I've been in love with Russia ever since I saw Nicholas and Alexandra on TV and started reading an obscene amount of books about the Romanovs. I could listen to Tchaikovsky for months. I have a CD collection to prove it. After a Russian roomie in grad school and a bizillion Russian books, they became my favorite authors.
As we've been discussing with the many amazing Russian people we have met here, there is so much more to this massive country than what has been portrayed by Bond villains and movies that hearken back to the Cold War. And I'd like to mention a few of them:
Tradition: At the London Olympics, we saw a lot of recent pop culture on display, but here, there is a definite emphasis on their past and tradition. Olympic Park is like a Russian Disney World with performers in traditional costumes, and strains from everything to Chechen drummers, Tchaikovsky, and Mongolia.
Staring: You know the way kids stare at you for a really long time before they're taught they're not supposed to do that? Russians are the best starers on the planet. While I was puking and didn't have time to lock the door on the plane, a guy opened the door, and I'm certain he looked quizzically up and down at me, cocked his head, made some kind of noise, and only THEN closed the door. The thing that you realize is that sometimes staring is the only way that you SEE people. If the British NEVER stare and never care, the Russians are at the opposite end of the spectrum. And their poker faces when they're staring at you leave you wondering whether they think you're weird, interesting, or just American. I love it.
Directness/Forwardness: Americans are known for their directness. The people spreading this rumor must not know Russians. Some choice quotes: "What do you want?"--food stand worker "Give them 500 and LEAVE"--volunteer when asked whether taxi drivers were asking too much for fare "Take a photo with me?"---10 Russians per day who want their photo with us. I appreciate this (as a direct American). Way to get to the point, people. (high fives!)
Ability to change: All you're hearing about on the news is how they don't like gay people and they're so backward. But I was here in 2007. My friend Sarah and I, two pretty international travellers, were once unable to find out how to get to a place on the subway, because we asked over 25 people, and NO ONE spoke a word of English, or could even look at a map and help us. You'll still find that anyone our age or older does not speak English, but little kids are dying to practice their English on us. Those who can speak are eager to talk about how they hope these games will help us understand them better. They're moving forward. They're a MASSIVE country, and just as in the USA, any changes will take time. But I am amazed at the perceptible changes in such a short period of time.
Diversity: My sister said it best the other day: "They all look SO different". You could sit in Olympic Park and see 100 different types of Russian, and it's amazing. Even all the stray dogs look completely different. There's Eurotrash girl, Bond villain guy, cute blonde Slavic guy, babushka lady, guy you thought was Asian until he asked for a photo with you in Russian, man who looks like he could wrestle you to the floor with one hand, Bond villainess, and so many more I can even describe properly.
Ability to throw a party: Make no mistake. You can tell this is the most expensive Olympics ever. It shows. It's an amazing production. They know how to put on a show. They've been doing it with the best ballets and theatres for centuries. Sochi 2014 is amazing, and every Russian should be proud.
Rus-si-a! Rus-si-a! Rus-si-a!
(that's their cheer. We're down with doing it with them until hockey later this week. Then, all bets are off, and it's back to the cold (hockey) war. :P)
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