“If the U.S. had a poverty stricken, Arctic twin country, that’d be Russia,” junior Joseph Gordon said about his recent trip to Russia.

The Gordons visited Russia for ten days (November 14 through November 24) visiting a variety of cities and sites including Moscow. In Moscow, the Gordons noticed that women didn’t seem to have jobs as much as men and were more often seen shopping and such rather than the men out working. Men and women in the workplace in Russia appeared more like America’s in the 1950’s in their eyes. They also mentioned that Moscow felt comparable to New York, but outside of the major city, infrastructure was extremely poor.

The twin brothers were invited on the trip by a woman in their church (Sts. Peter and Paul) who visits two or three times a year (however, the trip was not church sponsored). They stayed in an orphanage for one night, which was the main focus of the trip, where most orphans were social orphans.

Social orphans are young people whose parents are alcoholics or addicted to drugs. They can visit their parents sometimes on weekends, but they stay at the orphanage on weekdays. In the orphanage, they have classes and are fed five meals a day, tea served with each meal instead of other drinks. Religion was taken seriously in the orphanage and in most other places the Gordons visited.

“I was surprised that most Russians were very friendly toward Americans,” junior Chris Gordon said when asked what he really liked about Russia.

“I really liked the food, the easy transportation (trains), and the stray dogs that were everywhere,” Joe said.

Both boys said they would return to Russia if granted the opportunity. The only negative things really noticed were the ways so-called “American” food was promoted and the poverty, but everyone seemed happy regardless of living conditions.

Russia conjures a very harsh stereotype to many Americans, but the Gordon brothers proved some of them wrong with their trip. Hopefully more people will be opened to different countries and cultures after hearing about their great experience.

“An opportunity came across and I asked myself when I’d ever be able to go to Russia. I loved Moscow, and especially one of the biggest churches in the world, Christ the Savior. I would absolutely go back,” Chris said about the trip.