Leaving Russia, airport

Coming through airport security at Domodedevo airport, my previous observations were confirmed. If you are a white European looking person in Russia, then security personnel don’t pay you any mind.
When I was at the American embassy I had to be screened before I came inside. I took off my jacket and sat it on the table while the guard went over me with a metal detector. He ignored my jacket though. I had to leave and come back in a few minutes later, and when I came back he gave a laugh and said, “you’re not a terrorist,” then waved me through.
I’m not saying that this bothers me exactly. I think that our enhanced security atmosphere is a bit silly and not terribly effective, but it is still strange to see the Russian security model at work.
When my bookbag went through the x-ray machine, it was a wired mess of laptop, cables, phone chargers, and cameras. It looked suspicious to me on the screen (though I’m not a trained “professional”). The lady had me open it, take two books from the top and then without a second glance passed me on- no digging or anything.
Of course, if you are someone with dark skin then you’ll go through hell at the security screenings. Central Asians and people from the Caucasus are picked out of the crowd to undergo full search. Is that justified? The liberalism churning inside me says no way, but the realist knows that individuals from these countries are usually the perpetrators of terrorist acts. Is it worth the lives of everyone on an airplane to preserve the liberties of an individual? Well, obviously not, but that’s a loaded question.
Is it right to screen certain people? To me this is only partly a question of ethics. There are ways to screen that aren’t completely racial. I’ve read about new methods being developed to run people through a “psychological security screening,” where images of known terrorists, insurgents, and other bad guys who wouldn’t be recognized by the average person but who would be known by a potential operative are flashed on a screen. The screenee’s reaction is monitored and used like a polygraph test to flag people who respond suspiciously. There are also programs- in testing I think- where frequent fliers go through expedited security screening; the reasoning is that it’s unlikely that someone who frequently flies will suddenly decide to blow up the plane.
These are imperfect solutions but they might help to speed up and improve security screening.

So, I am leaving Russia today- writing this in the airport. I can’t believe it. I am more nervous to leave Russia than I was coming. The last 3 and a half months have passed so quickly and I have had one of those experiences. The kind that you bring up in casual conversation and blabber about until people start wondering when you’ll finish so that they can stop saying “wow, that’s interesting” as an automated response. Unless you’ve had one of these experiences it will sound trite when I say that it was “life changing” and “I would do it again.” But, it’s true. This was my first big adventure and it will be the standard for adventures forevermore.
I had three good Russian friends accompany me to the airport and hang out with me in the terminal while I waited for the Air Berlin booth to open. I was charged 110 Euros for my CARRY ON BAG, but what can you do? I’ll miss Russia terribly- it’s my second motherland now. Strange to think, but Russia is more familiar and dear to me than Clemson.