RUSSIA
I am in awe of what I DON'T
know...
I've read every book there is about Russia, including a
couple of novels in Russian. I can speak passable Russian,
and, after studying it in college, I spent a solid year in
total language immersion with Russian refugees, some of
whom had left there during the Revolution. I know the
country's geography, and I know the history, ancient and
especially modern since I was deeply affected by the Cold
War. My military service was spent as a Russian language
translator and cryptanalyst for the NSA. I can name any
piece of Russian classical music on hearing it and can play
some on the piano. I have traveled solo for weeks in Russia
and Ukraine after the Soviet Union collapsed, relying on my
knowledge of the country and my language skills. I've
worshipped in the Orthodox church in Russia, and I wrote a
historical novel about the origins of the church there in
the ninth century.
And yet, I still feel as though I know hardly a thing about
Russia.
David A. Woodbury
2010
©DamnYankee.com
