“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” — Jawaharal Nehru

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou

So this is it. My final post. It’s not going to be long, but I felt like I needed something to sum up my semester spent gallivanting across the globe. So here’s what I’ve been doing since then. I came home for the summer, missing my boyfriend back in France. Luckily I was only without him for less then two months because he came to stay with my family for one month, in which we went to DC twice, Annapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Ocean City and a variety of other places. The visit was bittersweet. Sweet for the one month we had together before life got complicated again, and bitter, because, well, life got complicated again. I have to go back to Nashville to finish undergrad and Laurent goes to business school in France in October. We don’t know when we’ll see each other again, if ever. I’m going to make an attempt, but with his global internships and law school for me, the actual implementation of my plan might be tricky. Optimistically, I would like to stay together. Realistically, my semester in Copenhagen and my Laurent might be a wonderfully precious memory I cherish for the rest of my life. But I wouldn’t change our relationship or anyone or anything I did in Copenhagen for the world. Traveling opened amazing doors for me- it gave me a sense of freedom, independence, and awe that I believe only traveling in foreign countries can provide. I met incredible people and I now know I am welcome in many parts of the world. I don’t know how else to describe this feeling to someone who hasn’t traveled. I guess the only way to discover it is to travel yourself. So do it! It doesn’t matter how old you are, how broke you are, how scared you are. If you can walk, if you can scrape up enough money for one plane ticket, and if you can force yourself on that plane, you can do it. My life has been changed for the better. And I think everyone else deserves that too.

“Perhaps if we never veered off course, we wouldn’t fall in love, or have babies, or be who we are. After all, seasons change. So do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it’s comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you’re very lucky, a plane ride away.”

- Carrie Bradshaw, Sex in the City

xoxoxo one last time,

h.

ps- thanks to DIS, my professors abroad, my parents, Laurent, my DIS friends, and Vanderbilt for everything!

Well I’m back in the States safe and sound, but don’t think I forgot this blog! I’m still trying to find the time to discuss my last week in Copenhagen and to write an entry that appropriately expresses my feelings about the whole experience (if I can even put them into words). As soon as I touched ground at Dulles International, I began reuniting with my long-lost family (including my mom who burst into tears at the sight of me) and my friends, as well as studying for the LSAT, which I took this past Monday. Early Tuesday I jetted off to the Country Music Association (CMA) Music Festival in Nashville, where I am competing with other students for CMA’s Award of Merit, so I haven’t had any free time for myself, or this blog. I really want to win the Award of Merit, so if you can, please read my stories on http://blog.cmafest.com/ and leave wonderful comments. That would really help me out! I’m only halfway through the festival and I’ve already had to many amazing experiences. Being close and backstage to Tim McGraw while he sang to a sold-out stadium, meeting Taylor Swift, seeing Nicole Kidman watch hubby Keith Urban on stage, sitting front row in a press conference for Julianne Hough, Josh Turner, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, and Reba- all of these experiences have reconfirmed my belief that I should work in the music business. Magic moment of the night- Keith Urban dedicating a spectacular version of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” to everyone in Nashville who helped after the flood. It was truly electric.

Anyhow, I have to get up bright and early tomorrow morning to do some more coverage of the festival, but I just wanted to let everyone know I haven’t forgotten about you. And check out http://blog.cmafest.com/ and leave comments on my posts, please! Thanks!

peace, love, and nashville.

h.

Fun fact of the day: The word “agoraphobia,” which means a fear of crowded spaces or enclosed public places, comes from the Greek word “agora” which means marketplace. Another fun fact: I was at the original Agora in Greece. Life is sweet.

So our last day in Santorini was fabulous. We laid out on the black sand beach all day, only punctuating it with sleeping and eating and receiving free drinks. Seriously. We did not even go out to a bar and we managed to get a grand total of 6 free drinks during the course of the day. One beach bar/restaurant, Yazz, gave us these giant fruity concoctions stuffed with fresh fruit and made us sit outside, like some kind of advertisement. After filling our stomachs with drinks, we decided to go to a cute little place for lunch, where we got an amazing Greek appetizer plate, Greek salad, and Greek pizza. When we were done, our waiter brought us free glasses of ouzo, a Greek specialty. Its clear at first, then turns cloudy when you pour it on ice. It tastes like licorice and is really strong so we pretended to drink the whole thing but we really just poured our glasses into a water bottle when he wasn’t looking. After laying on the beach some more, we decided to go to Fira, which is like the “city” in Santorini, but could not manage to catch a bus so nixed that plan and stayed in Perissa Beach and got another amazing meal at yet another restaurant along the beach. We had salad, mussles, moussaka, and the waiter brought us free shots of raki, a Greek digestif, which is pretty sweet and delicious.

Me, a drink, and a beach. Heaven.

The next morning, our ferry back to Athens (which was 8 hours long!!) was at 7 am, so we woke up, had some Greek yogurt and honey, and the wonderful owner, Stelios, drove us to the port at 6 am. We boarded the ferry, fell asleep, and arrived in Athens before we knew it. In Athens, everything was pretty much closed because it was rainy and a Sunday, so we checked in to our Hostel (hostel Zeus) which was no Stelios Place, then walked around. We ended up going to a famous sandal-maker who had made sandals for pretty much everyone from John Lennon to Jackie O. His son was working there and was super nice. I really wanted sandals but they only took cash, which I didn’t have. Lu got the John Lennon style. Maybe next time I go I will get some… After that, we people watched in the big square under the Acropolis hill and ate feta cheese and watched the street vendors yell at each other and try to sell a wide variety of crap. I was really rooting for the guy only selling little, dirty battery-operated cats and dogs that walked and growled and came from a trash bag. He sold one. After that, we had dinner at a place with live traditional Greek dancing and music, which was the highlight of the place, because the food was the only sub-par food I had all vacation.

The next morning, Lu and I got up very early and hiked up to the top of the Acropolis before all the tourists got up. Along the way, I bought a traditional Greek doughnut, which is a giant doughnut covered in sugar. I fed some to two stray dogs and they ended up leaded Lu and I all the way up the mountain. It was pretty cool. As much as I don’t like seeing stray cats and dogs, for the most part, people in Athens and Greece in general treat them well. Upon arriving at the top, entrance was free because it was apparently a Greek holiday so we went in. I don’t really know how to describe the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena and the Acropolis to someone who hasn’t seen it, except to say it is awe-inspiring. To see these ruins where Socrates used to stand and to look out and see all of Athens is really breath-taking and this is one thing I think everyone should do before they die.  After walking around and climbing back down the hill, we walked around ancient Agora and an old burial ground and went to get our last Greek meal before flying home. We had an entire meal for only 6 euros! A gyro and a Mythos beer were a good ending to an amazing trip. So Lu and I parted ways, I flew home to Copenhagen, and ran to my boyfriend who picked me up at Norreport station and was slightly amazed at how different I look when I experience sun, ready to spend my last week in Copenhagen.

Parthenon in the Acropolis.

The Parthenon and I.

One of the Temples of Athena, looking out over Athens.

I’m so glad I went to Greece, even though I had doubts because of bad reviews of Athens and strikes, riots, etc. It was beautiful and I really liked Athens, despite what people say. Sure, it was a little dirty and sometimes sketchy, but it was warm, had amazing food, some of the best historic sites in the world, and the people are friendly. I couldn’t believe how smoothly everything went for Lu and I. We had no problems with transportation, scary people, anything. It was probably the smoothest vacation I have ever had. So thanks to Lu for traveling with me, and to Mom and Dad for letting me do this. The next time I go, I’ll bring you guys along!

Looking out at Athens from the Acropolis.

Back in the US in 3 days. Can’t believe it.

Love,

H.

Island hopping has been going spectacularly well. Two days ago we headed off to Mykonos and got there around noon. We were picked up at the port by Paradise Beach (our hostel) and taken to the beach. We were really psyched when we got there: the beach was beautiful, there was a sign for massages, Mykonos was pretty. Then we saw our bug hut. Its a hut because it was a 7×7 ft. room with two beds and a light bulb and jail-style window. It was a bug hut because when we arrived and rolled our suitcases in, I turned around and saw an extremely large grasshopper perched on my suitcase, ready to pounce on me. I screamed, Lu screamed, the grasshopper screamed, and I kicked that suitcase through the door and 5 feet outside. The grasshopper was still gripping the bag for dear life but we finally managed to shoo it off then lock ourselves inside to not let any more creatures in, even though ants managed to still bite me to death that night. After that little escapade, we got lunch (Greek salad and hummus) at the cafe on the beach. The weather was so perfect I thought I was in heaven. Then we took a bus to the city center. Traveling on roads on little Greek islands is a terrifying thing. The locals take every turn at breakneck speed and you feel as if you will careen off an edge and end up in a herd of donkeys. We survived, however, and explored Mykonos. We saw ancient windmills, went and had a drink on the water’s edge, went shopping in the teeny streets of the town, were you can’t see above any building (like a maze), got our ferry tickets for Santorini, saw the “three wells”an anti-climatic attraction that apparently virgins would drink out of and then find a husband (in ancient times). We loved Mykonos- lots of gay men, good shopping, and a good nightlife. After we had thoroughly explored the city, we headed back to the bug hut to have dinner and change to go out. While eating dinner (another Greek salad), an Australian guy we had met came up and started talking to us. After awhile, we all decided to go down town. However, taxis are pretty hard to come by at night so we ended up waiting for a while. While waiting, we met two Canadian brothers traveling and they decided to come down with us too. When the taxi finally came, there were two girls (one British, one Australian) looking for clubs but there weren’t any open on Paradise Beach yet, so we all ended up going to Scandinavian bar together, and meeting another Canadian girl we had met on the ferry there. Apparently I can’t get away from Scandinavia, no matter where I go. But the bar was really fun and we all ended up dancing there until 3 in the morning before taking a cab home.

As soon as we woke up the next morning, we left the bug hut for breakfast and the beach, where we laid out until we had to check out. After checking out, we went out to the beach again where we ran into our Australian guy friend and laid on the beach some more. As a result of that and five months of darkness, I now look like a tomato and take ibuprofen every day to cope with my sunburn. Midday we took the bus back to the port and got on the 1.5 hour speed ferry to Santorini. We were a bit worried because there was a big strike in Athens that day but it didn’t affect the islands fortunately.

After arriving in Santorini, we checked into Youth Hostel Anna, a big improvement from the bug hut. It had a fridge, a bathroom, two beds, and a balcony. We showered after avoiding the outdoor bathroom near the bug hut then went to the 24 hour bakery for a delicious sandwich, full of feta, olives, tomatos, etc. Shortly after we had dinner at a delicious restaurant where I had cheese pie, mousaka (an eggplant dish) and baklava. And beer! Which was only 3 euros of a huge glass, which was really exciting because in Copenhagen its 10 dollars for a small beer. After staying there for a while, we walked to the black sand beach but didn’t really see anything because it was too dark then came back and got a good nights sleep.

Today, we got up around 9 and headed out on an expedition all around Santorini. After taking a bus to the port, we boarded a sail boat and sailed for the caldera volcano that submerged the Manoans and Santorini thousands of years ago. Along the way it started to rain and by the time we started hiking up the mountain, it was a full-fledged downpour and thunderstorm. I had an umbrella but the rain was coming in from all sides and I was soaked in no time. But Lu and I were troopers and hiked all the way up to the top for some spectacular views. After we hiked down, we got back on the sail boat and sailed to the hot springs, where people had to jump in the freezing cold water and swim to the lukewarm springs then swim back int he freezing cold water and get on the boat. The thought of that made me cold. but Lu did it and she said it wasn’t worth it. While she was in there, I saw a mountain goat that hiked to a peak to watch the swimmers. I think it was laughing at them. Lu also said she couldn’t feel her entire body on the way back. I’m glad I didn’t go. After that, we sailed to the tiny island of Thirassia, home to about 50 inhabitants. We met two young doctors on the boat so we all had lunch at a little restaurant (greek salad and lobster and shrimp souvlaki) where I fed a stray kitten some lobster. After that, the weather had gotten nice so we basked in the sun before we boarded the boat again for Ia, home to its famous sunsets and the typical idea of what Greece is (blue domes and white houses on cliffs). We hiked all the way to the top of the mountain from the port, which was much harder than the volcano hike. I thought my calves were going to explode. We had a lot of time at Ia before the sunset so we did a little souvenir shopping. I bought some original paintings of Santorini and some new flip flops because mine broke in Thirassia and Lu, I and the doctors ate at a chocolatier which might have the most perfect view of Santorini ever, and I got hot chocolate and another Greek dessert, Kataifi, which is a lot like baklava. After walking around for a while, we made our way tot he castle ruins on one side of Ia to watch the famous sunset with about a billion other tourists and one crazy-looking stray dog. The sunset was pretty, but it was still kind of cloudy, so I’m sure it has been prettier. But the view was spectacular. After that, we took the bus home where we met the owner of our new hostel, Stelios Place, and he took us over to the hostel, where I am now. This hostel is the best hostel I have ever been it. It’s basically like a hotel. Clean, with sheets, towels, a fridge, a big balcony, a tv,  a gorgeous pool, etc. The staff, (which is just a family of a daughter, a mom, and a dad) are extremely nice and accomodating. If you ever go to Santorini, be sure to check it out. It’s really wonderful. After showering, Lu and I went on a hunt for food, and we found it in a teeny little fast food shop. We had wine, beer, greek fries (french fries with feta cheese) and greek salads and enjoyed our dinner. The place also had a grey parrot named Rocky Balboa, which was basically so cute. I wasn’t a big bird fan before but he would call out to get your attention, then stick his head out of his food slot and fall asleep while you petted him. If you stopped he would say something particular that I couldn’t exactly make out, and if you kept going he cooed. Then if you walked away he would say, ‘Hello. Hello. My name is Rocky.” He was very very smart and adorable too! After that we walked back to the hostel, and I got very sleepy and decided to write this blog. Traveling exhausts me, so I will get another good nights sleep then enjoy my last day in the islands.

xoxoxo

h

HELLO SUMMER!!! After finally turning in my international law paper at the last minute last night, I was ready for a looong break. I packed my pink backpack and Laurent’s little black suitcases and headed up to Greece this morning bright and early. Of course Copenhagen was chilly as usual so I wore tights, a dress, a scarf, a cardigan, and a jean jacket. The flight seemed like it would be a good one, considering the clouds cleared up and the sun came out. But alas. We had terrible turbulence to the point where we were rocking back and forth and dropping in the air. Hundreds of babies were crying and screaming. Welcome to my personal hell. Trapped in a rocking metal tube miles in the air with choruses of screams and yells and the gnashing of teeth. I was so glad to land on ground. Upon arriving in Athens, I waited for my high school friend Lu Gao who was arriving from Rome and we set off on a Greek bus for our hotel in Port Piraeus. The weather was absolutely beautiful. Sunny, with blue water and palm trees. Of course my Copenhagen outfit was not cutting it and between asking the lady next to us which stop we were at (the stops were in the Greek alphabet, which I can semi-read because of Russian, and the paper we had was in English) and the sun shining on me through the window, I began to sweat, a sensation I have not felt in quite some time. After an hour bus ride, we were finally in Piraeus. We got a 3 euro cab to our hotel, which looks like a demolition site on the first floor because of construction, and were shown to our rooms by a very sweet Greek woman. Our little hotel room is nice, with a bed and towels and a balcony, but we didn’t stay in it for long. After changing into a dress and showing off my incredibly Danish pale legs, we headed to the port to grab our ferry tickets for the next morning. On the way to the port, we became very intrigued by the oranges in all the trees so Lu tried to jump and get one when a crazy homeless man ran into her and yelled in her face. We ran away laughing but he kept yelling, which only made us laugh harder. After that, we walked all the way back to the marina to find something to eat. We ended up eating a delicious dinner of baked feta, gyros and beer. And after, I got strawberry and chocolate gelato YUM. From there, we walked all the way to the metro and ended up going to see some ruins of ancient Athens. We somehow got to the city of Agora, where we would see Acropolis rising on a mountain. It was absolutely gorgeous. We hiked up all the steep hills and hiked on the ruins and watched the sun set from the top of the cliffs, a sight I never want to forget. From the top of the cliff, you can see the ancient temples lit up and all the ruins of the ancient city below. Truly a sight to behold. While we were on the rocks and I was slipping around on my sandals, we were accosted by two older men who would not leave us alone. We ended up getting the number of one of their brothers in Copenhagen (?!) just so they would leave us alone. But the men here are by far the most aggressive I have seen. I have been honked at 45 times, whistled or clicked at 67 times, checked out 200 times, and been talked to or approached 25 times. These aren’t exact numbers, but realistic guesstimations. Old or young, Greek men apparently really like women. After it got darker, we headed home again on the metro, and came back to the hotel. I never imagined we would do so much today, since I was kind of worried about our safety in Athens. But the ruins were breathtaking and Greece is wonderful- a real treat after that last paper. Tomorrow we head to Mykonos by ferry bright at early (7am!). I’m excited for the beach!

xoxoxox

h

I’m sitting here at my computer in my empty room with all my ridiculously overstuffed bags surrounding me. And I’m really, really sad. I’ve said goodbye to a lot of great people in the past 12 hours. Emily, Matt, Sean, Max, Holly…Most everyone in DIS is headed home. And we’ll probably all never be in the same place together. We shared a unique moment in time together that impacted each of our lives greatly and now we have to go back to our old lives, which aren’t any less special, but very different. My original flight was actually for this day, but I delayed it by two weeks, and I’m really glad I did, because I wouldn’t have enjoyed Copenhagen as much if I had finals, then packed, then did my law paper (which I still have not finished…) Now after I turn my paper in tomorrow, I will be able to relax, head to Greece on Tuesday, and have a nice after-finals vacation with my high school friend Lu, who is studying in Barcelona. After Greece, I will return to Copenhagen on the 24th then have 5 days to enjoy it before flying back to Baltimore on the 29th. I’m already dreading the other goodbyes I will have to say. Amanda, Malory, Kasper, my boyfriend Laurent…Who knows when I will see them again? Hopefully soon. So as I wrap up this short entry because I really should be working on my law paper, I would just like to dedicate it to the wonderful people I have met here in Copenhagen. You made my time enjoyable, worthwhile, meaningful, and hilarious. Thank you for being my family (dad, grandpa, and dead-beat mom included) away from home, and making where we lived a home (even though our kitchen sucked). I’ll never forget this semester or you, and I wouldn’t change one thing about it. Wherever you go, always remember you have a friend in Baltimore (or Nashville!).

xoxoxo,

H.

DIK family

Laurent and I

Me, Malory, Amanda, Holly, Saskia at DIK Cops and Robbers Party

Hanging out in the kitchen- Matt, Max, Holly, Malory, Chelsea, Emily

Hanging out in the Kitchen- Kasper, Mathias, Matt, Max

I have finally finished up all my classes here in Copenhagen except one. International Law continues to be the bane of my existence yet I lack the motivation to write the 12-15 page, 1.5 spaced paper I need to finish everything up. I’m hoping after loosening up my fingers and getting my writing juices flowing with this blog I will finally be able to find the inspiration to do schoolwork that has been hiding somewhere in this city all semester. I already carry this kind of nostalgic, poignant feeling around with me- the kind you get when you know your time is short with someone or something. It’s not as tragic as with a person or a pet because I know this city will go on without me. Mothers will wrap their babies up in their giant strollers, Danish men will continue to be tall, blonde, and gorgeous, and the old buildings and cobblestones will stay like they have for centuries. And I may come back. But I will never live here again. So for the past few weekends, I have been grasping at Copenhagen like a drowning person, and doing all the things I have wanted to do but haven’t had the chance. I went to Christiania, the free state in Denmark filled with pot and hippies and people listening to music all day long. I sat out by the lake in the back with friends on an unusually warm day, and watched the sun fade well into the night. I took a tour of the Carlsberg brewery and savored the Sommer Wit brew that was slightly fruity and wheaty at the same time. I went to a giant festival on May 1 for the Danish holiday, and sat out on the lawn in spite of temperatures being a little too low for that sort of thing. Now I sit here writing this, wishing Copenhagen was warmer, but never wanting to change a thing about it. The rain is pounding at my window, obviously telling me to finish up my law paper so I can enjoy the time I have left here unencumbered. So I will. Hopefully the rain will stop so I can do the rest of the things I want to do: Tivoli, Fredericksborg, picnic in the King’s Garden. Maybe it won’t, but hey, its Copenhagen and the weather is terrible. But I’ll just do what the Danes do- I’ll do them all in the rain.

xoxox
h.

Mural at Christiania

Carlsberg Factory

Swans of Denmark

Festival May 1

Amanda, Laurent and I at the May 1 Festival

Finally, my long-awaited blog about Russia. There’s a lot to talk about, so I’m just going to go through it day by day.

DAY 1: 4/5/10

I was very stressed out heading off to Russia 1) from traveling in 3 countries in one week and 2) because of the suicide bombings, so obviously putting me on a plane was not going to help the stress levels, leading to me lose my boarding pass not one, but two times 5 minutes prior to boarding. Jon and Eugene (our leader and assistant/intern, respectively) were so soothing and solved the problem immediately, but I’m sure they were thinking in their heads, “What a wack job. Who loses their boarding pass TWICE? She’ll be lucky if she comes back from Russia, if she even makes it there.” Even so, I finally boarded with my stupid boarding pass attached to my body to prevent future loss. The plane ride was pretty fast and I was so relieved to finally make it to St. Petersburg. I think it would be really disappointing to perish in a plane crash before you get to your destination. It’s much better to go out on the way back from an awesome vacation. Anyway, after landing, we got on a bus and headed to Hotel Moskva (Moscow). Yes I know, its crazy- we were staying in Hotel Moscow while in St. Petersburg. It blew my mind too, and didn’t help me remember where I was very easily. Anyhow, I roomed with Malory, my next door neighbor in DIK, and the rooms were nice- we each had our own bed and it was actually in a hotel (not a hostel..booo). We had time to take a small nap and a shower, which was lovely because we were so tired, and we fell asleep like babies. Now, a word about the water in St. Petersburg- its like that of a third world country. You’re not supposed to drink it. Apparently there’s some kind of amoeba in it that MESSES YOU UP. So the first time I took a shower I had scenes of Charlotte drinking the water in Mexico in Sex in the City the movie running through my head and I freaked out whenever a drop of water got anywhere near my lips. Not to mention the water pressure made the shower head come to life and knock me in the head. So looking back, I would say the shower in St. Petersburg was the most dangerous part of my trip. Anyhow, after our little nap we ventured to the Russian McDonalds for some traditional Russian food. It was good but it turns out the interesting fact I read in middle school about Russian McDonald’s putting cherry pies in their Happy Meals instead of sodas because they believed children would get sore throats from the cold is COMPLETELY FALSE. Bummer. However, we didn’t have time to eat our munchies because we were meeting Jon for an optional visit to see Tchaikovsky’s grave, which turned out to be in a monastery, which turned out to mean I had to wear a scarf on my head and wasn’t allowed to eat McDonald’s graveside. So, paper bag in tow and scarf on head, I saw a bunch of graves in a cemetery that looked a lot like the one in Phantom of the Opera. Being the American I am, I was really worried about my McDonald’s getting cold so I was happy when I escaped the monastery and went back to the hotel to meet everyone for a group tour.

Our hotel in St. Pete looked like a big glass submarine.

We immediately went on the metro, the part I had been dreading. However, we were in St. Petersburg so nothing had really happened there but still. The metros are SCARY. First of all, they are among the deepest in the world, because they were bomb shelters but also because St. Petersburg is a swamp so they had to dig deep. It literally takes you 5 minutes to ride the escalator to the bottom. God forbid you trip on your way down and keep going til you hit the bottom- there is no way you would survive that. Also, in St. Petersburg the metros take coins, like little Chuck E. Cheese tokens which led to me pretending I was going on a ride and not a scary metro. And I also went on the metro during rush hour, and that is awful. There are hundreds of people and little police- there’s no wonder there were suicide bombings. You couldn’t prevent anything from happening. Its even worse in Moscow, where there is twice the number of people. Also, side note, in Moscow there are lots of stray dogs that ride the metros. Like, actually ride them. They know which stops to get off on. Look it up, I am not lying. It’s creepy. On another note, the metros are beautiful. One was even gilded. Those crazy Soviets.

Moscow dogs...probably waiting for a bus or something.

After the metro ride, we turned up at the major street in Petersburg, the Nyevsky Prospekt, which surprised me because every building looked like a beautiful pastel castle. Apparently some were castles too, but the colors really surprised me. They were just beautiful. From there we went tot he Cathedral of the Incarnation, a Roman Orthodox church, which was still holding some Easter services. Once again wearing the scarves, which turned out to be a real big pattern during our sightseeing, we entered the cathedral and listening to the service, which included some really intense Russian singing.

Some buildings on the Nyevsky Prospeky in St. Pete

After this, we had a huge traditional Russian dinner at the Danish (?!) owned Cafe Jam. For starters, we had an appetizer plate with a deviled egg, smoked reindeer meat (eek!), salmon, herring salad, and another type of potato salad. For the main course we had vodka, mashed potatoes, and beef stroganoff. For dessert we had lemon creme-filled blini, ice cream, and tea. It was delicious and we ended up chilling there for a while before walking all the way home (took like 35 minutes, but the weather was very nice (and apparently Petersburg only has like 30 sunny days a year)).

nom nom nom...smoked reindeer.

BLINIS

That night, I bought some internet, which ended up making me feel like I was 12 and my mom was kicking me off the computer, because instead of the computer automatically logging me out when my time was up (remember, this is Russia) a woman at the front desk came over and scolded me.

That night, we also discovered the ALL NIGHT grocery store right next door, which was super exciting because nothing in Denmark is open past 6 pm. Every. single. day. Exhausted after all the excitement, I went to bed, ready for day two!

DAY 2: 4/6/10

Day two began with an interesting breakfast buffet at the hotel, featuring an fun dish I call the egg cube. The label said omelette, but it was really a suspiciously firm block of egg. And there were “sausages” that I’m pretty sure were just small hot dogs. Regardless, I semi-enjoyed it and left early to go take a small Russian lesson with Jon, where I learned davidanya (goodbye) and spaciba (thank you). And that was really all I needed, besides “nyet” for all the drunk Russian men and “da” for more egg block.

From breakfast we went on a bus tour of St. Peterburg, and briefly saw the seafoam green Winter Palace, cathedrals and tasted our first taste of bartering for Russian souvenirs, an art that slightly intimidates me yet invigorates me at the same time. Or maybe that’s I high I get from buying overpriced Soviet hats for my dad to wear (but not in public, Bonnie Evans declared). We had an international lunch at Fasol where we had a soup with EVERYTHING in it and I discovered I have a strong aversion to the taste of fresh dill, a Russian staple. Oh an we had flan for dessert which had little raspberry sauce hearts on it! I felt like I was on a Valentine’s day date with 20 other people.

After, we had some free time where I went with some of the girls and Ryan to visit every single cathedral in the vicinity. We saw St. Nicholas and Trinity and actually got to go to the service in Trinity which was huge. And a drunk homeless man scared us by sneaking up on us while we were talking outside. Then he stumbled away laughing. yay vodka! Trinity turned out to be a lot further away than it looked so by the time we walked back it was time to meet everyone at the Marinsky Theatre to see Eugene Onegin, a Tchaikovsky opera based on the novel by Pushkin. It was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. The singers were wonderful, the story was suspenseful and had a good ending, and the sets were superb. AND we were in the second row AND there were English subtitles. So really it was the best 200 dollars my father has ever spent (LOVE YOU, DADDY!) It was really a night to remember.

Where Anastasia and the Romanov family are buried.

Just chillin outside the Cathedral of the Spilt Blood.

FLAN!

Wearing head scarves at one of many cathedrals.

Where we saw the opera Eugene Onegin.

DAY 3: 4/7/10

On Day 3 it was very rainy and cold. We had breakfast at the hotel again then went on a tour called “St. Petersburg: Behind the Facade,” which was actually one of my favorite parts of the trip. We split up into two groups with local Russian guides who were also sisters. Our guide, Polina, took us to a Russian market, where all the food is set out and the butchers actually cut up the meat right in front of you. Then we went to a little shop that sold coffee and doughnuts that were really more like fried dough at a fair. Polina said it reminded her of her childhood. And they were like 50 cents. Then we went to a common flat, a reminder of the Soviet era, where families lived in one flat and shared a kitchen and a bathroom. The one we visited was in a beautiful old hotel that still had remnants of a more elegant pre-Soviet time. We went into Polina’s friend’s room at the common flat and it was really rustic looking but I liked it. There were high ceilings and it was really very pretty. Of course, when the nosy old Russian neighbors heard us, they all poked their heads out and some even thought we were there to buy the flat, because apparently its everyone’s dream for someone to come and buy the entire flat. And one neighbor even let out their cat which was very sweet and came right up to me to be petted. Polina called it “the common cat for the common flat.” I can’t believe whole families actually lived in such small, cramped rooms.

Old elegance of the common flat, previously a hotel.

Doughnuts for 8 rubles.

After that, we went to an art center that featured a wall dedicated to the Beatles, which seems to be a common theme in every European city. London (obvs), Prague, St. Petersburg- everyone loves John Lennon. From there we went to a Russian pawn shop, which was jam packed with just everything. I saw a pair of ice skates I really wanted to buy because I started ice skating because of a Russian ice skater, but considering I already have my ice skates with me in Copenhagen, I thought bringing home another pair would be overkill. Finally, we went on the metro and saw the statue of Pushkin, Russia’s national poet.

Found at the art center.

Near the painting of the yellow submarine...

We had lunch at Cafe Literaturoe, the last place Puskin ate before he died, and I got to taste Borsche. I think I don’t need to taste any more of that for a while now.

Finally, we went on a tour of the Winter Palace, which was absolutely huge. I didn’t even see half of it. I just can’t believe people lived there. Every room was more opulent than the next. It was really amazing and beautiful. And I got lost in it. I wish I had had a lot more time to explore it, even though I stayed longer to see more.

The Winter Palace

One of the thousands of rooms in the Winter Palace.

We took the metro home at rush hour, and let me just say: It was CRAZY. Like I said before, never want to do that again.

DAY 4: 4/8/10

On Day 4 we traveled through rural Russia (full of shanties, and country and shacks) to Novgorod, one of the oldest cities in Russia. Unfortunately, on this day I contracted the nebulous stomach bug that had made its rounds throughout our group. Everyone complained of stomach pain/pressure, a sick feeling, and general malaise, but no one had anything definite. We just knew we were not sick enough to go to the hospital, but sick enough to make us want to lie down for a while. Not possible on this trip. So I just had to grin and bear it and find a bathroom wherever I went. One thing that did cheer me up was the story our intern Eugene told us over dinner (which consisted of a Greek salad with no lettuce. still very good, but odd). Eugene, who was born in Kiev, speaks Russian so he told us that our first day in St.Petersburg, a Russian man was following one of the girls around trying to hit on her and get her attention. But after a few minutes of following her, his friend turned to him and said, “She’s American. She doesn’t understand. Leave her alone.” I thought this story was hysterical, but Eugene wouldn’t tell us who the girl was. So I said, “Eugene, no one cares, its really funny.” And then he said, “Oh. Well in that case, it was you.” Obviously it was me- for the pure reason that I am oblivious to male attention in any language. I literally had no idea someone was trying to talk to me. I really wonder how I manage to get boyfriends. Anyhow, Eugene was wonderful and bought me Russian meds for my unidentifiable disease. So upon arriving in Novgorod, we went to the Novgorod Kremlin and saw really old cathedrals from the eleventh and twelfth centuries. It was FREEZING. We learned that today historians are still finding pieces of birch bark that ancient Novgorodians wrote letters on, because the soil preserves everything so well. We saw two pictures of birch bark letters. One was from a woman requesting help from a male relative because her husband had left her. The other was ancient Russian letters and a stick figure drawing from a little boy. It was really neat. We had a giant group lunch in Cafe Derzhavyi but I was sick and the bathroom was tiny and for one person so it was a bit of a challenge. And not the fun kind of challenge where you win immunity an don’t get voted off the island. After lunch we headed to St. George’s Monastery which was on a beautiful Russian lake. It was so picturesque- exactly the way I thought Russia would look. There we were lectured by a Russian orthodox monk who lives in solitude, named Father Dimitri. We went into the tiny ancient chapel and he spoke in Russian while Jon translated. He really, really thought before each sentence so the lecture took a while but basically its premise was that at the end of life, there will be a “final exam” and we have to be ready for it. I thought the lecture, or sermon rather, was really interesting. After this, we saw yet another cathedral and then went to go to what I had been wanting to do all day- bargain at the souvenir stalls! There I bought a compact made of birch bark, a beautiful 10-piece matryoshka doll (the one doll with the little dolls inside) whose smallest piece is smaller than the nail on my pinky finger, and a flask with carved birch wood for the boyfriend. After shopping, we had our fast dinner then got back on the bus to go to the train station for the overnight train to Moscow.

What I pictured Russia to look like- Novgorod.

Cathedral from the twelfth century in Novgorod

DAY 5: 4/9/10

Moscow. Moscow. Moscow. It really is an amazing place. It was so surreal getting there at 5 in the morning and boarding a bus to our hotel.

On a side note, the overnight train was super fun. About 20 of us piled into my 4-person sleeper car and chatted and drank a purloined bottle of vodka that we chases with pickles until late. Some of us (EUGENE!) even brought a yummy snack: sallow….or pig fat. Just kidding, it looked way nasty.

Snakes on a plane...or people on a train.

Anyhow, we got up at 4:30 am and got over the train by 5:30. We took the bus (DIS ended up getting us a bus to use the whole time we were in Moscow because of the suicide bombings) to Hotel Izmaylovo. Obviously, not all of our rooms were ready this early, but Malory and I won the room lottery so we got to go to our room and shower and sleep. Jon gave us til around 10, so I napped, then got food at the yummy buffet where I ate mounds of broccoli (couldn’t have veggies in St. Pete because of the bad water) and feta. Sometimes I even stuffed them in blinis. I am kind of craving them now, actually….Anyway, we finally took a bus tour of Moscow, seeing sights such as the overlook point, tons of trashy Russian brides, monuments, the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, etc. We got to browse some shops and ended up eating in Sbarro’s. (yay globalization) It was an absolutely beautiful day…warmer than Copenhagen now (GRRRRR).

Famous St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow

St. Basil's in the smog...kind of pretty

Yours truly in the Red Square

Now, a word on Russian brides. A tradition for Russian brides is to go all over the city to sightseeing spots and take your picture with your husband. Usually a small bridal party goes with you. This seems okay, but we were all shocked when we saw the brides. First of all, if the brides turned on you and attacked you, you would have to beat them off with a stick because there are SO MANY EVERYWHERE. Secondly, they get married a lot younger than Americans so most looked our age or younger and I saw one groom that looked younger than my brother, who is 15. Thirdly, they are all completely wasted and drunk and smoking and making out WITH TONGUE. In front of everyone. And if that weren’t enough to make you lose your appetite, half of them were pregnant and dressed like strippers. I tried to take pictures, but the pictures just don’t do them justice.

Note the sparkles.

Anyhow, at night we met up with Russian students and divided ourselves into small groups and went to eat dinner with them. Molly and I were with a girl named Liza. After walking around Moscow for a bit with her, we took the metro to her friend Polina’s house, where Polina had cooked an amazing meal with so many dishes- chicken and potatoes, 3 kinds of salad, a plate with cheese and olives, a giant fruit plate, and delicious desserts. We had a great time- we drank 3 bottles of wine and played Uno for hours. It was one of my favorite nights there. After, Molly and I took the metro home where we encountered tons of drunk Russian men, but we managed to make it home safely. However, once I got home, I could not get into my room. That’s because the hotel complex we were in was huge, with 4 giant buildings all looking exactly alike. While I went in the right building, I went in on the wrong side. So I was knocking on “my” door in the middle of the night in the wrong part of the building. It didn’t help that everything inside looked exactly the same. Finally, a housekeeper took pity on me and told me my key was wrong, all in sign language of course, because she didn’t speak English. I finally made it back and hit the sack immediately.

From left to right: Liza, Polina, Molly, Me

All of the girls on the trip.

DAY 6: 4/10/09

On our last full day in Russia, we first went on a guided tour of the Kremlin. We saw a lot of government buildings and angry guards that carried sticks and yelled at anyone that got too close to them. Then we saw Russia’s biggest canon which has never shot anything and Russia’s biggest bell which has never rang. Hmmm…maybe Russia should stop making things so big and start concentrating on making them function. My favorite part was the square with the 3 cathedrals- one where the tsars were born, one where they married, and one where they were buried. The were really pretty and one even contained one of the oldest paintings in Russia.

The Cathedral where Tsars are buried. Ivan the Terrible made a separate entrance after he was forbidden to enter the church by the clergy.

More pretty things.

Next we went to Lenin’s mausoleum, a little place I like to call Lenin’s Lair, a dark, black building made of stone. You have to go through intense security before you enter it because no one is allowed to take pictures of his body. When you finally get in, you’re basically blind because its so dark inside and so bright outside and there are stairs immediately with an intimidating-looking guard at the end so its kind of like an obstacle course too. After making it down the first set of stairs alive and turning a corner, you finally make it into the room with Lenin, in which you go up stairs, walk around him in a square, then walk down stairs. Lenin himself looks like he belongs in Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and he’s kind of chilling in a half-reclined position with one hand in a fist and one hand flat, which is probably some secret Russian sign. He’s also freakishly bathed in a pink/red light. So while I was walking through his room I kept one eye on the floor afraid I would miss the stairs and one eye on Lenin to make sure he didn’t move. Of course, when I actually got to the stairs I forgot and had both eyes on Lenin and almost missed the stairs and fell onto a scary guard. Luckily I caught myself, by my friend Ryan didn’t. When he tripped down the stairs my head snapped to look behind me and then a scary guard shushed me so I ran the heck outta the lair.

After Lenin, we had some time on our own so I went to a giant flea market type of deal near our hotel with a bunch of girls. My mission was simple: buy a tacky fake fur Russian hat for my dad and a real Russian hat for me. Obviously everyone knew I was a tourist and I was so tired of comparing prices and bartering that I was ready to make the purchase. When i was at one hat stand a young guy started flirting with me to buy the hats. Now I am not opposed to some  compliments so I decided to buy from him. He wanted to sell me the arctic fox hat for 2000 roubles alone, but I managed to barter him down with some good old-fashioned flirting myself and ended up getting my dad’s hat and my hat for like 1800. Then out of nowhere his friends appeared and made me take a picture with him and my hat. After browsing a little more, another man, this time older, pulled me and my friend Bridget aside, plopped hats on us and his friend took another cell phone picture. Kiiiind of weird. Then we went back to my first hat-seller friend to try on more hats and then this guy named Misha took a real interest in me. He didn’t speak much English but he managed to ask me out for coffee (“Cappuccino? Cappuccino?”), confront me when I denied him (“What’s your problem? You have a problem” Me: “I don’t have a problem!”), and try to kiss me in, you guessed it, yet another fun picture. He also asked for my name to become my facebook friend. I gave it to him, but my settings are really private. Joke’s on him!

Me, Misha, Bridget, and Jill- note my fine new fur hat.

Avoiding the kiss...Misha appears to be enjoying it. He was strong...

He finally caught me.

After Misha, we had a farewell dinner party at Cafe Vanil’noe Nebo, where the food was the best I ate (most of it was French though…) and the liquor was free-flowing. Besides multiple shots of vodka, DIS paid for a gracious amount of alcohol, which resulted in pretty much everyone getting sloshed and rowdy. We stayed there til the place closed with my Russian friends Vladimir and Ivan, then headed back to the hotel to get ready to go home!

DAY 7: 4/11/09

After having one last breakfast buffet, we took the bus to the airport and went back home. I’m so happy I went to Russia, and I know this is something I will never forget- it was one of the highlights of my life. If you can ever go, do it. It isn’t something you will regret.

Goodbye, Russia!

xoxoxo

miss you and see you soon!

h.

This is the one fabulous picture I was able to take of the Queen’s lovely face at her birthday parade before her carriage blew by me. The placement of the stick is just superb.

Happy birthday, Queen Margrethe! Nice hat!

Sorry about the complete fake-out on the Russia blog. I’m still working on it because I am not only incredibly verbose but I have also had one final and two large papers in the past 3 days. ANNNND I just booked my ENTIRE trip to Greece (Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini) as an after-finals treat (from May 18-24). yaaaay! Anyhow, I thought I would leave you with this little gem I wrote for my Russia Past and Present final, answering the prompt, “What is ‘Russianness’?”

Enjoy.

What is “Russianness”?

Winston Churchill once said, “I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped up in a mystery inside an enigma: but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest” (The Quotation’s Page).  What exactly is Russia national interest? Generally speaking, it would be Russia’s goals and ambitions. But what are these goals and ambitions? After spending only one week in Russia, I am hesitant to explain them. Russia’s tumultuous history has produced many different, often conflicting goals and ambitions. Even after seeing and experiencing everything I have during my time in St. Petersburg, Novgorod, and Moscow, I have the feeling that I would need almost another lifetime to fully understand the Russian national interest, or to determine what exactly Russian qualities are, or what “Russianness” is. But maybe Russianness is not about being understood completely, but being appreciated for what it is— a paradoxical relationship between Russia and the West; a dichotomy between “the West’s advances in prosperity and technology” and a belief in “the inherent uniqueness of Russia and its superiority over the materialist, decadent West” (Bacon 3). It is this paradox that defines Russianness, a paradox that must be taken into account in order to fully understand the country. More specifically, this paradox illustrates the tension between the secular and the religious aspects of Russian life, an important if not major facet of Russianness that I observed while both sightseeing and interacting with Russians themselves. I believe it is this specific tension that most clearly defines Russianness in a way that highlights the all-important paradox while also providing tangible evidence that this is, in fact, the most Russian of Russianness.

According to Edwin Bacon in his book “Contemporary Russia,”

The Russian idea is, at its broadest, the sense that there is a destiny and identity inherent within Russian-ness which is not Western, which has different cultural roots and different core values. It is the idea – or perhaps more accurately, the myth – that Russians are less materialistic, less individualistic, and less shallow than their Western counterparts, and instead have a greater commitment to spiritual values, egalitarianism, community, and the deeper mysteries of faith and eschatology. (132)

So while the Russian idea ties itself up with religion, namely Russian Orthodoxy, and faith, the West introduces a secular aspect to Russian society, thus creating a tension central to the concept of Russianness. According to James Billington, this is part of what gives Russian culture its distinctiveness: “a traditional religious base” and “periodic borrowing from the West” (Bacon 132-133). How is this? “Russian Orthodoxy celebrates the mystery of faith, ahead of the intellectual explanations of Western protestants…nothing else serves to identify [someone] with Russis, its uniqueness, its history, its people,” says Bacon (133). On the other hand, Russia has recently experienced a “broad opening up to the West resulting in the cautious embrace of many of the facets of ‘globalization’ combined with a determined resistance against what the more extreme opponents of Westernization have called ‘cultural genocide’” (Bacon 133). So while Russian culture retains Russian Orthodoxy, it also struggles with the secular West, combining some aspects of that materialistic society with more Russian qualities to produce its own flavor of society, also known as Russianness. In the following sections I will describe how I saw this tension firsthand when I was in Russia, and end by discussing what Russianness implies.

The first aspect of Russianness that was prevalent throughout St. Petersburg, Novgorod, and Moscow was Russian Orthodoxy, or the religious facet of Russian life. Although stifled in the Soviet era as explained to us by the Russian monk Father Dimitri when we visited Novgorod, “the Orthodox Church has been resurrected as a national symbol, as indeed it was before the 1917 revolution, although now it maintains formal independence from the state” (Bacon 44). According to Bacon, a key feature of Russian Orthodoxy is its

Greater emphasis on mysticism and spirituality: Western religion, like Western thought, has since the Enlightenment has been dominated by a tradition of rationalism, that is the belief that the human mind is capable of explaining everything, eventually. This attitude applies to theology as much as to philosophy: theological statements must be susceptible to proof and human reason. Orthodoxy does not reject truths that arise out of reason, but takes much more seriously extra-rational sources of truth: the symbolic, transcendental, and spiritual. The religious icon, the form of the service, Russian religious music, and the emphasis on artistic aspects of worship, all arise out of an emphasis on experience and adoration rather than analysis. (45)

This complete departure from Western thought is what makes Russia’s religion so very Russian.

This aspect of Russianness was extremely visible in all three cities our class visited. In St. Petersburg, we were able to experience an actual Russian Orthodox service that was being conducted during the Easter holidays. As a Protestant myself, I truly felt the Russianness that these churches encompassed. At first glance, even the construction of Russian Orthodox churches speaks to the uniqueness of this aspect of Russian culture. The colorful, beautiful onion domes that dot each city’s skyline such as St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow and Cathedral of the Split Blood in St. Petersburg lets you know, without hesitation, that you are, in fact, in Russia. Nowhere else in the world can you experience cathedrals such as these. Greece may come close, but the domes are of a different style. Besides the obvious Russianness of the exterior of the Russian Orthodox churches, the insides also speak to a non-Western style of religion. Although I claim no expertise on religion, when I was in a service, I knew that I was experiencing something Russian. From the beautiful choir and Russian lyrics, to the wall of icons and burial places of Russian kings, queens, and saints, to the scarves worn on all women’s heads, to the lack of pews or seats, this religion represented Russian traditions centuries old, a distinct part of the country and the lives of those who live in it.

One interview I had with a Russian girl, Elizabeth Moiseeva, illustrates how important Russian Orthodoxy is to Russianness. She told me that she attended church almost every week and that during the Easter services she stood about 4 hours in a row at a church service. When I asked her if that was typical, she responded that it was just a part of her life and that many others are the same way. In her mind, standing up for so long was not out of the ordinary, and very much a typical aspect of Russian life (Moiseeva 2010). Thus, the Russian Orthodox religion represents the first half of what is Russianness: a non-Western religion that is an unparalleled as a fundamental part of Russia.

The second half of what Russianness is, or what the paradox of Russianness is, is the secular side of Russian culture, influenced by Western materialism and ideals. To clarify, I want to reiterate that the secular aspect of Russian society is not specifically anti-religion, but rather composed of characteristics of Russia that do not involve religion, or are nonreligious. Beginning during the reign of Peter the Great, Western thought slowly began to creep into Russia, thus producing the tension of the dichotomy between Russian religion and Western secularization today. The collapse of the Soviet Union contributed to this influx of Western influence, with Russia playing somewhat of a “catch-up” game with the Western world as far as technology and ownership of goods, items that are associated with Western secularization and materialism (Bacon 14-18). This secularization, another essential component of Russianness, can be illustrated by several things that I noted and observed in Russia.

First, Western secularization can literally be seen in the air in Moscow. It is to this day one of the smoggiest cities I have been in. I cannot say for sure whether the smog was especially bad when I visited Russia, but I believe the fact that my vision of buildings less than one mile away was obscured by smog is a testament to the influence of Western secularization, in the form of materialism, factories, and industrialization. According to Bacon,

Russia’s major cities have changed almost beyond recognition in the past decade, with the most immediately evident innovation being the arrival of large shopping malls and out-of-town stores. Anyone arriving at Moscow’s Sheremetevo airport these days will notice a vast IKEA furniture store on the outskirts of the city, along with restaurants and leisure complexes; in the centre of Moscow more and more shopping malls, replete with fashionably expensive goods, are evident; a short metro ride from the centre to the Gorbushka market will reveal a bustling indoor complex, crowded with Muscovites buying the latest electronic goods. (53)

The Westernization that supports the inundation of factories, stores, and crowds is a large contributor to the pollution, and the policies of the Russia government in regard to the pollution can be seen as Western as well. Because of all the consumption brought on by Westernization, waste and pollution are being created, yet nothing is positively being done about it. The heat and air conditioning are used inappropriately, recycling is not advanced, and cars crowd the roads, making travel stressful, if not almost impossible.

This brings me to my second illustration of the Western secularization aspect of Russianness, which involves the multitude of cars. As stated previously, the roads of Russia, particularly Moscow, are jam packed with cars, making traffic a nightmare almost any hour of the day and obviously contributing to the smog and pollution problem of the city. Because the Soviet Union so tightly regulated what consumer goods Russians could buy or not buy, when the USSR collapsed everyone rushed out to purchase cars, which led to an overabundance of vehicles on the road and unprecedented increase in pollution. Thus the influence of Western culture contributes to yet another typical aspect of Russian daily life.

The third example I encountered during my stay in Russia of Western secularization is that of the Russian brides. I think there is no better example of materialism and Western culture affecting young Russian people than during a wedding. At the outset, they are all decked out in their flashiest ensembles, sporting fur, tiaras, and sparkles among many other gaudy fashion statements that scream of materialism. When you get closer to the wedding party, you discover they are smoking, drinking, and parading around the city in limousines, experiencing the life of a Hollywood star for one day. What better example of Western secularization can there be? It is almost a gross parody of Western influence, a satire warning against the dangers of the West. The influence of the West on the lives of average Russians is immense, thus this Western secularization is accordingly a major part of Russianness.

Overall, my visit to Russia has opened my eyes to what I consider to be Russianness: a complex paradox with religion on one side and secularization on the other. It does not seem as if they should fit together, but for some odd reason, they do. They are what makes Russia so unlike any other country in the world, what gives Russia its Russianness. Bacon states “The term ‘Russian Idea’ indicates a set of interpretation, by Russian thinkers of various political and philosophical persuasions, of what is distinctive about Russia. Not all of these formulations are identical, but they do tend to share common features. The most important of these is that Russia is different from the West…Russia is defined, crudely, and not the West” (47).  Maybe Russia isn’t so different from the West than is thought. Or maybe it is not the anti-West as Bacon writes, but a different kind of entity altogether, something that cannot really be compared to the West. After my experience, I tend to agree with this sentiment. Russia is its own kind of animal, steeped in a mystical religious tradition yet reveling in a Western secularism and materialism. At the risk of sounding corny, I think I will call that animal Russianness.