Sat next to a Russian on my plane departing Russia. Was able to snap this photo with our passports side by side.
“Why do you come to Russia?”
This would come to be a frequent question throughout my time in Russia, often very bluntly. There was a curiosity not just among my new Russian comrades but also my friends back home, though my friends were less direct in their approach. My comrades’ bluntness caught me off guard at first, but over time I came to learn that Russians were simply upfront. Any perceived hostility in their approach was unintended. It makes me wonder what role this cultural characteristic may play in their international relations.
Nevertheless, the question is important.
Pause for a moment and ask yourself what is the first association you make when you think of Russia?
For my American friends, I venture to guess the answer involves something related to Communism, or the Cold War, or perhaps more recently President Putin. Regardless, I am confident that whatever your association was, it does not bode particularly well for your conception of Russia. Also, as an American, it is problematic to have an unbiased impression of this region. We are taught from within a democratic system, which our high school studies inherently imply is superior to other forms of government, particularly Communism. You would be branded unpatriotic to entertain otherwise.
My childhood is filled with memorable action movies that cast the Soviet Union in an adversarial role, such as in Rocky IV or seemingly every other James Bond villain. Hollywood, in a post-Soviet Union era, has not been kind to Russia either. The movie Crimson Tide underscores the nuclear threat still posed by the Russians and manages to bring a U.S. Navy crew to mutiny. It is a struggle for me to recollect any media involving Russia that provides a neutral or positive relationship with the United States. This undoubtedly colors not only my perceptions of Russia but those also of my friends.
The first sincere attempt at getting a glimpse of an authentic Russia came in 10th grade World Studies. This course was taught by one of those teachers that manages to leave an indelible mark: Maury Molin. Mr. Molin gave everything he had to his students. In turn he lived up to the reputation of demanding nothing but the very best. No other high school course comes close to the amount of knowledge I can recollect from that time.
Our curriculum dedicated weeks to studying Russian history from around Peter the Great’s time to the fall of Communism. It was the first time I heard of such figures known as “the Great” or “the Terrible.” U.S. History does not bestow such titles. Learning about the various Czars brought intrigue. That type of leadership was a contrast to our U.S. Presidents. Influential individuals like Rasputin fascinated me. Communism and Soviet leaders such as Lenin, Stalin, and Khrushchev captivated my attention. It showed that western values are not universals. That Russia experienced more revolutions in a hundred year span than most countries undergo over the course of several hundred years was astonishing. As Mr. Molin eloquently pointed out, no other country’s history was filled with so many magnetic personalities, remarkable buildings, and noteworthy happenings past and present. His course left me filled with a desire to one-day visit.
Finally, I believe to authentically understand a country requires having your boots on the ground. I do not desire my knowledge base to be buttressed by Hollywood and inherent biases that are hard to shake. Traveling within a foreign country provides new perspectives on history and culture and serves as a vehicle toward authenticity and knowing.
Tainted by their preconceptions, some question the choice of Russia. They say, “surly there are other compelling countries that can offer similar experience that are safer and easier.” This notion is what perpetuates prejudices. I seek to validate or dispel those prejudices. To be limited to countries that simply make it easy to visit prevents gaining the broadest possible outlook of the world. It is important to go beyond what is easy and to absorb all that is feasible to construct a comprehensive, sophisticated take on the world.
Hence, my decision to explore Russia through its Trans-Siberian Railway in 2015 and 2016 is one not of just leisure, but of purpose.
// Oliver