As a schoolgirl from Russia went to visit Bashny.Net

"I myself Komsomol - says Moscow schoolgirl Maryana Naumova, in his 15 already absolute world record 2010-2013, in fact the strongest girl in the powerlifting world. - Pioneer organization in Russia still exists, and I was in it, but the other day I was accepted and the Komsomol. Because of this, many of my friends joke that I probably would have liked to live in North Korea. "





Photo from the personal archive Mariana Naumova



Mariana listened and then reflected. On North Korea, she did not know almost nothing. Ask around the Pope - he too. Looked on the internet - the mass of conflicting information. Mariana then decided to go in this country, come what may. And writing a letter to the leader of the DPRK Kim Jong Ynu:



From the personal archive Mariana Naumova
"Russia has very little information about the DPRK. Many make an impression on TV reportages and articles on the Internet, where a lot of misinformation and lies. In Russia, I visit schools and orphanages, telling children about sports, about how important it is to play sports, to become a defender of his homeland. I would very much like to visit the DPRK, meet with athletes and children. I can tell them about yourself, Russia, about the sport. I want to see how organized sports development in North Korea ... »

Marian Send an e-mail embassy of North Korea in Russia. And it is not expected in 2 weeks to see the answer: come. Very soon Mariana and her dad were at the embassy to obtain a visa, which made very quickly. Many ordinary tourists waiting for them for months.

All travel expenses assumed the Ministry of Sport North Korea. With Kim Jong Ynom during a trip Mariana and have not seen, but visited the training of the country's Olympic team.

"They have a very interesting device of the city - there prospectus, such as hospitals and maternity wards, there is a prospect, dedicated to the sport. In each sport - the palace - says Marian. - And end this prospectus largest-capacity stadium in the world. Do not Powerlifting his palace. They say they are not rich enough to spend effort and money on non-Olympic sports. For them, what I do is kind of fitness, but, nevertheless, they treated me but with such respect ... I was introduced to the Olympic team, they are on time left workout, listen to me, smiled warmly. "



Shack in downtown

Mariana shows photos from the meeting - the girls in identical suits, with almost identical short haircuts. "I think it's just because it's hot, and because they are so convenient - says Marian. - But they do schoolgirls almost all wear the same hairstyle - bob. And badge on his chest has every inhabitant of North Korea. "



Mariana has not been confirmed many things about which I read before the trip. For all the time and has not met the famous cars with speakers from which the sound of patriotic songs. Phone on arrival also not selected. Foreigners can buy a special SIM card, which will provide access to the global network and long distance calls. Koreans themselves have limited internet and in other countries can call only from machines.

"I read about the terrible poverty in this country - said the schoolgirl. - But when we rode through the streets, where we wanted to, but not where we were guided tour guide, we saw children who were buying lemonade, cud - people who do not have money to buy bread, so do not allow yourself accurately. "



Pyongyang itself - a modern, high-rise, monumental. In the center of Mariana and dad suddenly saw these shacks that against the backdrop of skyscrapers looked quite alien. Local residents said that there live mostly old men who used to live close to the ground and did not want to move to high-rise buildings. They turned to their leader - and he allowed them to stay in their homes. So in Pyongyang formed this monument old system.



Day, according to Mariana, empty streets of Pyongyang - almost all the inhabitants or at work, or study. In the evening, the city returned to life. Someone sits in a park with a bottle of beer, someone engaged in street sports ground, which is the capital of North Korea is really very much. Sports are truly love.

"I also wanted to find something related to Russia, said what our guides - says Marian. - We visited the monument to Soviet soldiers and then led us to an Orthodox church. Father, Korean, leads the service in Russian. He studied Russian at us, at the seminary. "



"Potemkin village»

Mariana shows pictures of streets, people, things, events, "Behold, this flower is named in honor of Kim Jong Il, this in honor of Kim Il Sung." To the question, she would like to live in North Korea, shakes his head: there must be born. "I'm used to a different life, iPhone, trips around the world - says schoolgirl. - And they are brought up from birth to love and reverence for his country and its leaders. At the entrance to the mausoleum we blew through special vacuum cleaners that when we appeared in their sacred place for us there was not a speck of dust. Once we went to the musical and educational center. Koreans do not have internet available, but they can listen to music and watch movies in such places. We were taken to a small cinema - listen to a symphony dedicated to Kim Il Sung. We sit and suddenly behind - desperate sob. This is our guide, 25-year-old girl who heard this symphony probably hundreds of times, again moved. And when managers approached the hall and told her that in her place during a recent visit here sat Kim Jong-un, she jumped, she shuddered as much ».

"We asked - Pope tells Mariana, her constant companion on trips - why do not you write to the chair he was sitting here? We were told that if we write, no one would dare to sit here. "



Pope Mariana very impressed with Korean children. Says such clean and neat students have never seen. And he was not. In this case, the children quiet evening walk around the city alone, without adult supervision.

Before leaving Mariana offered to the Ministry of Sport North Korea to hold a joint event in powerlifting. And back home, wrote in social networks about his trip and experiences. In the end, it came down to the shaft of criticism. Americans signed on its page, wrote: why do you go to this horrible country? Others wrote that Mariana built a Potemkin village. Others were even more concise: "lie!».

"I was surprised by this reaction, - says Mariana Naumova. - Well, because you can not turn the whole city in the Potemkin village: I went through the streets, looking out the window, walked along the avenue and not always followed harvested someone plan. I wanted to learn more about this country and tell others to dispel at least some myths ».

But Mariana still believes that sport brings people together and that the sport - an accomplice of the world. Therefore, it is planned next trip even more extreme. Schoolgirl going to Syria, despite the fact that there still is a war.

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