Compass: Russia

A difficult problem presents itself ceaselessly to the Russian – the problem of organizing his vast territory. The immensity of Russia, the absence of boundaries, was expressed in the structure of the Russian soul. The landscape of the Russian soul corresponds with the landscape of Russia, the same boundlessness, formlessness, reaching out into infinity.”
– Nikolai Berdyaev
Russia is the world’s largest country and it has shores on three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic and Acrtic). The diverse landscape ranges from marshes to mountains and deserts, both sandy and frozen–all that serve as home to a variety of wildlife and ecosystems.
Within Russia you can find a medley of cultures (120 ethnic groups), languages (more than 100) and people. The majority of citizens can trace their ancestry to the Slavs who settled in Mother Russia nearly 2,000 years ago. Other groups descend from the Tatars who came with the Mongols and Ukrainians.
Russia‘s contributions to the arts and literature are rich and timeless from Leo Tolstoy (writer whose nephew we’ve met) to composers like Tchaikovsky, just to name a few.
Having lived in and traveled to parts of Russia we have an affinity for this country. The people are warm, passionate and hospitable and they are certainly not a reflection of their government.
Enjoy learning more about Mother Russia–her treasures and her history.

Sochi beyond the Paralympics
The country of Russia celebrated a very successful Olympic and Paralympic Games and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Sochi. For us, the Paralympic Games were transformative. We saw many examples of courage, strength, humanity and the belief that all things are possible, especially in the face of great adversity. For a … Read more Read more
Russia Accessible Sports Literature & MusicThe Sochi, Russia Paralympics Opening Ceremony (2014)
World Footprints was privileged to cover the entire 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games from the Opening Ceremony to the Closing. This video showcases some of the artistry of the Opening Ceremony. Each scene had a special meaning. For example, the Titanic-like ship at the end was symbolic of “breaking the ice” … Read more Read more
Russia Sports Events & Festivals The Arts
The Sochi Olympics from a local perspective
By Holly DemareeFor a spectator, traveling to the Olympic Games takes about 24 hours of constant travel, but once you see Sochi and all it has to offer, the inconvenience and jet lag drift away. Others have endured and waited for this moment far longer than 24 hours. Residents of Sochi have … Read more Read more
Russia Sports Social Responsibility
Visit the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi
By Tonya Fitzpatrick, Esq.Tonya gazes at the Olympic Rings on the Black Sea. Photo: Ian Fitzpatrick One of the biggest events of next year will grasp the attention of the whole world and will bring into attention the Russian resort city of Sochi. Unknown to many people, that think about Russia and only … Read more Read more
Russia Sports Events & Festivals