After the anticipation of two days, we finally were given the chance to spend a full day in Russia and experience its impressive architecture and unfamiliar culture. The experience up to today has been surreal, though today I think our American delegation began to grasp what this country is all about.
From our first night’s rest in the fantastic Renaissance Marriott Hotel, we went on our three buses with our respective groups and started our day. First, we visited the Moscow Kremlin and Armory with our Russian tour guides. The architecture and craftsmanship here is elaborately detailed and skillful unlike anywhere else in the world. We now understand the magnificence of Russian buildings and various artworks have gained international recognition as we were truly awed by the Kremlin and the treasures held in the Armory today. We went on to eat our lunch at a traditional Russian restaurant inside the Kremlin and our delegation got the chance to taste a foreign cuisine.
Next, we proceeded to the Red Square which was established in the 15th Century and presently serves as a popular meeting place for festivals and public gatherings. Standing in the center of Red Square we were left in awe by the sights of St. Basil’s Cathedral and Lenin’s Tomb. They also had a mall foreign to any of those seen in the states, with the exception of all the American stores. It was during the excursion of our group through the mall that we truly realized how prevalent our country is in other cultures, though we see relatively nothing of many other cultures in the U.S. We continued on ward through our tightly scheduled day and found ourselves in the roadside shops of Sparrow Hills with the unique opportunity to view gothic skyscrapers of Moscow’s State University beyond the Moscow River. From bargaining with the Russian shop owners to getting ripped off, I think everyone enjoyed the adventure nonetheless.
Soon, we were boarding a boat for our arranged dinner cruise on the very river we had gazed at all day. It was during this boat voyage through the amazing sights and scenery of Russia’s awe-inspiring capital that we met with People to People International members from the Moscow Chapter and enjoyed again the Russian delicacies of mixed vegetables and interestingly shaped meat. It was a great ending to our first day in Moscow.
From our experiences today we have gained a glimpse at a very foreign yet enticing Russian culture, while also building friendships with Russians and fellow Americans alike that are bound to linger far beyond this journey. We can only predict a portion of what will happen next by glancing at our schedule, but the deeper connections we shall have and personal growth we feel will always surprise and inspire us. This, I think is the true purpose of People to People International.
-Written by Ryan MacDowell with assistance by Ali Hruschka
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