What could possess someone to go to Russia? Most students looking to study abroad choose an exotic location with gorgeous beaches and sunny weather. I, however, chose a frozen tundra where the sun barely shines and passersby seldom crack a smile. I know this is true, because I’ve been once before. So the better question is: why would I ever return?
No doubt Russia has its peculiarities. For one, toilet paper is a commodity. Sometimes, instead of one roll per stall, there will be one communal roll at the bathroom entrance, and you have to predict exactly how much you’ll need. Trust me, lads and gals, it’s a quite stressful task, particularly for the eco-conscious.
Another idiosyncrasy is Russia’s color scheme. Sometimes, literally everything is gray: the buildings, land, and sky. One time, I felt motion sickness on a bus and tried to fixate my eyes on a single distant object- but all the grayness blurred into a dizzying mess until… Anyway, on a lighter note, we would often challenge our friends to guess what setting our camera was on, since you often couldn’t tell by sight whether a picture was originally taken in color or black and white.
It’s no surprise that my study abroad plans are often met with wide eyes, consternation, and the occasional Communist allegation. But there’s a whole world of history, art, language, and culture that I can’t wait to join. I’ve dipped my toes in it once already, but it’s time for a polar bear dive.
