By: Jonathan Bogen

In almost every form of popular media in which they appear, Russians look exactly the same: tall, brooding people hellbent on destroying America. Intellectually, we all know it’s a remnant of Cold War propaganda, yet when we see it day after day, it is difficult to challenge these depictions and our perspectives remain small. I was lucky enough to travel to Russia when I was young and escape that dangerous ignorance; however, despite my travel experience, I had never had the opportunity to speak to a Russian peer to put any unconsciously-retained negative images I had to bed. Fortunately, that changed in September when I held the Russian-American Student Conference.

As I prepared for the conference, I expected to sit at a desk for 12 hours and have contentious discussions about nuclear disarmament. However, the Russia delegation took me by surprise. I was taken aback by how willing they were to compromise and how lively they all were. They seemed excited to be there and spoke not as if we were debating divisive topics, but rather as if we were working together to solve a mutual problem. It felt as if I were looking into a mirror.

Beyond the policy aspect of the conference, the Russian students I met also made me realize that, when it comes to our everyday lives, we aren’t so different after all. Given that the two delegations were literally from opposite sides of the Earth, we were allotted time to simply talk about ourselves and ask one another questions regarding our daily lives. It turns out that, as opposed to the stereotype that Russia is a dark, grey place, it is actually very colorful. The American students were surprised to learn that the Russian students believed the same about America! We found out that we are all trying to get into college, become something great, and learn more about the other country. The cultural differences between us became things to bond over, and ultimately, we found that deep down, Russians and Americans are two names for the same thing: people.