Shades of Grey

I haven't written as many blogs as I would like, but I've got about 4 planned. The big ones that I am stewing on are my 'epiphany' blogs - one to communicate just how safe, clean, beautiful, and underrated Moscow is. What is the west's fear of this country as a tourist destination? Is it just the difficulty in getting a visa? Is it anti communist, cold war sentiment? Moscow is honestly as beautiful as Paris in many ways, but in my opinion safer. And less tourists, so more authentic culture at your fingertips (less tourist traps!). However, I'll leave this to a different post to give it justice. The jet lag is bad today (my night last night is another blog post on its own!), and I feel so exhausted but wired at the same time. I'm going to push on till at least 6.30 then try to sleep.

The biggest blog, and the biggest question - the reason why I travelled all this way to russia - is to understand what *was* the Soviet union. What do the Russians think about their history? Was it horrible living under socialism, or was it an equal society? How has the Soviet era influenced russia today? Mostly, I want to see what russia is like now, and compare it to what my parents and grandparents experienced when they visited the soviet union in the 70s and 80s. My blood is red (literally and figuratively), but I want to understand these systems and ideals I've been brought up with and form my own 'unbiased' opinion as much as I can. An opinion through experience and reflection. I wanted to come here and just let it wash over me, and to hopefully get a chance to talk to locals about their opinions since they live in this society, and I live in Australia which has never experienced revolutuon. In the conference I'll have discussions about anti imperialism, but in the cities I want to absorb like a clean sponge.

This morning I met with a comrade from Sydney also attending the Sochi festival, and we went to visit Lenin in his mousoleum in Red Square. You can't come to Moscow and not see Lenin. I was trying to go there as a left-leaning cleanish sponge, but I actually found seeing Lenin's mummified body a bit like a religious experience. It's free to see Lenin, you line up and they check your bags, then let you in. You take off your hat and have to be respectful with no photos. The mosoleum is quite grand, which initially really annoyed me. In communism there shouldn't be personality cults, altimately communism in its final stages sees the witheringly away of the state, so no glorified leaders. Mummifying Lenin goes against everything he worked for - equality for the workers. I don't agree with this old statement now, I think honouring Lenin like this has its purpose. Revolution doesn't happen over night, and when you are inspiring very impoverished workers, they will initially need a figurehead to relate to and to follow. Re: jesus *cough*

When we faced Lenin, me and my comrade Jay bowed almost simultaneously to his plasticised body. It felt wrong to just walk by without some sort of salute, or throw of a coin, or crossing of your heart. It felt like a real religious experience for me. So much for going in as a clean sponge!

At Lenin's grave we met a Russian boy; 'you know he has no brain?' referring to Lenin. Of course he meant this literally - Lenin is mummified after all. Maybe this was our chance to hear about what a local thinks about their country and its past. Did he think Lenin was brainless while he was alive in 1917? We sparked up a conversation with lovely Ilya, and next we knew he was showing us around his wonderful city, allowing us to ask him all the hard questions like 'what do you think of communism?', 'do you like Putin?', 'what politics do you follow?', 'what do you think of Russia's involvement in Syria?', 'what do you think about homosexuals?'. We wandered for hours around Moscow with a moscovite, discussing Russia's past, present and future, while souvenir shopping and taking photos. It is exactly what you want when you travel, and ilya fell into our laps at the perfect time.

The conclusion summary of what at least one Russian youth thinks about politics? Basically that there is a lot of grey. I have been coming back to this so often in my own hunt for the 'truths' of politics and news. I feel Aussies or Western culture particularly think in black and white. Not only in the right wing 'you're either with us or against us' terrifying mentality, but in the left where anyone against America must be the 'good guys'. Ilya's general mantra with everything was 'there is some good, and some bad, it is impossible to be all just one side'. He was generally pacifist on political matters. He wanted Russia to not get involved in Syria. He thought Putin has done some good, but he's been in power too long and is corrupting the government. He stressed that he just wants democracy, and is more liberal in his views, but doesn't affiliate with a political party or system. He was against the storage of personal data on the internet, which is a big topic for many young Russians, with gaol terms if you repost something against the state or against the Russian orthodox Church. He loved to travel, and said London 'is my dream city',but lamented that the visa process for Russians to travel even to Europe is so strict. He complained that Russians don't smile enough, and seem too serious. He explained that they are proud of their soviet history, because it achieved so much, but admitted it also had bad aspects. 'There is always good and bad, it's impossible to be just one side'. He mentioned the success of the education system under socialism, where illiteracy was eradicated in a very short time, and the success of the soviet football team.

He walked us to arbat shopping street where he works in a Starbucks. We passed the green building where stalin was layed out after his death so people could show their respect, next to the old communist political building, which is still a political building today, complete with hammer and sickle on the top. We walked past the Lenin library, and chatted about Russian literature - how in Russia they honour intelligence and high art, whereas in Australia we honour conquerors who killed aboriginal people, or popular sports stars.

Nothing is black and white - that is what we can learn from Russia. We are made up of many people, all different, all with different opinions. There is no such thing as 'good' and 'bad' - we all need to get this infantile Hollywood slogan out of our heads.

He just wants equality, a country free from corruption, and more pacifist. This I think we all can get behind this idea. This is not a question necessarily even of capitalism or communism. It's a question of acceptance, peace, and recognising that everything comes in shades of grey.Lue lisää