- Delaney

Into the Wild and Around the World

       Olim told me, at first, that he was nervous for my interview because his English is clouded by a heavy accent. Some of his quotes may be slightly changed to make the most sense for our readers.

Inspired by an all-time classic, Olim Turaev gives a rather unorthodox reason for coming to Alaska,

“ After I watched a movie, ‘Into the Wild’, I became inspired to come for this summer job I was offered, so I came here to see the real Alaska; to go into the wild like Chris McCandless did.”

At only 19 years old, Olim has traveled over seven thousand miles from his home in Russia to come to The Grizzly Bear Campground, Denali, Alaska. It is actually very common for students his age to come to Alaska for the summer. At the campground, Olim works the front desk; checking costumers in, explaining where to go, and how to accommodate here.

Outside of his work, Olim finds time to experience Alaska with other students who work with him. He enjoys hiking, camping, white water rafting, and learning about Alaska’s history. Coming alone, Olim has faced obvious barriers with the English language. Yet, he has great courage and a positive attitude, as if he, too, lives by the FISH philosophy,

“After this adventure, I know I will be really confident for the rest of my life.”

A huge dream of Olim’s has always been to travel the world, and now, he finally has plans to do so. After his summer in Alaska and college, he wishes to study in Australia, Canada, and Japan.

Olim is taking classes in Lithuania, equivalent to college courses, and he plans to become a businessman. He is taking Theology, and he and his professor agree that the two classes somewhat contradict each other.

 “When you do business, you are never true to people or honest. In the business world, it is all about making money, and cheating. I don’t want to do it for the money. It is not about the money. I would only like to get some principals of good business. It’s about system, you know, how to make this work for this month, this month so that all people will be employed, and everyone will be happy, everyone will get enough salary. It’s more of a global issue, and I want to mix spiritual and non spiritual thinking into my work.”

Olim was also raised a Christian and hopes to bring a new type of business and politics to America and eventually Russia. With his Christian background, Olim wants to incorporate morality and honesty into his career.

“ I really like (Christianity). It’s really close to me. I know that God exists. Our family, we are very liberal Christians. It’s really like a science. It’s not a religion; it’s a way of life. It’s how you live, it’s what you believe, it’s what you do and say. You are not defined by what you wear or who you are on the outside, but by your personality and actions,” said Olim.

Growing up in Russia is much like the U.S. in the perspective of the children. They go to school and play outside before dark. Russia has recently improved and is becoming more like a “melting pot”. There is more diversity in religions, and more international cultures appearing in there country.

“We still have terrorist scares and high crime rates, but I don’t want to change the country. That would be a fairytale. The school systems here in America are very well financed and supported. I want Russia’s to be the same,” said Olim, “ It’s really complicated to enter a business there because business is being controlled by really high authorities and they don’t easily except all people into their force. So, maybe slightly, step-by-step, I can create a team of like-minded people and maybe, somehow, try to change the system, but the system is just too huge. Russia is like a big business monopoly. Some people possess all the money in the country, and they’re extremely rich. They are the richest people in the world, and I don’t think it’s fair. But, of course, to do this, it wouldn’t take one day, one month, one year, but perhaps a life.”

Next, came the words of a wise man with many years under his feet, from a boy, fresh out of high school. It may be the unexpected news that leaves the biggest imprint on a person, and when I asked Olim if, sometime in the future, he would ever think about settling down with a family, he said, “Of course.”