Introduction at Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center, Irkutsk, Russia

Introduction to Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center near Irkutsk
David Owens
www.Sennaya.com
Report to fellow travelers in St. Petersburg
Another thing we saw a lot of (in Irkutsk) was the history, because we had heard about being sent to Siberia and that being a terrible thing. And ...
The first morning we were going out to Lake Baikal and I was all excited to see this beautiful lake.
Well, the first stop on the road, five miles out of town, we went down a little dirt road and there was just a little simple sign that said, "Memorial." And we went a little farther and there was just a kind of a forest that had been torn up.
This is a memorial to fifty-thousand people that were buried there and (the mass burial site) was discovered just about 20 years ago.
They found (mass) graves of people who were from all walks of life, that were put there after the Red Army won and anyone who wasn't comfortable with being a communist in the new program was reported by a neighbor or just unpopular would, end up at this place. So, they found bodies eight-deep, 50,000 of them. They've created the beginnings of a monument, there are a few stones engraved, it's just under construction. Again, not to forget what happened. And as Nancy said, people are very well of their history and how they turned on each other through that process and they are consciously trying to be more tolerant and go forward in a much better way.
But that was kind of a sobering moment on our first day.
And then we went out to Lake Baikal saw the museum. We were introduced to the fresh water seals that exist no where else in the world and they are really fat, chubby -uh, anyway, Happy little seals!
Well, we stayed with Vladimir Donskoy, who is an honorary Rotarian, but very much involved with the Rotary Group. The rotary group is about 16 people. The head of it is a young man, Dmitri, who is about 25 years-old. Last year's president, Alexander, is about 30 years-old. And that was one thing that surprised me and maybe a difference, most Rotary Clubs I have been to tend to be a little more senior. And these guys were open, enthusiastic, very fun to be around, as was our host.

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