The world must be united against Putin and his war in Ukraine. Whatever the reason, Russia’s tyrannical dictator is showcasing the worst of humanity right now. As a business owner, it is rare that I take a political stand publicly. And it’s even more rare that I explain my personal reasons.  But it was exactly 30 years ago that I was in Russia and Ukraine – immediately after the fall of Communism. Here’s my story…

In 1989, at the age of 14, I witnessed the Berlin Wall fall in real time on TV. Just a couple years later, at the age of 16, I watched the ending of the Soviet Union in December of 1991. That moment is when I began to have a deep desire to understand the world, which is probably why I gravitated toward becoming the editor of my high school newspaper. My curiosity to understand the world motivated me to sign up for a Student Ambassador program to visit the former USSR. On our three-week trip, I got to tour from Moscow to St. Petersburg and areas that were to become the Baltic States. I also had the opportunity to tour, Ukraine.

To set the stage, and knowing that I was about to embark on a trip of a lifetime, I ditched school on May 6^th, 1992, to attend Mikhail Gorbachev’s speech at Westminster College with nearly 20,000 people in attendance – this was the first time I legitimately became part of history. Gorbachev’s speech marked the formal lifting of the Iron Curtain that Churchill had announced nearly 50 years earlier. I was eager to see a new blossoming of peace, democracy, and possibilities of what may come in changing the world for the better. It’s a shame that 30 years later, I now feel we’re going backwards.

The worldview of a high school student, such as I was back then, can be skewed by the bubble in which one is raised. Going from a sheltered Catholic grade school education and gaining the desire to serve my country by going to the Air Force Academy propelled my mission to attend a school with an Air Force ROTC Program. However, on my upcoming trip, my worldview was about to explode into acceptance, understanding, and appreciation of other cultures as I met students and their families from the other side of the world.

Although my host families spoke broken English, they were very hospitable and even wrote letters to my parents. The father of one of my host families was a rank equivalent to a Colonel in the Soviet Armed Forces. Even though it was the 1990s, I felt like we had traveled into a time warp back into the 1950s. It seemed like everyone lived in what, back home, we called “The Projects” – high-rise buildings that crammed a family of five into a small, two-bedroom apartment. My eyes were wide open as I tried to explore and learn about this culture.

Though just six months after the fall of communism, Russia’s citizens were trying hard to change from a fully communist society to a capitalistic one. This was most evident in Moscow’s famous Arbat Street, where Russians were setup by the miles buying, selling, and trading everything from artwork, historic artifacts, trinkets, and necessities.

This trip to Russia inspired me to change my career goals. Even though I attended an Air Force ROTC school and had a nomination to the Air Force Academy from Congressman Gephardt, I turned it down. This trip drastically changed my worldview and helped me understand that I no longer wanted to go into the military and tear down communities.  I decided that I wanted to go into my own community and build it up.

Therefore, I went into politics for most of the ‘90s, working for the president, a governor, and many state and local leaders.  In 1998, I decided to run for political office myself. Although unsuccessful in my bid, I still believe democracy is the best form of government in the world. This is especially true when honorable men and women showcase human decency, compassion, and idealism in their statesmen-like actions.

Chris Kuban started Chemistry PR and Multimedia with a vision to effectively formulate corporate and non-profit brands across the country. He is an expert in Media Relations, Event Management, Social Media implementation and video production. Working with a team of local and national suppliers, vendors, employees, and consultants has allowed him to coordinate more than 230 national events that help deliver the ROI his clients seek. Follow him on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn.