North of Prague near the border with Poland we stayed with a young woman and her mother. This was (as far as we know) the first time we stayed with a staunchly pro-Soviet family. I am actually quite obsessed with Soviet times; I really love Eastern Europe and enjoy learning about life in the bloc states. It was really wonderful to hear a new side to the story. As westerners (especially Americans) we are inundated with anti-communist propaganda for most of our lives. It is good to hear the other side.
What was most interesting about this family is that the mother knew very well that her experience during communist times was not normal. Her father had diplomatic status when she was a child, so she received special privileges most people did not. For example, in former communist states there is a fixation with jeans. Jeans were a hot item to have, but not easy to get. If you could get some, they were most likely not the fancy western brand that everyone worshiped. Because of her father's special status, this woman was able to get the fanciest jeans. Her privilege got her jeans, but also the envy of every other girl at school. She was apparently not well liked.
You could say that her pro-Soviet stance was because of the entitlement she enjoyed, but we have met many other people who do not look back on those times with negativity. In western countries you rarely hear neutral or positive stories of communist times, because the people who have those opinions never left. We only hear stories from the people who immigrated.
