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During his semester, Lourie went on an excursion to Georgia, which borders Russia.��Although he has been studying International Affairs and Russian at CU-Boulder for over two years, Benjamin Lourie knew he wanted to take his learning to the next level. After being accepted into the CIEE Russia: St. Petersburg Russian Language program and receiving a Global Grant scholarship from IAFS, Lourie packed his bags to spend his spring 2015 semester in Russia. Here is a glimpse into Lourie’s time in Russia, written during his time abroad:

Здравствуйте from Russia!

By living abroad, I have found it is important to have a routine, otherwise you simply become overwhelmed between classes and extracurricular activities. I’ve made new Russian friends this month as well. With having a routine and local friends, it feels like I actually live here rather than simply being a guest. This feeling of being more than just a guest has been especially rewarding as I try to observe the culture and daily life of Russia.

At the same time, every day has a new experience in store for me, and I hardly have enough time to do everything I want to do. As a volunteer, I lead conversation classes for Russian students improving their English. I went to a concert at St. Petersburg State �Թ��� in honor of Russian composer Prokofiev. I’ve visited museums, one which houses some of the most famous works of painters such as Repin, Aivazovsky, and others. I also have fascinating conversations with people regarding the cultural comparisons of Russia and the United States.

Recently, I have been filled with thoughts of how this experience will impact my future. Sometime after graduation, I would like to come back to Russia and pursue an international career or further my education. Either way, I am confident my semester in Russia will enhance my language skills and understanding of Russia in a way that wouldn’t have been achievable without being here in person.