To understand everything about a culture, one must begin by looking at that group’s basest element: the people. Growing up, I was surrounded only by Russian adults and influences. These were the people who taught me everything from volleyball to mathematics. The group consisted of absurd characters, people who were focused only on muscle, only of food, only on drink, or only on having a good time. Yet there were people who were focused on completely opposite pursuits. There were athletes, musicians, bankers, cooks, grandparents, scientists, and oddball members who would appear without anyone being certain on how they belonged. Yet what I was able to learn from them was that there is so much more to a group of people than those who do not belong to it believe. Generalizations were thusly impossible. I could claim that most Russians need an extra kick before they can be productive, yet there are plenty who can motivate themselves to power through any assignment for any period of time. I could say that Russians make up a gay-bashing, anti-West society attempting to resurrect the Soviet Union, yet this minority is overwhelmed by a happy, welcoming, and incredibly profound people.