September in St. Petersburg – 10/06
The month of September has sped by here in St. Petersburg in a whirl of courses, excursions, and adjustments. For most of our students it’s their first time in Russia, but I have been impressed with everyone’s ability to be flexible, open-minded, and to adapt to new situations. In an effort to take advantage of the last golden days of autumn, we have visited Peter the Great’s palace at Peterhof, the naval base on the island of Kronshtadt, and the palace and park at Pavlovsk. These trips have given us all a sense of the imperial legacy of St. Petersburg and its unique role in Russian history. Some RLASP students have also visited the Hermitage and the Russian museum with their tutors. Next week we’ll be visiting the Pushkin apartment museum where the national bard spent the last years of his life before he was murdered in a duel by the Frenchman Dantes. And later this semester we’ll take a tour of the Baltika Brewery and also Kresti Prison, a pre-trial detention center across the river. October 5th was Teacher’s Day, a national holiday in Russia. We celebrated with flowers, cards, theatrical performances, and competitive games between students and faculty. Our students performed sketches, musical numbers, and even a new interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake! One student treated us to Russian and American rock songs on his electric guitar, and then the games began. American students teamed up with students from Finland, Germany, China, and Korea to win a competition ranging from three-legged races to dancing on folded squares of newspaper. The level of enthusiasm was high all around and the festivities set a positive tone for the rest of the semester.
More soon after our long trip to Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan!
Margaret Anderson, St. Petersburg
Moscow RD Update – 03/06
Our group of sixteen students arrived in Moscow in mid-January to well below-zero temperatures. During the first few weeks, we met often with students about internships, community service placements, peer tutors, and adjusting to the Russian academic culture. The Russian-American club got off to a great start with nearly 20 Americans and Russians attending, and the spring students were welcomed with a party hosted by the teachers at Moscow International and academic year students. Our celebrations throughout February included Super Bowl festivities and the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics in Turin. In the spirit of the Olympics, our group braved the February cold and took to the cross-country skiing course just outside of the city. Students have settled into their daily class routine and many are taking time after class to meet with professors, tutors, and fellow students for extra practice and work. The academic year students find themselves absorbed in writing and research for their term papers, while those serving as interns and volunteers at local organizations are taking on more responsibilities at their host sites.
We began March with a weekend trip to St. Petersburg, where, among other places, we visited the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, and Kazan Cathedral. The second week of March marks the mid-term point of the semester. After mid-term exams, students can look forward to excursions to Tretyakovskaya Gallery and the State Institute of Theater and Art (GITIS) in Moscow.
Jon Smith, Moscow