If you were to ask me how long I’ve wanted to visit Russia, I’m not sure I could give an accurate answer. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t dream of setting foot in the former USSR. To tell the truth, I still can’t quite believe that in under twelve hours from the time this entry is published, I’ll be riding in an airplane bound for St. Petersburg. But perhaps first some sort of introduction is in order.
My name is Michael Mattia. I was told that, when it came to wanting to visit the Russian Federation, I was somewhat of a peculiar case. And I can understand why – I have no relatives in Russia, nor am I Russian by descent. My intended major, Veterinary and Biomedical Science, doesn’t have any overlap with Russian history or language. I am not sure why I’m so captivated by Russian culture and history. But I am, I always was, and I’m sure I always will be.
My Russian is limited. The language was not offered in my high school and my major has no language requirement. All the Russian that I presently know was self-taught over the course of the last three years. I hope that the Russian Area Studies programme with CIEE (through St. Petersburg State University) is going to give me a more appreciable grasp of Russian (I of course can’t expect fluency given my limited background). But, without question, I’m going to St. Petersburg for far more than solely a chance to learn more Russian.
I want to walk across Palace Square, the ground that was home to a revolution that changed not just the history of a single country, but the history of the entire world. I want to walk down the Nevsky Prospect, the setting of countless pieces of Russian literature. I want to witness the ‘white nights’ of St. Petersburg for myself, to see if they are as magical Dostoevsky described them. I want to hear and sing the old imperial-era folk tunes and Soviet songs alike, and stand beneath the statue of Lenin at Moskovskaya Station.
And now I can finally say that I don’t just WANT to do all of these things; I instead, after years of waiting, will finally make some of those wants a tangible reality.
I invite you to follow along with me as I explore the world behind what once was called the Iron Curtain. You never know what might become your new historical and cultural interest.
And to my friends and family back home, remember that my departure is not “goodbye” – it‘s only “do svidaniya.“
Location: Freehold, New Jersey, United States of America
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