Watching the Olympics, I am once again reminded of how patriotic I am, and how much I sometimes feel for my home country. How tense I become when the Russian competitors step out onto the ice, how happy to here them exchange Russian words with their coaches while waiting for the marks, how proud when I see the Russian flag going up to our national anthem...
I can't hide it, and even if I could I probably wouldn't. And people see this in me; and they laugh it off uncomfortably, "Oh, you're so Russian." But am I wrong to feel this way? Am I wrong to want the Russians to win? Am I wrong to be proud of the fact that Soviet and Russian figure skaters have dominated the sport for nearly half a century?
Wow, I understand your feelings totally!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've been living in Israel for almost 9 years, but sometimes some tiny thing/word/picture - and especially Olimpics!! - can take my heart back there on a very emotional level. When they play the hymn of Ukraine or Russia (I'm less connected to other republics) i can start crying... And let me tell you something - if someone has a problem of you feeling Russian (or anything else) - it's their problem, not yours. I really hate it when peple try to take an identity out of you.
And, by the way, Russians ARE (one of) the best in figure skating :)
Nice to here some understanding, hehe :) It's true, you shouldn't rob people of their identity. I don't think it's even possible, you can only make them hide it.
ReplyDeleteWe are good at figure skating, except that now it's just our past champions training new athletes all over the world, and not as well back in Russia...