Russia Trip Finalization Thoughts, 09/3/1 – 4/12; Eng. Version
Russia Trip Finalization Thoughts, 09/3/1 – 4/12; Eng. Version [May 12, '09]
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First of all, I did kept a random journal during the time spent in Russia, just that those thoughts are so, random, that I'm not sure how to organize them... plus I don't want to put too much bias into or emotionally attach to it... thus I decided to wait for this 'Thoughts' a month after the trip... hopefully those emotions or attachments can wear off a bit...
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Russia, an amazing country to be with in, overall, I'm glad I was there, and frankly, I love it...
I made the decision to visit Russia through volunteering program back in Spring/Summer '08. I just thought, it's a new country/culture to me, and the program seem to provide decent needs, and I can provide the help in any way I can provide, myself...
It was an interesting experience to sign up for the program to begin with back in Sept., '08, week before the Wall Street meltdown, I should kept that memory in mind always.
Ok, Russia, first and foremost, I made myself not aware of the culture nor language before I entered the country, so I can have the 'first-hand' learning without any of the stereotypes or biases; much so like I told the Russian staffs that I want to know the purest of their culture, not through tourism or any other means, just right down to the common people and the needed... come to think of it now, the tactic works... not only I had the amazing experience of a lifetime, I also met and befriended with the most honest people around, both Russians and foreign volunteers... I'm, satisfied... the money, though many would think it's expensive, is totally worth it...
Culture, is an abstract that not many people can explain it well, it is always evolving, thought it has its essence, yet with the growing information/communication, it is, never the same... you can see each nation is either constantly changing or tried to keep its core values...
To me, Russian heritages are unique in many ways that kind of resemble to ancient Chinese culture. I realize this after the staffs asked me to do a China/Taiwan presentation.
For one, its family value and kinship are so similar to Asians, and their living habits are quite familiar to those in the Northern China region, partly due to cold climates; and its city layout, well, either the communist China copy the city planning from Russian or its just similar... they did have good relationships after WWII period.
During my six weeks stay there, I was working with the children and elders most of the time, for some unknown reason, I just love those children... I do have to admit, I'm quite anti-Asians myself sometimes, partly because I seen/known many bad sides about them, can trace to too much Westernization or just the downfall of human selfishness, I don't know, I'm still searching for the clue...
Russian children are so adorable, you can hardly imagine why they are in those facilities and don't seem sad like many Asian children; likewise, the elders at the senior centers are way too happier than those back in the States or Asia. I then later realized that: they can only attend the senior center twice a year if they are lucky, and each 'ticket' is three-weeks long. So, to them, it's like winning a lottery to be in the center, there's no point to be sad, got to use the time wisely and keep the joy around.
Unlike those back in the States or Asia, whom only care or tell the miserable minor details about their life to volunteers and wish for mercy. And they were there just to kill times, or there to gossip about their in-laws. Which, they claim they are the upper middle classes...
In our stays back there in Russia, some of us, volunteers, do come to a senses that, "the more we travel, the more we want to travel"... mainly because each time we travel to a new destination, we learn and experience, and we will get the eagerness to 'see-more'. Of course, not all volunteers created equal, we did have some 'interesting' ones that we puzzled their purpose to be there in the first place, gladly the overall experience for me, is above average, I hope I can also give the good impression for others; 'cause criticize others are easy, and mirror do have two faces, therefore, I also need to look back at myself for mistakes.
It's been a month after the trip, life seems to be back to normal, the learning and experience from this particular trip will always iron to my mind, as I enjoy it too much that no words can explain the details.... which is why I think, maybe I should go again next year... yeah, I'm hopeless...
---
- Stereotype, all Russians are tall, thin, and pretty... plus mean/stern/cold...
Uh.... not really.... not all of them are tall... nor thin, nor, hmm, pretty... I did encountered some, not too tall people, not too thin people, and as for pretty or not, it's a personal opinion...
I can tell you that, most women of Russia, do wear polish dress/coats and wear 'high heels', yes, "HIGH" heels... and walk in snow/ice... and not fall...
When I was in St. Petersburg, trying hard to walk on icy snow path, then a couple guys just 'run' through it, well, its their daily jogging exercise... yeah, I did look fun there...
Thanks to Westernization, women there use a lot of cosmetics, way too much if you ask me... In the colder weather and use too many of them, the skin condition shouldn't be good when they gets older...
I did have the luxury to work with elders, and most of them just gave me the sense of kind, elegant, and warmth, yet they are not from upper classes, not even upper-middle... that's the part I'm still confused about... people's action do represent their cultural/education backgrounds, yet most of them do present well, compared to many Asians or American... The conversations with them are just, not the one you figure you can get from those group of elders, even the conversation with disables are much higher level than what I had experienced in the States and Asia... this, is a culture shock...
What sort of culture can train its citizen to look and sound so upper class and they are actually not? Their manners are so humble and light, tone voice are so harmony that you're afraid to speak loud; even without knowing the language, you can hear 'thank you' and 'please' a lot in any television programs...
How many language in the world compile the word 'thank you' and 'please' into its daily usage and has several layers of tone to speak them? and each shows speakers' emotions?? Honestly, I do not know many...
No, the culture is not cold at all, they live in a cold climate does not mean they are 'cold people'. We managed to get smiles back at us each morning from the hotel staffs, and each placements we went, we establish good friendships; each children, we bond with them, thus, the last week for me, is the hardest part, still is... I miss those children, they are so adorable that I wish I can be with them at all time, though some trouble makers there, yet it's a joy to be with them...
I often said to them, I did not do much there during those six weeks, for one, I can't change their status, I can't bring them concrete aids, I'm quite helpless there... all I can do is spent time with them, trying to give them warmth and make them smiles... language is not the crucial part of the program, the degree of heart I can give out is, what I think, more useful to them and the only thing I can provide... other than that, I'm quite worthless...
I glad most children like it, which means my time there was considered well spent; for the organization itself, course there are improvement areas to do, yet we tried... if they don't see it, we can't do much else... because we could be wrong as well...
Each day after the trip is like a reminder of what happened, if I'm still there, will I do better?? Most likely not, yet it's the presence that counts... to them, elders and children, it doesn't matter what you do with them, they are happy, 'cause you are there with them, that's, what they need...
A lot of people took the term 'volunteering' to different degree of interpretations and usage, which, by all means, not really wrong with it; you will definitely need the people first, then correct them if needed... that is, a new lifelong course...
I wish life can be simpler, yet the human progression doesn't look that way... so I guess some adjustments is needed... hopefully I can find a way out of this interesting life course that's more meaningful than typical...
That, is part of my Russia trip realization... also, stereotypes are for common people who don't learns... always on a learning mode, because it's fun... each individual is unique in its own way, no need to 'standardize' them... aka. children...
---
-TT
@Saratoga, 5/12/09.
---
First of all, I did kept a random journal during the time spent in Russia, just that those thoughts are so, random, that I'm not sure how to organize them... plus I don't want to put too much bias into or emotionally attach to it... thus I decided to wait for this 'Thoughts' a month after the trip... hopefully those emotions or attachments can wear off a bit...
---
Russia, an amazing country to be with in, overall, I'm glad I was there, and frankly, I love it...
I made the decision to visit Russia through volunteering program back in Spring/Summer '08. I just thought, it's a new country/culture to me, and the program seem to provide decent needs, and I can provide the help in any way I can provide, myself...
It was an interesting experience to sign up for the program to begin with back in Sept., '08, week before the Wall Street meltdown, I should kept that memory in mind always.
Ok, Russia, first and foremost, I made myself not aware of the culture nor language before I entered the country, so I can have the 'first-hand' learning without any of the stereotypes or biases; much so like I told the Russian staffs that I want to know the purest of their culture, not through tourism or any other means, just right down to the common people and the needed... come to think of it now, the tactic works... not only I had the amazing experience of a lifetime, I also met and befriended with the most honest people around, both Russians and foreign volunteers... I'm, satisfied... the money, though many would think it's expensive, is totally worth it...
Culture, is an abstract that not many people can explain it well, it is always evolving, thought it has its essence, yet with the growing information/communication, it is, never the same... you can see each nation is either constantly changing or tried to keep its core values...
To me, Russian heritages are unique in many ways that kind of resemble to ancient Chinese culture. I realize this after the staffs asked me to do a China/Taiwan presentation.
For one, its family value and kinship are so similar to Asians, and their living habits are quite familiar to those in the Northern China region, partly due to cold climates; and its city layout, well, either the communist China copy the city planning from Russian or its just similar... they did have good relationships after WWII period.
During my six weeks stay there, I was working with the children and elders most of the time, for some unknown reason, I just love those children... I do have to admit, I'm quite anti-Asians myself sometimes, partly because I seen/known many bad sides about them, can trace to too much Westernization or just the downfall of human selfishness, I don't know, I'm still searching for the clue...
Russian children are so adorable, you can hardly imagine why they are in those facilities and don't seem sad like many Asian children; likewise, the elders at the senior centers are way too happier than those back in the States or Asia. I then later realized that: they can only attend the senior center twice a year if they are lucky, and each 'ticket' is three-weeks long. So, to them, it's like winning a lottery to be in the center, there's no point to be sad, got to use the time wisely and keep the joy around.
Unlike those back in the States or Asia, whom only care or tell the miserable minor details about their life to volunteers and wish for mercy. And they were there just to kill times, or there to gossip about their in-laws. Which, they claim they are the upper middle classes...
In our stays back there in Russia, some of us, volunteers, do come to a senses that, "the more we travel, the more we want to travel"... mainly because each time we travel to a new destination, we learn and experience, and we will get the eagerness to 'see-more'. Of course, not all volunteers created equal, we did have some 'interesting' ones that we puzzled their purpose to be there in the first place, gladly the overall experience for me, is above average, I hope I can also give the good impression for others; 'cause criticize others are easy, and mirror do have two faces, therefore, I also need to look back at myself for mistakes.
It's been a month after the trip, life seems to be back to normal, the learning and experience from this particular trip will always iron to my mind, as I enjoy it too much that no words can explain the details.... which is why I think, maybe I should go again next year... yeah, I'm hopeless...
---
- Stereotype, all Russians are tall, thin, and pretty... plus mean/stern/cold...
Uh.... not really.... not all of them are tall... nor thin, nor, hmm, pretty... I did encountered some, not too tall people, not too thin people, and as for pretty or not, it's a personal opinion...
I can tell you that, most women of Russia, do wear polish dress/coats and wear 'high heels', yes, "HIGH" heels... and walk in snow/ice... and not fall...
When I was in St. Petersburg, trying hard to walk on icy snow path, then a couple guys just 'run' through it, well, its their daily jogging exercise... yeah, I did look fun there...
Thanks to Westernization, women there use a lot of cosmetics, way too much if you ask me... In the colder weather and use too many of them, the skin condition shouldn't be good when they gets older...
I did have the luxury to work with elders, and most of them just gave me the sense of kind, elegant, and warmth, yet they are not from upper classes, not even upper-middle... that's the part I'm still confused about... people's action do represent their cultural/education backgrounds, yet most of them do present well, compared to many Asians or American... The conversations with them are just, not the one you figure you can get from those group of elders, even the conversation with disables are much higher level than what I had experienced in the States and Asia... this, is a culture shock...
What sort of culture can train its citizen to look and sound so upper class and they are actually not? Their manners are so humble and light, tone voice are so harmony that you're afraid to speak loud; even without knowing the language, you can hear 'thank you' and 'please' a lot in any television programs...
How many language in the world compile the word 'thank you' and 'please' into its daily usage and has several layers of tone to speak them? and each shows speakers' emotions?? Honestly, I do not know many...
No, the culture is not cold at all, they live in a cold climate does not mean they are 'cold people'. We managed to get smiles back at us each morning from the hotel staffs, and each placements we went, we establish good friendships; each children, we bond with them, thus, the last week for me, is the hardest part, still is... I miss those children, they are so adorable that I wish I can be with them at all time, though some trouble makers there, yet it's a joy to be with them...
I often said to them, I did not do much there during those six weeks, for one, I can't change their status, I can't bring them concrete aids, I'm quite helpless there... all I can do is spent time with them, trying to give them warmth and make them smiles... language is not the crucial part of the program, the degree of heart I can give out is, what I think, more useful to them and the only thing I can provide... other than that, I'm quite worthless...
I glad most children like it, which means my time there was considered well spent; for the organization itself, course there are improvement areas to do, yet we tried... if they don't see it, we can't do much else... because we could be wrong as well...
Each day after the trip is like a reminder of what happened, if I'm still there, will I do better?? Most likely not, yet it's the presence that counts... to them, elders and children, it doesn't matter what you do with them, they are happy, 'cause you are there with them, that's, what they need...
A lot of people took the term 'volunteering' to different degree of interpretations and usage, which, by all means, not really wrong with it; you will definitely need the people first, then correct them if needed... that is, a new lifelong course...
I wish life can be simpler, yet the human progression doesn't look that way... so I guess some adjustments is needed... hopefully I can find a way out of this interesting life course that's more meaningful than typical...
That, is part of my Russia trip realization... also, stereotypes are for common people who don't learns... always on a learning mode, because it's fun... each individual is unique in its own way, no need to 'standardize' them... aka. children...
---
-TT
@Saratoga, 5/12/09.
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