Frustration in Russia

I'm sitting in the Domodedovo Airport in Moscow, getting ready to fly back to Ulan-Ude, and I have a few hours to kill. So, I figured I might as well blog again.

Russia is a crazy country. And Moscow is even more insane. The amount of change that I can see in Moscow over the last two years is difficult to comprehend. There are hundreds of new buildings, and many old buildings have been remade. It's even more expensive that it was 2 years ago. And much more Western. There are now Starbucks on every corner, in contrast with the 2 that were in the city 2 years ago. There are now Burger Kings and Papa John's. Service is actually friendly and good. And after living in Ulan-Ude, it's disgusting how much money is in this city. Ulan-Ude has some new buildings and nice cafes. In Moscow, every cafe has an amazing sound system and ridiculous decorations. I spend more money on a dinky meal here than on a full day of food in Ulan-Ude. The ONE part of Moscow that's as bad as in Ulan-Ude are the bathrooms. Russia just doesn't understand that bathrooms can be nice.

The hardest part of life for me is my frustration with the Russian government. It seems that all of their domestic policy is aimed at subduing and emmasculating the Russian people. Case in point: local governments have no ability to tax the populace. The local governments are 100% dependent on the federal government. The Russian government also does everything to make the people feel like they aren't being taxed at all: most of their money comes from the oil and gas industries. As such, it is very difficult for local government to fund projects, such as building new roads. Especially when other, more important parts of the infrastructure demand more urgent attention (such as the power plant in Ulan-Ude, which some predict will be out of commission as soon as 2015). I am finding myself more and more to be a supporter (this is the incorrect word, I know the right Russian word, but can't think of the English one. Good thing the GRE is coming up...) of Ulan-Ude and Buryatia. I'm helping NGOs write grant proposals and have actively supported my university's attempt to get a Fulbright English Teacher sometime in the next few years. The local populace has almost no say in their government, so as one of the few Americans aware of Buryatia, I feel some weight on my shoulders to further the cause of Buryatia. The opportunities that should be in Buryatia, and would be if the locals had any say in government, just are non-existent, and all the best and brightest leave for Moscow and beyond.

I understand why the youth want to leave Ulan-Ude. Tourism is the only industry available for an intellectual. Professors are paid dirt. But without infrastructure, tourism will always be limited. For the Republicans who want as little government as possible, they should look at the provinces of the Russian Federation. For those who also support the Patriot Act, the metaphor is even more poignant.
Well, now I'm back in Ulan-Ude, and I must say that even given the above disappointments and frustration, Buryatia is still unbelievable. As my plane started descending through the layers of clouds, the sun just began to shine over the horizon. It was one of the best sunrises I've ever seen. I took a taxi back to my apartment and chatted it up with my driver. The main theme of our conversation: the Siberian spirit.  All of a sudden, such political squabbles seemed worthless in the face of this taxi driver whose father built their family home in the mountains several decades ago and was adamant in explaining his spiritual connection with the land. Even if European Russia doesn't understand what they have out here, the local population seems more than content to have it all to themselves. Perhaps another topic to consider when asking about tourism.