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Reflections on Travel to Russia
©1998 by Hugh D. Cox

Port Rostrals in Saint Petersburg

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Introduction
Our Group of Seven
Preparations for Travel
The State Security and Visitors
Russian Culture
Ballet
Wishes for Russia
Our Work Project
Some common sense advice for travel in Russia

Landing at Sheremetyevo Airport near Moscow reveals a nation of vast forests and vast numbers of tall buildings like islands in the forest. The almost total absence of individual single family dwellings is noticed. Most Russians like in high rise apartment buildings. Moscow was virtually destroyed in the "Great War" during 1941 until 1945. Most rebuilding was accomplished "in the soviet time". The drive from Sheremetyevo passes a monument at the spot where nazi German forces advanced on Moscow and could shell the City with artillery. (Another foreign force under Napoleon destroyed Moscow in 1812 and there are monuments where Napoleon stood and watched the City burn.)

My opportunity to visit Russia came when I went with Rev. Daniel Earnhardt, United Methodist Campus Minister of East Carolina University, and with a work group assigned to complete a short-term construction project at Russian Orphanage-School No. 8 in Moscow. Our team lived (and ate) at the Orphanage for 10 days. Russian institutions accept cooperative efforts with foreign charity organizations.

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ph.D., and Dr. Tatiana Leonidovna Douginova, Ph.D.,  for acting as our sponsors and fluent interpreters. See more about their superb and brave human rights work under Human Rights.

Rev. Daniel Earnhardt, Group Leader

Our group consisted of five university students from East Carolina University and North Carolina State University with two older adults led by Rev. Earnhardt. Many individuals contributed to this effort including the Rotary International Club of Greenville.

The skilled and craftsmen students were:

        
Robert Craig Cahoon        Dwayne Edwin Davis
(Kinston, NC)                    (Roxboro, NC)

      
William Michael Dunn      Marvin Alan Owings
(Virginia Beach, VA)        (Hendersonville NC)

Andrew Bryant Riddle
(Hendersonville NC).

It is difficult to prepare one for a visit to Russia. First, the language is a significant undertaking because of the Cyrillic alphabet and the difficulty of serious study in a short time (Moscow has virtually no foreign language signs - and HTML does not allow such symbols). Secondly, it is difficult to imagine going to a country which is undergoing vast and rapid changes both politically and economically. Most of the changes are encouraging, but some are frightening. Thirdly, it is difficult to find accurate information on travel to Russia - since the information changes rapidly.

Russia's internal security agencies have changed very little since the "soviet" time..

I initially planned to take my global positioning system (GPS) device to Russia, but learned before the trip that possession of a GPS device is possession of spy equipment punishable by a minimum of ten years in Russian prisons. 

All of the old concepts of Russia and the former Soviet Union come to mind. The Russian military potential and the State Security system under the old KGB are still in place. The former KGB is now the GB or FSB. 

I believe the state security services had and missed an opportunity to be a powerful force to implement more democratic changes. Certainly the role of the military in support of Boris Yeltsin was crucial to the demise of the communist state. The power and greed of the elite Russian business czars ( a lesson they quickly learned from American corporations) in support of Yeltsin in exchange for a significant "contingency" of the nation's wealth is clearly understood by the security services. The security services openly allow such practices.

Security officials see that McDonald's workers make more money than the police or teachers.

Some officials of the security services also participate in petty graft and corruption - perhaps for survival or just to keep one's job. Just as ordinary Russians must "break" the rules to make their society "work", so must the security forces "bend" the rules to keep society from collapse or revolution.

The unanswered question is still about the real power and loyalty of the security services and the military. Russians want decisive and strong leadership to solve immediate problems like terrorism, yet they want continuing economic democracy with personal freedom. Can they have both?

Clearly, most Russians seem to reject the communist political appeal, but the communists are still a major political force. They hold the largest number of votes in the Duma. Even when economic collapse comes, old communism may not return, but new totalitarianism may return.

Muscovites are ingenious in their ability to make the system work in spite of the "old" rules and practices. Some people openly ride the bus system without paying since the bus drivers are so overburdened. There are so many free market "flea markets" that the authorities cannot check them all. Most Russians will gladly accept dollars or pounds in lieu of rubles. The exception is the rule of ordinary life. The "counter economy" rivals the official economy - which means that no IMF bailout can really address the economic problems of Russia.

On the Metro

The culture of the nation is unmatched. I was lucky enough to see ballet (Swan Lake) at the Kremlin State theater by an international cast including Russia's best. The Hermitage in Saint Petersburg has incredible art collections. There was a special Henri Matisse exhibition at the Hermitage.

Russian ballet is much more than an elite dance form. It is the heart of every Russian's identity. The Tsars lavishly funded and elevated the ballet to a world class reputation available only to the Russian nobility. Ballet companies like the Kirov in Saint Petersburg enjoyed world attention by the turn of the last century.

After the 1917 revolution leading eventually to the "Soviet time", ballet continued to enjoy adequate funding and enhanced professionalism. The communists saw no harm in promoting ballet since the themes were either based on love or fairy tales - and no threat to the state. During the "Soviet time", the audiences expanded to include the most educated people and art patrons as well as working people. Collective farms, labor unions and ordinary people considered tickets to the ballet as prized possessions even as the tickets were more available. Ballet produced national pride and dancers were treated like movie stars.

The dance movements of ballet were used by Soviet sports officials in sports like gymnastics and ice skating. The Soviet gymnastics teams were ballet stars. In 1974, I saw Olga Corbett and Soviet national team in exhibition in Washington DC. I do not pretend to know ballet - but I know the incredible beauty of sport using ballet movements.

Sadly, the recent changes in Russia forced the Kirov and the other ballet companies into competition just to survive. Tickets to the ballet are well beyond the economic means of ordinary Russians. In spite of dancers being hired abroad, Russia will continue to train and produce the finest ballet performers in the world.

Russians know their ballet art form is the best in the world. Ballet remains a national passion in Russia.

I always go to veteran memorials in foreign nations to see how veterans are honored. It is encouraging to see that Russia has honored its heroes and ordinary people for sacrifices in the "Great War" from 1941 until 1945. There are hundreds of artistic memorials and parks in memory of this national sacrifice. Twenty to twenty-four million Russians died in the Great War. Thousands of cities and towns (including Saint Petersburg and Moscow) were destroyed. No Russian family is untouched by these events.

If Russia is making its own way at its own pace, does Russia need outside help? Starvation of many Russians is now a national issue evidenced by gardeners defending their garden plots with violence and murder. Western aid cannot resolve these internal problems.

Our interests in Russia should be strategic to promote ties with the West. We must help Russia make the changes to match those in Europe. And the Russians must make greater efforts to insure equitable individual economic progress.

I left Russia with a great desire that the nation survive in peace, grow in economic strength and equality, and that human rights will continue to grow and flourish.

The Work Team Effort

     
The work team refinished a room under Russian plans to place aquariums for tropical fish. The orphanage leaders currently use the fish (presently in a smaller room at the orphanage) for viewing by stressed children to calm them since medication is usually not used. It is an ingenious idea. Further, the orphanage diet enhances good mental health.

Subsequent teams have now completed this project.

Some common sense advice for travel in Russia

1. Take nothing that can be construed as "spy" equipment such as a global positioning system device (GPS) or a computer with encryption software (I took my notebook with usual software, printer, digital camera and had no problem). Possession of such spy equipment carries a minimum sentence of ten years. (See the US State Department web site.)
2. You must have a visa and you may have to turn your passport over to the Russian authorities for periods of time. Carry a color copy on ordinary paper of your passport - but not one of the same size which might be taken as a "fake".
3. One must declare all valuables and cash when entering Russian customs and one cannot leave the country with more than that value. The security authorities check very closely. No rubles can be removed from Russia (except coins and the "old" script). The exchange rate is about 6.15 rubles to the dollar.
4. Do NOT drink the water in Russia -even in cities like Moscow. Buy bottled water while there. The American Embassy requires all US employees to filter or distill the water before use. Distillation of Moscow water clearly shows both solid and liquid content in just a few gallons of residue.
5. Historically, Russian authorities considered maps of any detail as "state secrets" so one still has difficulty finding a good map of most locations. Metro maps, on the other hand, are readily available.
6. Learn at least 100 words of social graces language, the alphabet, and carry a pocket phrase book and dictionary. Then you can really enjoy your trip and not be totally dependent on your interpreter. Use the public transport systems to take in the everyday life of the people. Good gifts for Russians include pens like those by Cross. Russian charities can always use computers - especially laptops - or computer peripherals or software.
7. Do not drive in Moscow. Almost 50% of the drivers have been driving only a year or so. Wrecks and broken down vehicles are common sights.
8. Russians consume less alcohol than other Europeans, but they tend to "binge" drink the local vodka which is 160 proof and very cheap. Drinking with alcoholic Russians is a good way to receive brain damage. Some of the local beer is long outdated. Drunks on the streets are a common sight. (You can tell that I do not drink except on rare occasions.)
9. Be prepared for official security and private guards carrying submachine guns in businesses and official places. Immediately obey such authorities. Most of the private guards carry German H&K weapons rather than Russian weapons.
10. Russian social graces do not include our outgoing social introductions of ourselves. Russians prefer that another person who knows both persons make the introductions. It is considered as bad manners to introduce yourself to a Russian stranger. Talking to strangers is perfectly acceptable.
11. Foreigners should not venture from the tourist locations except with an experienced Russian. Foreigners are safest with groups. Russia has less crime than the US, but does have pickpockets and thieves in public places who will grab a suitcase and be gone very quickly. 
12. If a "bribe" must be made to an official, make it no more than twenty US dollars - I know one visitor who faced off with the state security militia when the passports of a group in a remote rural region were taken up and the militia leader announced that the group was one passport short. The visitor stood his ground and refused to accept the information. He accused the militia leader of being a liar and thief. The militia leader backed down and returned all passports. I would have opted to pay a twenty dollar bribe. Unfortunately, such rural incidents are increasing. 
13. Valuable information to have:

Emergency Information: (Direct dialing often does NOT work in Russia at least one third of the time and tokens are needed to use the public telephones)