Struggles into Memory

               One may always say their life is the worst but Olga Krinitsyn of Minnesota has gone through what may seem like even worse than worst.

               Olga Krinitsyn, 42 years old, has been living in America for 20 years. Immigrating from Yekaterinburg, Russia she left what we call struggle, and to her, home. She remembered, “When I first came here to America and when I got married, that whole first year I cried so much. I wanted to go back home. I knew nothing that could help me live the life in America.”

(Olga in Belarus)

               Communism of the Soviet Union was founded on January of 1912 and dissolved on August of 1991. Living through all its struggles, Olga states,”If it wasn’t God, I wouldn’t be who I am today. The life was very hard there. The only way we could buy products was with coupons. Money was rarely seen.” The Soviet Union had very many catches for those that wanted to be members of the communist party. Wikipedia.com stated, “Those that were part of the communist party, enjoyed many perquisites denied to the average Soviet citizen. Among those perks were shopping at well-stocked stores, access to foreign merchandise, preference in obtaining housing, access to dachas and holiday resorts, being allowed to travel abroad, sending their children to prestigious universities, and obtaining prestigious jobs (as well as party membership itself) for their children.” Life was very hard, if one did not join the membership.

               Olga was a Christian and believed in God. Those who stood for their faith never accepted the membership of communism and she stood firm in her belief. In school, students were pushed and forced to join the Young Pioneers; after a while they would graduate to Young Communist League. “I had many students and teachers tell me to lie to my parents and secretly join the Young Pioneers. But if I lie to my parents, I lie to my God. It was wrong and stood against it.”Olga confirmed, “there was also a point where I could have gone to college and continue my career, but due to that I was not part of the Young Communist League, I never had the opportunity to further my career.” Olga looked at the party in a disgusted way and so regret of not joining had never crossed her mind.

                Winters were the hardest in that part of Russia, and being an enemy of the country did not ease situations. “We had a small church that had to secretly gather, because if the government found out, the pastor or leader would be put to jail. In the winter sometimes we gathered outside, deep in hidden forests and have our church services there” Explained Olga with a distant look in her eyes. “Sometimes we’d be caught sometimes we were able to Praise God the whole way through.”

               Yet so much happened, Olga Krinitsyn was able to hold through her life and still have the desire to stay at her homeland, rather than rushing out of it. Sometimes the memories that are harsh to remember are those that are best to be thought of.