Program and Location:
Summer, American Councils Russian Immersion and Area Studies Program; Tallinn, Estonia
Major/Minor:
History Major, and Russian Studies Minor
Why did you choose to study abroad?
I choose to study abroad to help further my Russian language skills and to experience being immersed in a different culture. I took several semesters of Russian language classes at NCSU and so applying for an intensive immersion program felt like the next big step on my journey. I had also never lived in a foreign country for such a long period of time before and wanted to challenge myself and live in a country quite different from my own.
What did you learn about yourself?
The most important thing I learned about myself is that I am capable of much more than I ever could have imagined. The classes in my program were tough for sure, but that difficulty was what I needed to break down the mental barriers that had prevented me from seeing how far I could progress. From the beginning of my program to its end, eight weeks later, I went from barely being able to speak in Russian to being able to have complex conversations with native speakers entirely in Russian.
What was one of your favorite parts of your program?
I think one of my favorite parts of my program was the down time we had after class. Those moments when we were free to explore the city at our leisure. One of my fondest memories from Tallinn was wandering around town seeing what cool and interesting things I could find in a city known for having the best-preserved medieval town in all of Europe. A coffee shop built out of an old monastery, apartments built inside castles, or even sprawling underground tunnels turned into a museum dedicated to the city’s history. I found taking the time to appreciate the history and culture of my new home base immensely rewarding.
What advice do you have to future study abroad students?
My best advice for future study abroad students would be to seize any and all opportunities that come up. Studying abroad is a great time to explore not only a new region, but new interests and avenues as well. Some of the most rewarding experiences I had abroad weren’t on any itinerary, but instead, spur of the moment decisions that led me to meet fascinating people and have interesting conversations.
How did your study abroad experience prepare you for your future career?
I hope to work internationally in my future career, so studying abroad greatly helped me in understanding and learning how to tackle the unique challenges of living overseas. Homesickness comes to mind as one such issue, but also more direct issues such as trying to order bus tickets or otherwise communicate across a language barrier. Learning how to tackle these challenges and not only survive, but thrive, in these situations will be essential to my future career and I’m happy to say that my experiences in Estonia helped me greatly in preparing for that.
Would you do it again?
Absolutely!
