Russian update

Really what more could happen? Deportation? No, not that extreme. As JJ and I are about to leave the Czech Republic the nice fellow at the airline desk informs me that I am no longer on the list and that my reservation has been cancelled. WHAT? I thought in my head. After leaving the area for a few moments he informs me that all is well! I still have no clue what he did but I am grateful.

We board the plane with success and are finally off to a country that I have a jaded view of. Only a small detour to Minsk Belarus to change planes. Oh yea I almost forgot...you need a visa to enter a country you will immediately exist. That's right more visas I unknowingly neglected. Custom rejects me and sends me to the visa office with no money (I did have 100 Czech koruna ($5) and two British pounds ($5) I found lying on my bed at the hostel). Which is not the 180 US dollars required to get on the plane. Credit cards are not widely accepted. Sure I was frustrated but this time only for a brief minute. The whole challenge of trying to not miss my flight turn out to be a good time.

When the authorities realized we were broke Americans they took our passports and escorted us into a real shady airport in search of an ATM. I take out 20,000 rubles thinking that should be plenty. Not knowing that rubles from Belarus are worth a tenth of Russian rubles. Who knew? Two types of rubles? I feel like i am pretty good at navigating other nations but this is humbling. 20,000 rubles = $7.00. Haha. I think the country as a whole is pretty poor. What makes it really funny is that a week later I am stuck with this fake money because no currency company will exchange it. Now it's become a souvenir. At this point we are running on foot from each destination. Finally we find someone to help withdraw the money from our cards and the we run back with the money. While waiting in line a serious KGB looking dude says "are you Baumann, Andrew" shyly I say yes. He was actually the one holding the plane which made me feel pretty special. But because he was without a uniform he was a little scary. Did I mention he was big and carried and imaginary AK 47? We ran up three flights of stairs and down the entire terminal, rushed through security and actually made our flight. I was elated. I also avoided eye contact as I walked swiftly to the back of the plane.

I'm still confused about how Belarus is it's own country but seemingly run by the Russian federation. Also the whole rational of buying a visa just to connect flights is ludicrous to me. With that said the people who were helping us were really great and totally went out of there way to help us catch our plane. It felt a bit how I imagine being on the Amazing Race would be like, expect replacing the prize money for pride and dignity.

One realization that has come to me is about the people we have come into contact with. Most of the time it seems like people don't like us or it feels like we burden them. I have learned that people are generally good. The language barrier is what breeds frustration. It's my fault I don't speak there language not the other way around. There are friendly locals there in Belarus but I still don't recommend you go visit them anytime soon.