Am I forever destined to think (and write) about Russia that once was, no longer is?
There was so much hope in the nineties. The irony: the darkest decade in modern Russia’s history, full of crime and turbulence, yet there was so much hope. The country was loved by the world: young, broke, and often troubled, yet there was so much hope. It was like an unruly teenager. Often ugly, but you hoped the turbulence would pass.
When I was a kid, I swam a bit. In the nineties, my hero was Alex Popov. Super fast, handsome, gracious. Beating America’s Gary Hall!
I loved Anna Kournikova too!
I am an avid lover of Western pop and rock music. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, I discovered everything — absolutely everything — that shapes my identity to this very date. Movies, music, all things creative, all things authentic, my love for freedom, and being able to express myself in whatever way I want.
