Driving. In America, people drive. In Russia, some people drive but the majority uses public transportation and walks. Many Russians, especially women, have no need for a car and don’t even know how to drive. There is always a grocery store, bank, and post office within a walking distance from their home, and most Russian women will expect the same in America. She will be shocked to find out that "you have to get into that darn car even to go buy one darn loaf of bread!" She will find it extremely inconvenient and annoying. If she does not drive, she is going to feel trapped in the house, and learning to drive at an older age is always more difficult.
Rural life. Most Russians think that America is made of skyscrapers, that’s the idea they get from American movies and news reports, so finding herself in what she will refer to as "village" is another shocker for the newly arrived Russian woman. You might think it is not so important; trust me, it is. She won’t quit asking that you move to live "in the city" at least for the next two years. Hopefully, by then she will acquire the taste for the country life. If she doesn’t, complaining won’t stop. Russian women are known for persistence, they will not give up as long as they see any chance of getting their way.
Relating to others. It is very likely that a newly arrived Russian woman will not understand Americans. I’m not talking about the language barrier here, I am talking about general culture. It is also quite common for Russians to look down at Americans, because they think Americans have gotten it all easy and don’t know what real life is like. I could give you a long list of what Russians find wrong with Americans; if you are getting a Russian wife, I don’t need to: you will hear it all from her. On your part, you will probably wonder why she is not quick to smile, why she rarely uses words like thank you and please and almost never I’m sorry. You will be also annoyed with direct orders like "Bring my coat," which she thinks are requests, because in Russia people don’t say please all the time. Trying to point out that her behavior could be adjusted is in most cases useless, it will only result in an argument. She will get defensive and try to prove that there is nothing wrong with her, it is this weird country that is messed up. Wiser women eventually see it for themselves and change; stubborn ones don’t.
Finances. The western system of banking, credit, and loans is now developing in Russia as well, but for the most part, it is still unknown. Russia is a cash-operating society, and the transition from that to the American way of doing things will take time. More than likely, your Russian wife will know nothing about buying things on credit, she will think that your house and everything you own is already paid for. She will not know how to use a credit card or a checkbook. I have known women who have picked it all up very quickly, and I have known some who still cannot be trusted with a credit card even after several years of living here.