Olddaddy Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 Copied this from Canadian expat forum today If anyone has the YouTube link please post In a bizarre turn of events, a Canadian family seeking refuge from what they deemed as "wokeness" and LGBTQ+ acceptance in their home country found themselves in a series of misfortunes upon relocating to Russia. Arend Feenstra, a right-wing YouTuber and patriarch of the family, made the decision to move his wife and eight children to Russia, citing concerns about the perceived liberal ideology prevalent in Canada. However, their grand plan of escaping to Russia quickly turned into a comedy of errors. Despite their noble intentions, the Feenstra family found themselves ill-prepared for life in Russia, lacking even the basic knowledge of the language. This became evident when Anneesa Feenstra, the matriarch, struggled to differentiate between male and female restrooms, highlighting their lack of cultural awareness. Their initial weeks in Russia were marked by acts of kindness from locals, who donated winter clothing to the family and offered assistance with language barriers. However, their goodwill couldn't mitigate the family's financial woes. The Feenstras encountered difficulties accessing their funds due to banking regulations and language barriers, leading to frustration and public outbursts. A video documenting their challenges was posted and subsequently deleted, amidst backlash and accusations of disrespect towards Russia. Arend Feenstra attempted to downplay the incident, attributing it to a "misunderstanding" caused by the language barrier. As the family grapples with their new reality, they have enlisted the help of Russian authorities for immigration assistance. Yet, their timing couldn't be worse, as Russia has recently intensified its crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights, further complicating their situation. In a bitter irony, the family's attempt to seek refuge in a country perceived as more conservative has only exposed their naivety and ignorance. Their misadventure serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of making impulsive decisions based on misconceptions and ideological biases. As the Feenstras navigate the challenges of life in Russia, one can't help but wonder if their quest to escape "wokeness" has led them to a place where intolerance and authoritarianism reign supreme. Only time will tell if they can adapt to their new environment or if their Russian dream will turn into a nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axiom2020 Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 This entire saga is rather unbelievable to say the least. How in hell can anyone who plans to make a major move from her/his/their initial abode fail to plan and just do it without some form of preparation? If this is really true, I cannot feel any sorrow or empathy for them, for without planning, they were doomed to encounter the worst. Their whole adventures or experiences were ripe to encounter since they apparently just packed up and moved. ...no sorrow or empathy here. Unfortunately, they've learned a vital lesson and will just have to adapt after encountering an enormous amount of adversities. khaolakguy, vinapu and Marc in Calif 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinapu Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 6 minutes ago, Axiom2020 said: This entire saga is rather unbelievable to say the least. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc in Calif Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 35 minutes ago, Axiom2020 said: This entire saga is rather unbelievable to say the least. It does seem to be a true story, as a number of sites explain the family's background and motivations. Let's just call it what it is: "The Canadian Beverly Hillbillies Move to Moscow" vinapu 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caeron Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 Nearly Darwin award worthy. Marc in Calif 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members unicorn Posted February 24 Members Share Posted February 24 4 hours ago, Olddaddy said: ... the Feenstra family found themselves ill-prepared for life in Russia, lacking even the basic knowledge of the language. This became evident when Anneesa Feenstra, the matriarch, struggled to differentiate between male and female restrooms, highlighting their lack of cultural awareness.... Their initial weeks in Russia were marked by acts of kindness from locals, who donated winter clothing to the family... Stupid is as stupid does. They deserve every bit of misery coming to them. Canada and Russia have the coldest climates on the planet. They need "winter clothing"???? WTF?? It's difficult to wrap one's mind around such stupidity. I guess evil hatred is a powerful motivator for some people. Axiom2020, Ruthrieston, vinapu and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reader Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 They certainly all look sufficiently Russian. Perhaps Feenstra thought they’d assimilate through proximity alone. vinapu 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Riobard Posted February 24 Members Share Posted February 24 Can’t the expat forum fact check or be logical? The article indicates that a crackdown on LGTBQ+ rights has “complicated” the plan. Why would that defenestrate the Feenstras since the ideologies don’t mismatch? What actually transpired in the toilet misunderstandings? Olddaddy and Axiom2020 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaroni21 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 I had exactly the same question and doubletake moment as @Riobard Riobard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaroni21 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Let's assume the story is true, even if there is some exaggeration or missing elements. I for one am not surprised. Rightwing nuts live in their own bubble, consume their own media and therefore see the world through absurdly distorted lenses. They believe what they want to believe. Out of the millions of rightwing nuts, there will surely be some who act on those beliefs, like this man and his family. Axiom2020, vinapu, unicorn and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xpaulo Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 7 hours ago, macaroni21 said: Rightwing nuts live in their own bubble I'll say.... they routinely claim they are living under a tyranny in Canada. There are lots of things the Canadian government can be accused of, gross incompetence, endless acts of virtue signalling with no actual changes, misleading the public..... but tyranny is hardly one of them. Canada's tolerance for homosexuality ( as far as I know it doesn't differ significantly from western Europe) does seem however to be a major grievance. For the religious right wingers living in a country that doesn't persecute gays is not acceptable. Riobard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Riobard Posted February 24 Members Share Posted February 24 The winter weather is so frigid that the main source of the Feenstra frostration has been an authoritarian Russia-imposed freezing of their bank accounts containing their life’s work farm sale proceeds. It is likely that they would now, though grudgingly, trade off an acceptance of the occasional rainbow flag flapping in their rural southern Saskatchewan community for access to a permafrost-mitigating generator grinding away at their district’s Wells Fargo outpost. Axiom2020 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fedssocr Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 I feel bad for the innocent kids who struck out in the parent lottery. vinapu and Ruthrieston 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members unicorn Posted February 25 Members Share Posted February 25 2 hours ago, fedssocr said: I feel bad for the innocent kids who struck out in the parent lottery. And what if one of them turns out to be gay? Given the number of children they have, it's probable at least one will be LGBTQ. That kid would grow with the knowledge that his parents essentially sacrificed their lives due to hatred for what they are. 😬 Axiom2020 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
