However, when you’re in a totally new environment, you have to start from scratch. It takes a little while to get comfortable and learn how relationships are different than at home. However, the little victories always bring me joy, like learning how to buy stamps to mail postcards or finding a store that sells good peanut butter. (Did you know that peanut butter is a specifically American food? People in other countries don’t really eat it like we do.)
I hope that you all have enjoyed reading about my experiences in Russia. Since I’ve been here four times already, sometimes I forget what it was like my first time when everything was totally new and unfamiliar. However, writing to you has encouraged me to step back and remember. I’ve loved having the chance to think critically about what makes Russia special for me, and why I became interested in Russian culture in the first place.
Hearing about my unique (and sometimes odd) experiences, I hope that one day you’ll consider studying or traveling abroad. There are many scholarship programs for high school students! I know high school probably sounds like it’s a million years away, but keep your ears and your mind open! If you study hard in school, there are scholarships to help you travel and study abroad. That’s how I first started studying Russian -- and it’s definitely changed my life in more ways than I can count! I wish you the best of luck with the end of your school year and a really fun and exciting winter break!
