The group

Left Ryan Detwiler, Front-center me, Back center Cody Baker, Right- Dr. Razran

The group of people that went with me in the Fall of 2008' were English professor Dr. Razran (born in St petersburg) and M.U. students Cody Baker and Ryan Detwiler.

packing oh what fun

When you plan a trip here’s some advice on what to bring, and the stuff to leave home. It’s important to keep in mind that you’ll be charged an extra fee if you go over the airports baggage/baggage weight limit.
The carry-on bag.
Shampoo, soap other toiletries no more than 3oz size containers either, and make sure to put them into a quart sized sandwich bag. If the liquid/toiletry doesn’t fit into the bag it will probably be confiscated.
• Batteries
• Electronics
• Book
• Medications
• Valuables such as money, and your passport
• One change of clothes in case luggage is delayed.
Suitcase
Pack light if possible, a lot of places in Europe don’t always have the luxuries that we’re used to, i.e. elevators, ramps etc. If you want lift it, lighten the load.
• What to bring:
• Tank tops (layering)
• Underwear
• Clothes
• One dressy outfit
• Pair of walking shoes.
• Electrical transformer and adapter. Most outlets in Europe are 240 volts; your hairdryer will melt like an ice-cream cone if you don’t pick one up. You can get them at radio shack or Wal-Mart. Also get matching outlet adapter too. Different places have different outlet shapes.

Stuff to avoid
• Laptops- unless it’s a business trip you probably won’t need this. There are internet cafes everywhere, and it’s less weight to lug around. (Research your destination first before adhering to this suggestion)
• The 10,000 pairs of shoes
• Fluffy- leave the pets at home if possible.
• Anything that is valuable, such as wedding rings, heirlooms etc
• Anything flammable, corrosive, or something that can be considered a weapon

Reactions from family and friends.

I spent the next eight months planning for my trip. One thing I found interesting were the mixed messages that I received from family and friends. The messages ranged anywhere from the simple question of “why Russia?” and “you’re crazy,” to “you’re crazy not to go.” My father was supportive, as were my boyfriend who I got back with in May of 2008, and a small number of friends and relatives.
The rest of the bunch? Well, they had a lot of misconceptions about the country, such as that it was still communist, that Russians hate Americans, that the Russian mafia was going to kill me, all they drink is vodka, its cold etc. Russia hasn’t been communist since the 1990’s, and someone with half a brain will know that most of the misconceptions that the world has of our country are mostly painted by politicians and the media.
If you get past all of that, it’s easy to realize that people are just people and that no matter where you live life is the same as it would be anywhere else. And where I was located in southern Russia was about the same temperature that it was here in August, only drier. It did turn colder in October, but ironically I didn’t see a single flake of snow.
Another issue that my family was concerned with at the time was the conflict in Georgia one month before I was scheduled to leave. Since our government is an ally of Georgia, my family was afraid that as an American I would face hostilities. This is a more legitimate concern, but again that didn’t happen. I was asked on my thoughts but that was about it.
Besides the stereotypes, I also experienced friction with family members on my decision to go abroad for a semester. Such things as “It’s not practical,” “It’s a waste of money” to “You won’t graduate/graduate on time.” Au contraire, I am graduating, and I am still graduating in May 2010 as originally scheduled. I didn’t know if that would be the case at the time, but I was still willing to take the risk.
Seek advice from those who are older and wiser, but be sure it is advice that will be useful. Don’t let people tell you that you’re foolish or cannot do something. Most of the time when they tell you this, it’s based on envy or fear of the unknown. I faced a lot of adversity on my decision, but despite the list of reasons and protests, I pursued my plans.

ahh the preparations

One month after I signed up for the trip to Russia for that fall I began the necessary and tedious preparation process. This included getting my passport, which basically meant going to the post office and getting a photo taken that was attached to the paper work. I also had to get a physical, check the online for travel advisories and stuff on recommended immunizations, the immunizations I got were typhoid, Hepatitis A and tetanus. Needless to say my insurance didn’t cover the procedure, and I wound up with two sore, swollen arms and $200 poorer. For the visa, a physical and HIV test were also required, which sucked because I’m not a fan of needles or blood. The visa paper work cost around $100. I was able to get a scholarship through the university to cover the difference.

Introduction

If you had asked me in my freshman year at Mansfield University what my plans were for my college career, going to Russia wouldn’t have been in the equation. It is almost serendipitous as to how the initial idea was planted. It all started with communications professor, Dr. Chuck Hoy. He came into the multi-media room where I work in January of 2008 because he needed some help with faulty video links. The video clips and photos sparked my interest, so I went to his informational meeting and signed up.
I think that the underlying causes that drove me to do this once the initial seed was planted were that I wanted change. I had been going through a rough time with breakup with my boyfriend in December of 2007, and the death of a close friend the previous year. I was at a point in my life where the timing was right for something big. I had never been off the Eastern seaboard, let alone out of the country. I also had no knowledge of the Russian language, culture, or anything else. I’m usually one who is very cautious and well-informed when making choices. This was the first time in my life that I was taking a “ride by the seat of my pants” approach, and the adventure turned out to be much more than I had anticipated.