Latvian People: Conclusion

Most people would probably think it's either crazy or impractical to take a 25-day trip to a remote and relatively unknown destination. On many counts I agree, but there are advantages to taking such a long trip. Take the people of Riga for example. When I first arrived here, I thought they were a cold and bitter people. Three weeks later, I think they are a very cold and bitter people.

I've had a lot of time to observe and interact with the Latvian people here. Of course three weeks isn't long enough for a comprehensive study, but it's long enough to get a feel for what's going on. Today I attempted yet another social experiment. If you recall, yesterday I fed ducks by a small river, and even though this could easily become a "bonding experience" back in the United States, it wasn't so in Latvia! Instead the locals reacted as if I was trying to trick them into a scam!

Today I thought hard about situations where people become friendly. Suddenly it came to my mind: Pets! You see, back where I come from- the coldest, iciest people are somehow transformed into warm and fuzzy individuals, when presented with a cute pet animal! Would the formidably gruff locals of Riga pass or fail this test?

Of course I do not have a pet here in Latvia, and I'm not about to go purchase one a week before leaving! Instead, I searched for people who already had pets. This method also works in the United States. People are almost always thrilled to talk about their pets, and will react warmly to any attention from strangers.

I first approached a man with a dog, smiled, and said hello to the dog. The man looked relatively friendly for a Latvian. However, he completely ignored me! The dog also didn't seem very fond of me. Is it possible that even Latvian pets are icy and bitter?

I next approached a woman with a very cute and small dog. The woman clearly had a superiority complex and attitude going on, so I knew this would be quite a challenge. The dog was very interested in "talking" to me and stopped to say hi. After talking to the dog however, the woman gave me a nasty glare and dragged the dog away by his leash! Amazing!

It was hard to believe, but again the people of Riga amazed me with just how cold they were. Even in the presence of cute pet animals, the locals simply persevered with their cold stares and arrogant attitudes. I realized after this test that the situation was hopeless. I was not going to get through to the Latvian people. Their condescension and icy cold demeanors were simply programmed into them at the core.

Around this time I had some kind of breakthrough in my thinking. Perhaps I simply could not comprehend reality in Riga. Was life so hard living in Latvia? Were people's lives so difficult, that they couldn't even afford the luxuries of kindness and curiosity? What this all started reminding me of was Russia or Ukraine, where there was just no room for weakness in life. No room for kindness. No room for wonder. Life was just a struggle to survive, and anything else was unimportant.

As an American in the middle class, I was born into a thriving society. I grew up around opportunity and possibilities. Survival was a given. We were taught values such as a good work ethic, kindness, and manners, simply because they were all "the right thing to do", and we would need these skills to get a good job someday. Growing up in a comfortable America is certainly far different than growing up in a country that struggled frequently just to maintain its independence. A country living in the shadow of its biggest enemy. A country where work is scarce.

In a way, my trip was about finding human qualities that I couldn't find back home. I was sick of running into the same people everyday. I was tired of everyone acting the same. I wanted to find a country where people would surprise me. Where I might find something special that I couldn't discover back home. Sadly, I never really found this in Riga. As a traveler and tourist, I simply didn't have the connections or means to really get to know the locals. I hit one brick wall after another. Yet I cannot blame Latvians, if it's simply a way of life for them to be cold and untrusting towards others. In fact the only person I can blame is myself, for not doing my homework on the culture before deciding on a destination.