Reeducating Ourselves About Russia

Now that the territory of eastern Russia, formerly considered enemy territory, has opened itself to the rest of the world, the mutual learning lessons have begun. The first one addresses the myth about Siberia. In many minds, this is a place where political and other prisoners suffered unimaginable terror in an extremely harsh environment. While memories of the terror still reverberate in the air, contemporary visitors’ most riveting memories of being in Siberia are of the warm hospitality extended to them and the haunting beauty of their surroundings.

Similar discoveries are made when people visit the closest region of Russia to the U.S., the Russian Far East, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Siberia. Recently, traveling with a client, I was reminded again how we interpret cultures based upon our own cultural background. Viewing Russian women, who were sometimes wearing too much make up and often revealing clothing, he referred to them as “loose women.” The reality is that after centuries of restrictions, women feel free to wear what they would like and to use any cosmetics they can get a hold of. Eventually this overindulgence will probably disappear as they become more of their own persons, but typifying them as “loose” is just a cultural interpretation.

Sometimes services provided to travelers are reminiscent of Soviet times, however personal contact eventually overrides the system. When we recently visited Kamchatka, one of our guides, referring to herself as “just an interpreter,” (and she was an excellent one at that), but the information she provided to us, though correct, was delivered in such a manner that we were bored even before we started the tour. However, when we expressed interest in her life, her family and career, she blossomed and for the remainder of our time we had the most wonderful guide we could have possibly wanted.

Having traveled in Russia almost constantly now for 12 years, I am constantly amazed at how fast the Russians jumped over 74 years of Communism into today’s globalized world. All our cooperative tour operators carry cell phones and problems are solved as they occur. Of course the system still requires a bit of patience sometimes, but it is no longer a matter of days that you are waiting for a response, only an interval of minutes. E-mail has also made it possible to communicate easily with even the most remote regions. And ATMs spewing out hundreds of rubles from your U.S. checking account make it no longer necessary to carry big wads of money.

Visiting Russia these days can be an extraordinary experience for those who love to learn and educate themselves about a country and peoples about whom we know little and perhaps have formed a totally wrong opinion.

Aaltje van Zoelen is Managing Partner of World Wise Ecotourism Network and works to inform travelers about ecotourism opportunities in eastern Russia.