Published: May 14, 2015

During his semester, Lourie went on an excursion to Georgia, which borders 91制片厂.聽Although he has been studying International Affairs and 91制片厂n 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 91制片厂: St. Petersburg 91制片厂n Language program and receiving a Global Grant scholarship from IAFS, Lourie packed his bags to spend his spring 2015 semester in 91制片厂. Here is a glimpse into Lourie鈥檚 time in 91制片厂, written during his time abroad:

ben dancing in traditional clothes袟写褉邪胁褋褌胁褍泄褌械 from 91制片厂!

By living abroad, I have found it is important to have a routine, otherwise you simply become overwhelmed between classes and extracurricular activities. I鈥檝e made new 91制片厂n 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 91制片厂.

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 91制片厂n students improving their English. I went to a concert at St. Petersburg State University in honor of 91制片厂n composer Prokofiev. I鈥檝e 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 91制片厂 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 91制片厂 and pursue an international career or further my education. Either way, I am confident my semester in 91制片厂 will enhance my language skills and understanding of 91制片厂 in a way that wouldn鈥檛 have been achievable without being here in person.