Background: As part of the Education and Social Justice Project, in July 2012 undergraduate student Masha Goncharova interviewed Alexis, a native of Paris studying at Moscow State Technical University's Baumanski Institute in Moscow and a camp leader for the Russian Students Christian Organization (Action Chrétienne des Etudiants Russess—Mouvement de Jeunesse Orthodoxe, ACER-MJO). In this interview he discusses his experience growing up in a Russian émigré community, the role of the Russian language and Orthodox faith in ACER camps, and the job opportunities associated with being a bilingual French and Russian speaker.
Tell me about your childhood.
My parents taught me Russian. They were born in Paris, and they lived their whole lives outside of Paris. That is where I live now. My grandmother left Bulgaria when she was 26 years old. My other grandparents left Russia when they were children, but they all stayed in a sort of Russian community. That is why I learned Russian at home. The fact that everyone was left alone actually made people connect to each other a lot more.
Who was your grandmother?
My great-grandfather was an engineer in St. Petersburg, and my grandmother was from an aristocratic family. My grandparents were born while their families were fleeing Russia through Bulgaria. My grandfather became a priest in France when they arrived here, in a small city. She taught me to speak Russian and sparked in me an interest in paying attention when I went to Russian school. Her stories made me realize that I am surrounded by a whole society of people who are not regular [French citizens]; we are a people apart, and we must recognize that.
Tell me about your experience as a camp counselor for ACER?
Well, it’s funny because so many families have grown out of the ACER camps. In fact my parents met at the camp. This is great because the families of our campers were all of very influential families in Russia. This is a way to keep them close together. So I am inheriting a very tightly-knit tradition. The important thing to transmit to the campers is the culture. Campers look up to the counselors for instances and examples of Russian culture.
What’s the history of this camp?
ACER was founded in 1922. The founders were great intellectuals who loved to sit around, argue, read, and write. To continue this tradition, they founded ACER. It was specifically oriented towards students because those were the lifeblood of the movement. They met, spoke about [Fyodor] Dostoyevsky, and were essentially the movers and shakers of their time.
What is your favorite camp tradition?
You probably noticed that anytime we get together we begin to sing Russian songs. This is a big distinguishing factor for our group; we always have live music, we sing. This is an interactive process. We in ACER have known these songs since childhood. The songs truly demonstrate how much we still feel and connect to our heritage. It is how we were raised and what we believe.
Is there anything you wish you could change?
It is a bit of a shame that we are accepting more and more kids and completely forgetting the Russian language. I know Vitizei still speaks in Russian and do not admit Greek Orthodox or other religions. But we question the purpose and try to make a distinction between Orthodoxy and Russia. Personally, my family has remained very close to Russian culture. So for me it is personally a shame, but I realize I cannot decide for everyone to keep our cultural ties. It is very noticeable that we have many young people who go to Russia to study for a year or so, but nothing really long-term or committed to the culture.
Where will you be studying next year?
I will be studying in Russia at the Baumanski Institute, a prestigious technical institute. I will be studying physics. I have been there a few times. I have been given this opportunity to study abroad, and I was considering some options, but I have always wanted to live in Russia. There is a small part of me that is nervous to go. But when I visited last summer, I realized how interesting it is to be Russian in Russia. I think that people there will look at me like a French person in Russia. This saddens me, but I am prepared for it.
What will you do with your technical degree?
Well, these days there is a lot of need for engineers who speak Russian and French. There is a company RLQ, who have some technical factories, and I am interested in working there. I really don’t know if I’d be ready to live there after work. I’ll see how these two years go. Maybe afterwards I’ll want to stay, but maybe I’ll feel that Russia isn’t for me at all. We’ll just have to see!
What role did Russian education play in your life?
A huge one. We have our own culture and history. Many of my friends don’t really know their history, but I feel so connected to a history and family before me. This is a very important part of my life. The ACER kids are like my family; I have very close friends there.
You must be so proud.
Well, on the one hand I am proud. It’s great for us to have this history, but you must realize that it’s pretty hard to keep up. It’s lost. People question the purpose of maintaining the culture. It is truly a treasure, though.