Experiences of tourism around russians - perspective from a Ukrainian refugee family
Today, my Ukrainian family and I were walking through a touristic German town and we heard so many people speaking russian with a typical moscow accent - old, young, couples, tour groups.
The feeling we get is hard to describe - it's a mixture of anger, disgust and unease.
We immediately think about the horrors they've committed - like Bakhmut below.
We feel uneasy speaking Ukrainian around them, they know it. They watch, they make eye contact, they dare not say anything.
We just Why are they still allowed to travel and enjoy the West they claim to hate so much?
The duality of living a happy free life without consequences or responsibility for the monstrous crimes their compatriots commit should not be allowed.
Our family deals with the impact of what theirs did - irreversible damage - yet they can smile and enjoy a trip abroad.
It feels like seeing German families on holiday abroad in 1943.
So many amazing comments -
Firstly, you guys are awesome.
Secondly, yep it is really infuriating. Thing is, even though some would be russians living here, they behave the same.
For example, my relatives have a family doctor in Germany, who is russian. Living in Germany for 40 (!) years.
She refused to give them their medication and told them they're lucky putin came to save them, they should be grateful and should not have been allowed here.
As refugees, they spoke no German, didn't know how to complain, felt even more isolated and disillusioned than usual. A doctor who's lived abroad for most of her life and still eats the propaganda wholesale without hesitation. That's a common mentality among the "Putinversteher" in the West.
Now, Germany is honestly an incredible place. So much hospitality and humanitarian support, such great infrastructure and support systems in general.
Just these sorts of things really do make it more difficult.
Thanks for the support, and once again, you guys are incredible!
