How Openness in Politics Can Bring People Together

by Songül Arslan

Nearly fifteen years ago the Berlin Wall collapsed in Germany. The Wall became a symbol of the Cold War and its fall instigated a wave of transformation throughout the Eastern European countries. This change spread from Germany to Russia and almost all the countries in between. Former state-led or closed economies opened up. This caused political and economic ideas to change as well as social and intellectual ideas.

The social changes, such as fewer travel restrictions between countries, transformed the lives of people living in former closed or state-led economies. Ella Schoor surfed this wave of transformation from her homeland in Russia. Ella, now 31, was 17 when the Berlin Wall collapsed. Germany has always played an important part in her life, even to this day.

What was your first trip abroad?

My first trip abroad was to East-Germany, strangely enough three months before the Berlin Wall fell. In my opinion, it was not the events in Germany caused the rest of the state-led economy countries to open up; it was more the other way around. The Soviet Union discovered the buzzwords "glasnost" (openness) and "perestrojka" (transformation) before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Although my first trip was to East Germany, for me it was "wow." The standard of life was incredibly higher than in Russia. During that time we could only get basic food and only upon presentation of special coupons that we obtained in limited quantities. We bought so many things that were impossible to get in Russia or did not have such diversity. It was at that point in time I fell in love with Germany.

What effect did this first trip abroad have on you?

As you can imagine, East Germany looked like paradise to us even though East Germany itself was not doing too well. It opened up my eyes and I started asking myself "why?" more often. Why do we have the situation we have? Why can't we live better? The trip broadened my horizons but also made me think a lot. The following year I traveled at least three times to Germany. It was then I decided to prepare myself mentally for a bigger experience: America.

How did you end up there?

I joined a competition for a fellowship organized by George Soros in American Universities. I applied (paper competition) and they invited me for an interview. Then I had to take an English language test. It all turned out very well and I got accepted. (Note: she had the best marks overall.)

I could not choose the university myself but I could choose the program. I chose organizational development. Once in America, I was flabbergasted again by the choice of consumer goods. Even simple things like peanut butter. The difference in choice was something that I enjoyed tremendously and still to this day, it is important.

After two years of university in America and one year in Tahiti, I had to go back to my home city of St. Petersburg. In my heart and mind I knew that I could not get enough of all I had seen, even though my country was opening up more and more each day. I remember significant commercial events such as the first McDonald's in Moscow. There were so many people lined up in queues that it took more than four hours to get a hamburger. Now I laugh at this experience.

What happened after your return to St. Petersburg?

In St. Petersburg, I applied for international firms. I had worked for Unilever and Coca Cola. And then one day, it seemed like it was destiny, I fell in love with a German guy who was on holiday in St. Petersburg. This year we got married and now I am living in Hennef, Germany with him. I never imagined myself being this happy, never. Sometimes we don't have a say in what is happening but we would have never met without the transformation.