Having the opportunity to spend a semester in Russia feels like a dream come true. I visited Russia for the first time during the summer of 2015. This was when I first fell in love with Russian cuisine and the Russian language. While I spent my first visit in Moscow, I’m studying now in St. Petersburg, at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. St Petersburg is a beautiful city and is by far the most European of Russian cities. It is truly a “window to the west.” The program in which I’m participating, AIFS, regularly organizes cultural activities and excursions. St. Petersburg is a city of islands and canals. One of my favorite experiences was a boat tour on St. Petersburg’s Neva River. The views were incredible, as they challenged my perception of the city layout and construction. Another incredible memory was watching the opening of the bridges late at night. 

Being in St. Petersburg enables me to apply the knowledge I acquire in classes to my everyday experiences. It allows me to better my perceptions and understandings of the place I am exploring. Visiting the Museum of Political History of Russia has been a wonderful experience. From being in the room where Vladimir Lenin wrote his most powerful articles, to seeing the balcony where he delivered his most inspiring speeches on the Eve of the Revolution, and visiting the exhibit dedicated to Stalin’s times of Terror, the museum left me feeling surreal and encapsulated by the significance of the place. My experience in Russia thus far has been indelibly rewarding. I am looking forward to spending my remaining two months here. I am deeply thankful to Ingrid H. and George L. Speros, whose Scholarship and generosity made this journey possible.

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Ashley Sinclair
Director of Off-Campus Programs
847-735-5231
sinclair@lakeforest.edu