Today our afternoon session was listening to Nadia speak about the orphanage and the elderly system. It was not an uplifting talk and left my heart burdened. The majority of the kids in the system are there because the parental rights have been revoked due to alcohol abuse. It is so frustrating to know these beautiful kids have a slim chance growing up in a positive happy environment or will enter into adulthood with any level of success. Babies are being adopted but not the older kids, I know that we have the same issues here in the States, its the overall environment at the Yaroslavl facilities that make it so difficult to accept.
The stereotype of the vodka drinking Russian is no laughing matter. Everywhere you go you see Russians with a drink (mostly beer) in hand. On the tram, walking down the street...beer tap stands line the sidewalks like the availability of hot dogs seen in NYC. It is quite surreal.
There is no funded rehab or AA to help support the high level of alcoholism in Russia. The cycle just continues. It is heartbreaking that this translates to children without parents, just existing without a loving and nurturing family.
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