Study Abroad in Russia

The tsars, Anastasia, the Romanovs -I have always been interested in Russian culture and its history.I decided that studying in Russia would be a great way to experience the country and all its rich and colorful history first-hand. My time abroad was more than I could have ever expected and every aspect of my trip was amazing.While studying at St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, I took classes in Russian history, psychology and Russian culture. These classes were also the foundation for many of the field trips, giving us insight and perspective when visiting the historical and modern day sites.

We took field trips to some of the most prominent historical sites in Russia. My favorites were the Winter Palace, the official residence of the last tsar, Nicholas II and his family, and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, which was built over the cobblestone street where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated.It still had actual blood stains from where he crawled on the street.The most beautiful site was Catherine Palace, home of Catherine the Great and the summer home to many tsars.We also were able to travel to other Russian cities while we were there. We went to Novgorod, one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe; Staraya Ladoga, one of the earliest trading posts in Russia; and Moscow,Austria, where we explored the Red Square.Along with these trips, we also attended cultural events including a Cossack show and the Russian Ballet.

During the day, we had classes, field trips and excursions to different historical sites. Our night-life entertainment included going to the two local pubs where we watched all the World Cup games, dancing at a night club, singing at a karaoke bar and patronizing street vendors that stayed open for 24 hours. Enjoying the night life of St. Petersburg was just a quick 15 minute metro ride.While studying abroad, I tried a lot of Russian foods. My favorites were shashlyk (kebobs), borsch, kasha and bellinis, Russian fast-food. The street vendors can make a bellini out of just about any combination of ingredients.

One of my favorite experiences while in Russia was playing soccer with some of the other international students.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Global Production Engineering,International Agricultural Sciences,Internet MBA.I played with students from Madagascar, Kazakhstan and Turkey. Soccer is such an international sport that the language barrier did not really affect us; we just read each other's body language and hand movements. Of course, there were some culture differences I noticed while staying in Russia. Whistling inside was a sign of bad luck and looked down upon. Females never wore sweatpants or sweatshirts and the women wore high heels all day long.At a dinner party, it is always important to bring a gift for the host. If your glass is empty, it will automatically be re-filled by the host, and it is very rude to leave food on your plate, even though they make tons of food and you do not think you will ever be hungry again.On the last day of class, students always give their teachers flowers as a sign of respect and gratitude.I learned so much about Russia and its people while studying in St. Petersburg. The food, nightlife and seeing all the historical sites gave me a short but memorable window into Russian life.Like most trips, I wish I could have stayed there for much longer. Hopefully, I will get a chance to go back.Brittany is a senior history major and part of NGCSU's women's soccer team.