You may be wondering why we chose Russia, especially in the winter? Well, Nuch had to go anyway, and for me, it's a chance to face the Cold War fears of my youth - actually, it's a free trip, and not to mention it's pretty cool to be going to a place that 30 years ago I would never have thought possible.
Initially, I would have preferred Denmark or South Africa, but I got to thinking about it and Russia possesses a unique attraction compared to these other countries. Although I actually know very little about Russia, I do have many memories and impressions of Russia, the USSR, the Soviet Union, and the Iron Curtain that may be based in fact, but were, more likely, constructed from a continuous stream of propaganda. Think about it - my introduction to Russia wasn't Dr. Zhivago, The Brother's Karamazov, or a history book - it was Red Dawn.
Red Dawn made it pretty clear that Russia's plan for global domination began with my high school.
As far as a closer look into the Soviet psyche, I can thank Rocky IV for showing me that a bit of good ol' American hard work and a lust for revenge can beat a soulless commie on steroids any day.
Then, there was Spies Like Us.
To be honest, I don't know if these movies taught me less about Russia or less about America.Sure they're just movies, but on the other hand, they could be right. I read a while back that the CIA had for years overestimated the strength of the USSR and were completely caught off guard by the fall of the Iron Curtain. How could they have gotten it wrong, when Iron Eagle and Red Heat, whose plot lines were "US/Soviet cooperation" to defeat a greater evil, both got it right. Art imitating Life or Life imitating Art? Something to think about.
So, it's 2008, and although the memories (and the movies) linger on, the Cold War is a thing of the past. This next week, I'm looking forward to putting some of those misconceptions in the past, as well, and doing it in sub-zero temperatures (Celsius) only seems appropriate.
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