Restoring my faith...

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Two things happened after I posted the earlier message today that has given me just that much more faith and respect for Russia. They are tiny things, but since I had expressed negativity in the earlier post, I will make sure that I present some positive things as well.

First, riding the subway is an incredibly rude experience (although, it is in Washington DC as well and I can only assume not much better in places like Chicago and New York). I got on a busy car today just behind two older women. The car was packed. Both women were immediately seated by gruff looking young men who gave up their seats for them. Again, this is a SMALL thing, but it restored my faith that there is some general good here (something that isn’t always evident as you walk down the street getting pushed, shoved, and run over by automobiles).

Second, I read in the Moscow Times (an English language newspaper) that the first of three readings passed overwhelmingly to ban public consumption of alcohol. Both St. Petersburg and Moscow would benefit tremendously from the decrease in liter if alcohol is kept off the streets. Perhaps there is hope yet.

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