Russians, Americans alike - once film stereotypes vanish
By BILL BARTLEMAN - the PADUCAH SUN
Copyright - 1995, Paxton Media Group
Bill Bartleman has been a reporter for The Paducah Sun
since 1972 and has covered government and politics since
1975. The following contains his opinions and observations..
VYBORG, Russia -- We found the Russian people to be very warm and friendly.
Most residents of Vyborg and surrounding villages have very little contact with Americans because the community is so far north and so far from any major cities. Because they hadn't seen many Americans, they were curious about us and our lifestyles.
Some were surprised to find that we were "normal" human beings because they had based their impressions of Americans from movies that had been dubbed in Russian.
We had trouble convincing one man that his view that most Americans were rich playboys was incorrect. "But I saw it in the movies," he kept saying. "I saw it on television."
It also was surprising, but gratifying, to learn that most Russians view Americans as their friends. That was in contrast to our past feelings that Russians were our enemies. Most of them remember President Reagan calling the Soviet Union the "evil empire."
A Russian schoolteacher told us that she had been taught by her parents and grandparents that Americans were great people because they helped Russia during World War II. "Without the help of Americans, more Russians would have died in the war," she said. "We always thought highly of Americans."
Still, they had little or no knowledge of the Cold War that existed between the governments. They had never heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 and didn't know that our nations were on the brink of nuclear war.
Most Russians live in government-owned apartments that Americans would consider substandard.
We visited the apartment of a retired military major. It was very small - about 600 square feet - and included one bedroom, a living room and a kitchen. We were told it was a typical Russian apartment.
His two daughters slept in the bedroom that was large enough for only a bunk bed and a dresser.
He and his wife slept on a pullout sofa in the living room. When the sofa bed was open, there was very little room to walk. The kitchen was small and lacked modern conveniences that are commonplace in American kitchens. The apartment was in need of paint and basic repairs.
There were no lights in the stairway leading up to his apartment. The hall also reeked of urine.
But he was proud to have his own apartment. Many young Russian families have to live with relatives because of a housing shortage.
Our interpreter, Michael, told us that he lived in a three-room apartment in St. Petersburg with his in-laws. He had one daughter and another child due to be born later this month.
Michael said his name had been on a list for an apartment for about three years. If he's lucky, he'll get his own apartment in six or seven years.
There were very few single-family houses because most of the land is still owned by the government.
We found most people to to be very laid back and not motivated to work hard, the apparent result of 80-plus years of Communist rule under which the government controlled their lives.
Wages are still very low. The day before we arrived in Russia, the nation's 500,000 schoolteachers staged a one-day strike seeking higher wages. They are paid an average of $35 to $60 a month.
We also talked to a doctor whose salary was $50 a month. The retired military major whose apartment we visited received a pension of $70 a month.
At a post office, we found about a dozen retirees waiting for their government pension checks. The checks already were a week late. Several said their pension was only $10 a month, and if it didn't come in that day's mail, they wouldn't be able to buy food for that night's meal.
The main foods are potatoes and beet or cabbage soup. There is very little meat because people can't afford it. Even though wages are low, the prices of most food was about the same as in the United States.
We ate potatoes at every meal and most nights were honored by being served meat. The meat was the best they had: hot dogs.
Markets in Russia are very primitive. Food is displayed without packaging and, in most cases, without refrigeration. The little meat that was for sale was displayed on counter tops or in glass cases. If similar markets were operated in the United States, they would be closed by the health department.
The government still owns and operates many of the stores. Most of the privately owned stores were small kiosks located along the streets. We were told that the Russian Mafia controls most of the private businesses. People who don't pay off the Mafia aren't in business very long.
Vyborg had a market where vendors bring merchandise to sell to visitors and local residents. Vyborg has a lot of visitors from nearby Finland.
Shoppers must be wary of imitation merchandise. One member of our group wanted to buy a Russian fur cap, usually made of mink or fox. He found one he liked for about $30, which he though was a bargain. However, he was advised by one of our hosts that it actually was dog fur. It certainly smelled like it.
Most merchants in the market willingly accepted American money even though it is against the law. To them American money is like having gold because it is a hedge against the fluctuating Russian ruble. To understand the value of the ruble, consider this: it takes 4,480 rubles to equal $1. In 1992, it took 200 rubles to equal $1.
One member of our group learned firsthand that it is illegal to make purchases with American money. He was nabbed by an undercover police officer for buying two china cups with a $5 bill.
He was put in the back of a van by the plainclothes police officer and taken to a building about a mile away. As he was being led up seven flights of stairs, he became concerned that he might be the victim of a robbery because the officer did not show any identification, and there were no markings on the building.
After getting to the top floor, he was led into an office and saw a policeman in a uniform. He was relieved. He was fined 55,000 rubles for the law violation, which is about $11. He later said the fine was worth the story he now gets to tell about his experience.
Very few people in Russia own automobiles. Most use buses, trains and trolleys to move around the country. Russians also do a lot of walking.
One person who came to visit us at the church where we were staying said she didn't live far away: "It is just a 40-minute walk."
Return to the Bartleman Home Page.