= new reply since forum marked as read
She retired to a town in NC and they had a "sister town" in the Caucasus Mountains and this was the initial visit. They need 17 to make the trip and people kept signing up and dropping out, so my grandmother suggested me. When she first brought it up, I thought she'd lost her mind since I grew up thinking the Russians hated us. But I couldn't say no to my Nana and it turned out to be an amazing trip - we met with other peace groups and saw the sights. All were senior citizens except for me and one other lady, but they were all experienced world travelers and politically active. They'd all fit in on DU, I became friends with them all. 
Not to mention that the Russians we met, both the groups and just on the street, were incredibly welcoming and friendly, not what I expected. We traveled all over, were actually supposed to visit Kiev, but then Chernobyl happened - so we went to Tbilisi, the capital of then-Soviet Georgia instead. And there were numerous statues of Stalin there which confused me, so I asked - and I was told that Stalin was Georgian, not Russian, and he was admired since "he killed so any Russians."
But the biggest takeaway was that, having experienced the horrors of WWII on their own soil (particularly Leningrad), those we met were terrified of another war and never wanted to experience that again. There were statues and plaques - even in the schools - in remembrance of all those lost in the war and museums to teach the next generations about what they'd experienced.
And one day in Moscow was spent at the Kremlin - which is actually a fortress, built around 1492 by Italian artisans. That's where Lenin's Tomb was, so we got to see that as well. I wanted to be sure it was really him, so I looked him every minute I was there. It's very dark down there, but Lenin is lighted. And we were told that he's periodically re embalmed since he died in 1921! And the lines to see him were endless... 
With the intent of him suffering like Navalny.
Treat him so he’s back to normal.
Then lock him in prison until he’s dead.
Share and share alike.
