I recommend you:
http://blog.grayproductions.net/articles/understanding_m17n

2010/6/27 born in USSR <psixxx / bk.ru>:
> I have string: '\u041f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0442!' and i need to
> convert it to string such as 'п§â§Ú§Ó§Ö§ä!'.
> I can convert string to '041f 0440 0438 0432 0435 0442', then convert to
> decimal and at the end convert each code to character with function:
>
>> str.scan(/[0-9]+/).each {|x| result_str << x.to_i}
>
> but i don't think that it is the most rational way.
> --
> Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>
>