U Magazine, Summer 1989

imagine."

REFRAIN Jenny's collecting medals with Tim, Michalyn's breaking hearts with ea s e,

Six months later, in December of 1987, King and MEND founder Kapstein traveled to Washing– ton, D.C., to attend some of the events surrounding the U.S.– Soviet summit. While there they were en– couraged by Rear Admiral Gene R. LaRocque, Ret. USN, a member of MEND's national advisory board, to capitalize on "this mother thing that you have going." He suggested an ex– change of American and Soviet mothers and children.

In the Moscow River Is where wefoundJ.P!

King says the Soviets were anything but stoical and grim, as they are often stereotyped. Instead, she found them to be warm, friendly, funny and "generous beyond belief. They were constantly telling jokes, especially at night in their homes. One man, Boris Dudakoff, loved Liza Minelli and watched videos of any show that she was in and knew the w rds to all of her songs!" The Americans also witnessed first– hand why economic reform in the Soviet Union will be slow and painful. "In th Soviet Union, they have four people doing the job of one. For years they have been told what to do, how to do it and when to do it," the California native explains. "Enterprise and independent thinking are qualities that have been stamped out in the Soviet people through years and years of political and social repression." One incident, though, vividly illus– trated to King that glasnost has instigated some positive changes. During the cruis down the Volga River, King went jogging whenever the ship pulled into port. On a cloudy, misty day she and a fellow American went running in the Zhiguli Forest, near Togliatti. "Well, we got lost. And Lord knows how it happened, but we ended up at a military installation!" King laughs, looking as though she still can't

two engineers, a professor, philosopher, housewife, nurse and beautician - was particularly illuminating, she remembers. "During that cruise we talked about everything: politics, children, religion, make-up, even teenage pregnancy," King explains, her face flush with excitement. "What we discovered was that we were similar in so many ways, and we were different, too. But, as Michalyn pointed out, it's okay to be different. We can co– exist without absorbing each other. " Five Americans composed the "Volga Boat Women's Song" during the cruise, which they sang to the the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad." It went something like this: We've been traveling on the Volga On a peace cntsade. We've been traveling on the Volga Look at all the friends we've made! Can't you see the children laughing Playing and singing songs. Can't you see the mothers smiling, Knowing we are one.

"That very afternoon we were with Colman McCarthy, who is a columnist with the Washington Post, and he was getting ready to interview Genrikh Borovik, who is president of the Soviet Peace Committee," King recounts. "Colman asked us if we wanted to sit in on the interview. Well, of course he didn't have to ask twice. So during the inter– view, Linda just came right out and said: 'Mr. Borovik, we want to have an ex– change of Soviet and American mothers and children.' I almost died right on the spot!" She needn't have worried. Borovik loved the proposal. "He thought it was a marvelous idea because this type of exchange had not been done before. He said, 'Great, we'll do it, no problem.' Well, of course there were a lot of problems, but we did it!" the mother of four says proudly. The next several months saw a flurry of activity as King and her colleagues brought their dream to life. Countless phone calls, meetings and letters later, a plan was agreed upon. A contingent of American mothers and their children would visit the Soviet Union in September of 1988, to be followed by a Soviet visit in the spring of 1989. King, who was accompanied by her daughter, Michalyn, on the visit to the Soviet Union, said the trip shattered many myths about the Soviets. A nine-day cruise on the Volga River with their Soviet counterparts - a group of 17 mothers and children that included a cartographer,

Boat Trip Travels Avenue of Understanding

Ja Lyooblyoo... l love you! Ja Lyooblyoo...Spasiba! Ja Lyooblyoo... l love you! Ja Lyooblyoo...Spasiba

During the trip down the Volga River, the Soviet and American mother.; and children exchanged views on a variety oftopics. Here is

c,

Zhenia's on the bus with Helen, Heather's on the deck with Marie, Cindy's on the Arbat with Margot, Where is that J.P? REFRAIN Alec's playing chess with Artem, Mark's at the circus with DJ., Kate's charming Michael and Artem, Giving smiles away!

an account ofsome ofthose exchanges, which produced surprising revelations.

8 U Magazine