So What Exactly Was I Expecting???

One of the questions we get all the time was if, prior to our arrival in Moscow, did we believe there were bears roaming the streets. The first time I was asked this I found it quite odd and relatively random. I had no preconceptions that bears would be wandering around Moscow (except during Maslenitsa, when I was informed that there is bear wrestling, which there wasn't and I was upset, however not as upset as when I was lied to about getting to ride a camel, but that's another story) and I also don't expect koalas and kangaroos to be chilling in Sydney whenever I make it that far south of the equator. However I'm not opposed to having a pet koala, but I'm under the impression that kangaroos are slightly meaner than most realize, so in summation hold the 'roos bring on the koalas. But I digress, at no point in time did I expect there to be bears wandering around the capital of Russia, or even Irkutsk or Vladivostok for that matter. And yet, for some reason time and time again we are asked about it.

As that question is repeatedly asked, I find myself wondering what I did expect to find in Moscow, and actually, I have no idea. I expected it to be cold, no disappointment there although I was expecting more extreme temperatures but it's not something I'll complain about. I expected the buildings to be all grey, blocky, and Soviet-esque (although every guidebook for Moscow features St. Basil's I kind of figured it was a singular explosion of color, as if all the paint available in Russia went into painting that building. I was wrong on this account, however I have not been to a hardware store to make certain.). I expected things to be less expensive than they are, and for there to be an inexpensive clothing store of some sort, but most of all I didn't expect anything.

Don't get me wrong, I had this idea that I might get to rub elbows with some oligarch's progeny (if you know of any, let me know) and the kind of vague notion of what life would be like in Russia, but looking back I can't remember my predetermined notions of everyday interactions with Moscovite's and what Russia would really be like.

I think it's better to avoid having any preconceived notions. It kept me from being disappointed, or truly experiencing culture shock. It allowed me to see Russia as it is being presented to me, here and now, not the Russia presented in a history lecture or via the History Channel. It allowed me to form my own opinions, to not get upset when things aren't as I thought they should be (except for bear wrestling), and to not continuously compare the Russia I experience to the fairytale Russia in my imagination.

Not having a set of preconceived notions and expectations has made this trip more enjoyable and a more accurate representation of what Russia is today. Sometimes it's better to go into things unprepared. Winging it is way more fun anyway, plus you get some awesome stories to pester people back home with (for instance I have now spent the night riding around Moscow in a limo) and they are easier to pack than a bunch of souvenirs from Izmailovsky, although I have those too.