What is happening right now in Russia is beyond awful, however - the actions of the government don't necessarily reflect the people. It makes me sad to read the hateful comments that I've come across online about my host country, where I've lived for nearly 6 months now. I don't know what the answer is, and how this will end, but I do know that writing hateful comments about a country and people that you know nothing, or very little, about is not going to solve anything.
One such comment was simply 'Russians are weird'. Well yes, obviously some Russians are weird, the same way as some British people are weird, or some Americans are weird. And that's the point - every country in the world is going to have some 'weird' people. However, you can't possibly generalise and say that everyone in a country is weird. Yes I have met some 'weird' Russians, but I have also met some very lovely Russians, including the lady who booked me a taxi home, and waited with me at 3am for it, and the incredibly helpful lady who not only helped me find my new apartment, but also helped carry my heavy suitcases up 4 flights of stairs. And that's not even including my Russian lecturers at uni, my online tutor, my two previous host families, teachers at Liden & Denz, people in the In Your Pocket office, and everyone in Orion.
Another comment was that 'Russia is a cultural wasteland'. I'm sorry, what? I don't think you could get a more cultural country! Here you have a great mix of the more European St Petersburg, compared to the more Asian cities. There are countless landmarks, from the Hermitage, which has recently been named the greatest museum in the whole world, to Kizhi Island, an open-air museum consisting of beautiful, ancient wooden churches. There is so much interesting geography, from Lake Baikal, the oldest lake in the world, to the volcanoes in the Kamchatka region. This is the largest country in the world, by far. I can't understand how anyone could write it off as a 'wasteland', unless they've never been here.
Which brings me to my final point: I don't believe that you can criticise something unless you have experienced it for yourself. I try not to, at least. For example, I don't think that I can criticise a book unless I've actually read it. Therefore, I think it is wrong for people to say these hateful things about a country if they have never visited. Yes, what the government is doing is wrong, but you can't write off a whole country because of that.
Sunday, 28 July 2013
Friday, 5 July 2013
Hidden gems
A while ago, my previous host was talking about her trip to Egypt that she took a few years ago. I asked her if she saw the famous pyramids while she was there, thinking that of course the answer would be yes. Well, the answer was no. When I asked why, she said it was because it was too hot to visit them, and that she preferred to stay on the beach.
The original idea for this post was going to be along the lines of 'how can you visit somewhere like that without seeing the most important landmarks?' However, after speaking to my friend about this, I reconsidered my ideas.
I think the reason I was so confused that she hadn't seen the pyramids is because I would absolutely love the have the chance to see them, and also the many other things that Egypt has to offer (am I sounding like a tourist magazine? I think my internship is getting under my skin...). I love Egyptian history, and have done since I learnt to write my name in hieroglyphics at school when I was 8. So for someone to travel to Egypt and not see these amazing sights is almost incomprehensible to me.
Anyway, my friend pointed out that actually, going to the places that are less touristy offer you the chance to see the country as the locals see it, which can only be a good thing. (Although since my host just stayed at the beach for her entire holiday, I think she missed out on both things).
The sentiment rings true here. For example, although I have visited the Hermitage (four times now in fact, since this is my third time in St Petersburg), you see actual Russian art in other places, such as the Russian Museum. I also spent last Sunday in a small park that was full of locals, rather than tourists - including a woman who had brought her hairless cat with her for the afternoon (well why not?). Everyday I walk past some women who attempt to sell possibly the most random collection of items I've ever seen (seriously it's like they walked through their house and picked up completely arbitrary things, including a really creepy-looking doll, and a frying pan), which is in stark contrast to the very European feeling Galeria Shopping Centre (similar to Bluewater, except with a mini theme park for kids on the top floor). Obviously that's an extreme comparison, but I think a trip to a market allows you to see real Russians as well.
And my favourite example of this is the rooftop bar I reviewed a few weeks ago. Lemonade is so adorable, it's a time cafe, so you pay for the time that you spend there rather than what you eat or drink. They have a great selection of different flavours of lemonade, including cinnamon (I ordered it by accident, I thought she said raspberry), and my favourite, cream soda. Everyone there was a local - and you'd have to be in order to find it! Not only is it really tucked away and hard to find, the only website I could find any information about it (obviously before I wrote my review about it for In Your Pocket), is on their VK page, which is the Russian version of Facebook, and therefore is inaccessible to a lot of tourists because it is in Russian. No one seemed to be able to speak English, and it was really nice to be able to sit and listen to conversations around me all in my target language.
On my first Friday night here in the city, I went to a bar full of locals, rather than the clubs which are full of tourists, and that's where I found some incredibly helpful and friendly Russians. So, tip for future year abroaders, and anyone going travelling, don't just stick to the touristy options, or the options which feel more like home to you, be adventurous, try going off the beaten track (yes I know that's so cliché but you know what I mean!) and discovering the hidden gems which show you the real locals of your host country!
The original idea for this post was going to be along the lines of 'how can you visit somewhere like that without seeing the most important landmarks?' However, after speaking to my friend about this, I reconsidered my ideas.
I think the reason I was so confused that she hadn't seen the pyramids is because I would absolutely love the have the chance to see them, and also the many other things that Egypt has to offer (am I sounding like a tourist magazine? I think my internship is getting under my skin...). I love Egyptian history, and have done since I learnt to write my name in hieroglyphics at school when I was 8. So for someone to travel to Egypt and not see these amazing sights is almost incomprehensible to me.
Anyway, my friend pointed out that actually, going to the places that are less touristy offer you the chance to see the country as the locals see it, which can only be a good thing. (Although since my host just stayed at the beach for her entire holiday, I think she missed out on both things).
The sentiment rings true here. For example, although I have visited the Hermitage (four times now in fact, since this is my third time in St Petersburg), you see actual Russian art in other places, such as the Russian Museum. I also spent last Sunday in a small park that was full of locals, rather than tourists - including a woman who had brought her hairless cat with her for the afternoon (well why not?). Everyday I walk past some women who attempt to sell possibly the most random collection of items I've ever seen (seriously it's like they walked through their house and picked up completely arbitrary things, including a really creepy-looking doll, and a frying pan), which is in stark contrast to the very European feeling Galeria Shopping Centre (similar to Bluewater, except with a mini theme park for kids on the top floor). Obviously that's an extreme comparison, but I think a trip to a market allows you to see real Russians as well.
And my favourite example of this is the rooftop bar I reviewed a few weeks ago. Lemonade is so adorable, it's a time cafe, so you pay for the time that you spend there rather than what you eat or drink. They have a great selection of different flavours of lemonade, including cinnamon (I ordered it by accident, I thought she said raspberry), and my favourite, cream soda. Everyone there was a local - and you'd have to be in order to find it! Not only is it really tucked away and hard to find, the only website I could find any information about it (obviously before I wrote my review about it for In Your Pocket), is on their VK page, which is the Russian version of Facebook, and therefore is inaccessible to a lot of tourists because it is in Russian. No one seemed to be able to speak English, and it was really nice to be able to sit and listen to conversations around me all in my target language.
On my first Friday night here in the city, I went to a bar full of locals, rather than the clubs which are full of tourists, and that's where I found some incredibly helpful and friendly Russians. So, tip for future year abroaders, and anyone going travelling, don't just stick to the touristy options, or the options which feel more like home to you, be adventurous, try going off the beaten track (yes I know that's so cliché but you know what I mean!) and discovering the hidden gems which show you the real locals of your host country!
Tuesday, 2 July 2013
'What's keeping your tongue tied?'
Many many things.
I have major writer's block. This might sound stupid, since surely I have loads to talk about, right? I'm in Russia, on my Year Abroad, there should be infinite amounts of things to say.
Well yes, that's true. But I'm having trouble organising my thoughts into words on a page. It also doesn't help that I can't access my WordPress blog so I can't update from home, which is incredibly annoying.
So yes, apparently I've moved sites again! This is now the third site which this blog has been hosted on. Third time lucky? I hope so.
I have major writer's block. This might sound stupid, since surely I have loads to talk about, right? I'm in Russia, on my Year Abroad, there should be infinite amounts of things to say.
Well yes, that's true. But I'm having trouble organising my thoughts into words on a page. It also doesn't help that I can't access my WordPress blog so I can't update from home, which is incredibly annoying.
So yes, apparently I've moved sites again! This is now the third site which this blog has been hosted on. Third time lucky? I hope so.
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