unusual Poland", Marina Zhukovsky

A flight attendant from Kazakhstan, who became a Polish housewife, shares funny stories about the difference in cultures and mentalities. For example, what to do so that the father, a former security officer, and newly-made relatives do not fight over a family dinner. Or why Russians are mistaken for spies and how to dissuade foreign friends from this. And Marina Zhukovsky also writes how to understand mysterious Poles and make friends with them. Also from the book you will learn:

what to take with you to the Polish sauna;
what to do if your name is in sklep or affectionately called paskuda;
how to dress so as not to get trapped at a wedding in a church;

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7. "The Korean wave. How a small country conquered the whole world", Yuni Hong

How did a tiny and poor Asian state turn into a mega‑exporter of pop culture and who is behind it? Why did the world suddenly fall in love with Korean TV series, music and dancing k‑pop, Samsung equipment and Hyundai car? Korean‑American journalist Yuni Hong will introduce PSY, Girls Generation and "Oldboy" to the homeland more closely. She will immerse you in the thick of South Korean musical culture, movies and video games, reveal the secret of the economic miracle of the mysterious Asian country and explain:

why millions of people are crazy about korean dramas;
what is the secret of the frenzied popularity of spicy kimchi cabbage;
how the phenomenon of the Korean wave covered the world with its head.

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