Denmark
According to a Danish fan, his country's foreign ministry urged the travelers to be cautious in Russia when getting visas because "there are many pickpockets" here. The officials also recommended avoiding trips to the outskirts of the cities.
The first surprise came at the airport when the man and his friends, who were expecting extensive pat-downs, had a smooth security check instead.
As an engineer, he hailed the main building of Moscow State University, claiming he's never seen anything like it in his life. It's impossible to imagine such a massive structure in small Danish towns, he added, but it blends seamlessly into the metropolis.
France
Nicholas George came to Russia from France. "In my opinion, people in Moscow are more open than in the regions and have a better command of foreign languages," he said. Nicholas believes that making the first step is the main thing about communication with Russians. Once you get acquainted and have a talk with a Russian, Nicholas added, he or she shares the most intimate things.
The Frenchman has been to the main trade centers and museums. Although he was embarrassed with entry inspections at first, he could understand them, given that France has been the target of several terror attacks. "Back home, we were spooked by Gulag fears. It turned out, however, that it doesn't exist anymore."
Germany
Peter Sven has arrived in Russia with his friend from Finland. The German media, he claims, have done everything to keep German fans at home. They alleged that Russia was killing stray dogs ahead of the World Cup; that tourists could get robbed of their cell phones and ID, and that Russia, in general, simply cannot do the tournament justice.
READ MORE: 'We Love Russia': Fans Thrilled About 2018 FIFA World Cup (VIDEO)
Sven first flew to St Petersburg. He admired that the city was "filled with history and culture," particularly concerning him as a German citizen. His next stop was Moscow. "A traffic jam at 3 a.m. on my Instagram got more likes than my prom photo," Sven smiled.
He dismissed the stereotypes about modern-day communism in Russia as "complete rubbish". "No one looks at you as an enemy, Sven pointed out. Everyone is keen to learn where you are from and get to know your impressions of Russia's World Cup opener.
Mexico
Jorge Barriga, a fan from Mexico, has come to Russia along with two friends. His friends, he says, were cracking jokes that the three would freeze to death. Jorge believes, however, that his folks would give anything to be here, in fact.
After Mexico's surprising win over Germany in its first World Cup game, the three guys were ambling around downtown Moscow until morning without any maps. They joined their compatriots and chanted national songs together. Surprisingly enough, Jorge says, he didn't even drink that night as he was having a lot of fun.
Jorge showed some numbers of Russian fans he got. "Look, Voldimir, Sashia, but by favorite Russian name is Irrra — sounds very Mexican. I believe that we'll encounter many other good people."
Brazil
A Brazilian fan living in the US with her husband says Americans have stereotypes about her native country as well as Russia. That's why, she added, her friends were quite skeptical of her trip to the tournament. She praised the "incredible concentration" of culture in Russia's capital, especially in the city center.
She went on to emphasize the main plus of the tournament — the clean city. The NYC subway, the Brazilian remarked, is nothing compared to the Moscow metro as passenger in New York passengers often spot rats while Moscow stations are each cleaner than the last.
