When I left Finland for Russia, I had an imagination of similar country and culture waiting for me on the other side of the border, but it did not remain the same after arriving. Our Coordinator had already fed enough fear on in my mind about Russia. I was not supposed to drink the water directly from tap as I used to do in Finland. I was not supposed to enjoy the evening and night life there. Russian friends of Lappeenranta had already warned to be more careful and not to interact with unnecessary people there. "You can get robbed so easily there, you won't even notice that you are already robbed", one of my friends told me. The well heard quote was bugging me in my mind, "Everything is supposed to go be normal, but you never know, since Russia is always Russia".
When train left me on Saint Petersburg train station, the only thing was in my mind was the fear fed by different people. But, there came an angel with bright smile on her face. She guided me with very warm welcome. She helped me on every stage on leading to hotel, dealing with dinner menu, translating Russian to English and making a way to communicate with people. In deed, she was an angel who helped on every aspect. She was also one of the students of Winter School, so, she helped on very friendly manner being conscious on very small details to make our Russia trip unforgettable. It was growing a sense of security inside me fading out the fear of my mind. Another two days made me really comfortable with Russia. University people, teachers and all of my friends here helped me a lot to wash out the fear about Russia. I was being much comfortable with it. Then, another day came, the Sunday, gloomy Sunday!
We left for City Center with much eagerness to visit the heart of Saint Petersburg. We took a bus which was almost empty. Then, we took metro train, which was also almost empty. We went to Hermitage Museum. It was really a wonderful masterpiece collection of paintings, arts and scriptures. It was really wonderful. Then we went to view the high tide on the river. The wind storm was pushing us backwards. We struggle enough to walk forward. Then, we visited a very wonderful church. We climbed up to have bird's view of Saint Petersburg City. The view was simply awesome. The wind was very strong, it was pushing us backwards. It was a wonderful experience. It gave me an unforgettable moment. I must admit, this city is far better than Lappeenranta and even Helsinki, though I havn't visited much areas of Helsinki. It is really beautiful city.
Now, I need to take metro train for another destination. It was my fourth metro travel on Saint Petersburg, so I was being more comfortable with it. But this time crowd was bit more. Me and one of my friends Idres were getting inside the train. Three Russain young guys were behind us. When we just stepped inside the train, they pushed us so abnormally, so I took out my left hand from the pocket and get support of Idres to resist their pressure from behind. There were no other people behind them, so its really unnatural to me that why they pushed me. My right hand was still inside the right pocket of my jeans. It contained my purse which contains my cards, bank information, student details and some Russian cash. I had just now taken out my left hand from pocket which contains a Camera to resist their pressure. Imeediately after few seconds, I felt an unknown hand inside my right pocket. I immediately caught that hand and jerked it out of my pocket. After jerking his hand out of my pocket, all of those three guys immediately get off from the train. I immediately turned my head to view his face. He was showing some wired expressions. Suddenly I remembered my left pocket which contained my Camera. I had just now taken out my hands to resist their pushing pressure from behind. Unfortunately, Camera was not there. They were already partially successful. Though I was successful on protecting my purse, I had already lost my Camera. I was really surprised by their courage that they tried to sweep out both of my pockets. It all happened within maximum 2 minutes. But now, its too late, since the speed train had already taken its speed and those'courageous' rubbers won't be waiting me back to return it. I was speechless. I was expressionless.
Camera, for me, is very important. It was one of my best friends. I really enjoy photography. And, that was only the camera I had these days. The realization that I won't be able to buy any new camera in immediate new future really scared me that I would be living without a camera. My friend's warning was repeatedly bugging me in my mind like, 'I had told you before'. "Anything can happen in Russia, be alive", "You will get robbed in a flash that you won't even notice that you are already robbed" and "Russia is always Russia" are making an iterative loop inside my mind for reminding my carelessness and my foolishness to being confident on new place. I was laughing myself for my foolishness that I lost it because of my feeling it secure and comfortable on new place despite of several warnings of my Russian friends of Lappenranta.
I started making sounds inside the train since I was in a shock of loosing it. I started communicated with my friends about the rubbery since I was really scared now. And, more importantly, Camera was really something meaningful to me. Friends were giving me some sympathy. Some were suggesting me to search it better to confirm the rubbery. I was damm sure about it, since, I felt his hand on another of my pocket and my another hand was inside the pocket as well and I was playing with one of the button of the camera inside my pocket. I felt, its obvious and natural for me to be shocked and making sound. Train stopped on another station. An older women came to me. She told me very politely (?) "You are too noisy." I was really surprised to hear that. I am sure she understand english since she told me that in English. If so, she must have understood I was rubbed on her homeland. Then, what should I suppose to do? Dance with happiness for celebration of loosing it? Get happy and laugh for being happily rubbed? OR get very silent and accept the fact I am rubbed. For me, its not natural and normal to be rubbed like this. And, I wanted to ask her, what should I suppose to do Madam? But I could not, since she did not have passion to get my response back and already walked now. Again, I remembered our coordinator, "Anything can happen in Russia !".
