News

Seniors Participate in Russian Study Program

Eight incoming seniors participated in the study program with Russia this summer, spending 16 days immersed in the language, traditions and culture of contemporary Russia.  They were involved in an educational exchange with Saint Petersburg Gimnaziya #209, an elite English-intensive school in downtown Saint Petersburg.

The program, which began in 1999, provided the type of first-hand experience with Russia and Russians that cannot be recreated in the classroom – all of this in one of the most historically-fascinating, beautiful cities in the world.  Moreover, the exchange program carries course credit, which appears on each student’s SLUH transcript.

In His Own Words
The following is a summary of the trip from Joe Mungenast ’12:

Our first three days of the trip were in Moscow.  While there, our school group toured the city with our teacher, Mr. Chura, and other guides. We saw the Kremlin, Red Square, the Arbat, went to a circus, and also a souvenir “park.”  After Moscow, we took an overnight train to Saint Petersburg and upon arrival each student from SLUH met up with their own Russian host family, with whom they stayed with for the remaining week and a half.  I was able to experience some of a Russian teenager’s favorite stops, like the movies and various stores along the popular Nevski Prospekt, as well as well-known museums that Mr. Chura took us to.

The part I was looking most forward to on this trip was using the Russian that I had learned from school and applying it in conversation.  The initial shock of being thrown into a foreign world was quite an experience, but after I got used to a few days of being in Russia, things became a little more natural.  For only studying this language for three years, I was surprised at how much I actually understood; I felt like I was more prepared than I thought I would be.  Having that good base of Russian from SLUH helped me pick up a lot of new vocabulary that Russians use in their everyday life, their slang.  Although it’s still far from perfect, I do believe that this summer exchange program really improved my knowledge of the Russian language, and this program certainly developed my interest in the international field of study.

One of the neatest things for me was getting that chance to experience the life of a teenager and her family in a completely new and awesome perspective.  Despite the obvious differences, I was truly surprised how similar the life of a Russian teenager is when compared to an American teenager.  They listen to a lot of the same American music, talk about similar things (i.e. sports, pop culture, and global news), hang out at the movies and malls, and just walk around, laughing, having a good time.  Being able to wholly experience this Russian culture through mealtime chats, stories, food, and general conversations allowed me to gain a personal insight into how Russians live their lives and how fortunate I was to get this opportunity.  Not only did I get to see some amazing sights, but I was also fortunate enough to make a few neat friends along the way.