I know I have been putting this blog off for a while, but I am finished procrastinating, and here is my final entry.

I strongly recommend that you study abroad if you are trying to learn a foreign language. Even though I was frustrated at times throughout my time in Russia, my language skills greatly improved. Going abroad also allowed me to experience life in another country for 4 months, where I got a chance to see how regular Russians in St Petersburg live their lives. Even though I spent time with other American students, I was able to learn and experience Russian culture.

Studying Abroad in Russia was a difficult decision for me, but I am very glad that I chose to go. For starters, I was a little worried about traveling internationally, since I had no prior experience to living abroad. When I first got to Russia, I was pretty nervous about speaking Russian, but people were able to understand me for the most part, and I was able to improve.

Like most other college students, I was a bit hesitant on studying abroad because I was concerned about graduating on time. My program at Drexel is pretty intense with a ton of required classes and prerequisites but not too many electives, so I didn’t want to go abroad if that would jeopardize me from graduating on time. However, even after a semester abroad, I am still on pace to graduate on time. I think I might have to pick up an extra class next semester, but that small inconvenience is definitely worth the price of studying abroad.

After spending a semester as a foreigner in a different country, I have a lot more respect for international students studying here. It takes a lot of courage to go to a place with a new language and different culture. Before going to Russia, I had no idea what it was like living in a strange environment with a different language. Now I understand that people from other countries have their own way of doing things.

If you decide to go abroad, I suggest that you see as much of the country as possible, because your time there will be very limited. Before I went to Russia, I thought 4 months was a long time and that I would have plenty of time to see everything, but time flies. I was able to see a lot of attractions in Russia, but there is a lot more that I would have liked to see. If safety and language ability permit, do some traveling by yourself; that way you will be able to see things that you are interested without having to worry about everyone else in your group.

Right now, I am not sure what I am going to be doing with my new Russian skills. This term my schedule is pretty full, and I wasn’t able to take any Russian classes. I am hoping that I will be motivated enough to keep practicing Russian so I don’t lose what I gained. After I graduate, I will definitely try to find a job where I can still speak Russian. A lot of large international companies, as well as some government agencies, are interested in graduates with some proficiency in a foreign language.

Thank you very much for reading my blog, and I hoped you enjoyed my anecdotes from Russia. I had an enjoyable time writing my entries, and it gave me a unique opportunity to document my experiences in Russia. If you are interested in studying abroad in Russia, I think that you should look into it. You may hear all these crazy stories and stereotypes about Russia, but I think it would be better to travel there and come back with your own. You’ll find living in Russia more fun and most likely more accurate.

-Ed Dolphin