Slavic Studies

TRIP Russia 2002

In June, 2002, Mary Anne Cosentini led a group of students to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novgorod. Their three-week stay included home stays with Russian families and many opportunities to experience Russian culture first hand.
View the photo gallery of the TRIP!

Here's what students had to say about the TRIP:

"The summer TRIP to Russia was unbelievable. I was surprised at my ability to understand so much, and also to remember so much Russian history from my Comparative Politics and Russian Literature classes. I loved being able to relate what I had learned to present-day Russia, whether through its museums, monuments, palaces, or just hearing stories. My favorite place by far was Peterhof for its beauty and history. It was the only palace that was still a palace, not an art museum, and almost all of the furniture was authentic. I think it was the one place that showed the dedication of the Russian people to their country, as they moved much of the furniture and its furnishings two months before it was bombed, and then rebuilt it after the war. One of the most "typical" Russian experiences (as stereotyped by Americans) was on a boat tour in Novgorod, where we began singing "Oj, maroz maroz" with some slightly tipsy women, similar to the video we watched in class. The TRIP to Russia was just so unbelievable. I saw a completely different part of the world, where anti-American slogans were spray-painted on buildings, Americans had special prices to pay for almost everything, and toilet paper and basic items we take for granted are sparse and expensive. Nothing can compare to my experience as a tourist and as a typical student, taking the Metro and seeing parts of the city most visitors would never see."

Liz Marolda, class of '05

"The TRIP to Russia was a great success. Thirty-four hours of language instruction really helped us. The most exciting part of the trip was in Novgorod, when we celebrated City Day with the locals. It was great!! I also fell in love with opera, and plan on seeing more of them. If it was not for the TRIP, I would probably never have gone to an opera."

Jeff Weichsel, class of '04

"I experienced the joy of traveling and observing a new culture, along with many new challenges. I left the country wishing to stay longer. Once I began to enjoy my stay, I realized how beautiful each city truly was. I just wish I had pushed myself to explore more on my own. It wasn't until the last day of the trip that I realized that instead of taking a fort- minute Metro ride to the center of town. I could have been making a fifteen-minute walk. Overall, I came away from the trip with more confidence in myself and feeling more comfortable being away from what I considered safe, such as home."

Anya Watson, class of '05