Some travelers scoff at the thought of spending less than three days at one destination because they want the “full cultural experience.” Yet, most people only have about ten days of vacation annually. It’d be tragic if they spent that entire time in one city, trying to...
Whenever I thought about “must-see” cities in Europe, Tallinn never came to mind. Due to its close proximity to Saint Petersburg, where I was studying abroad, and only a short ferry from Helsinki, where I had spent the previous day, Tallinn seemed like a natural stop on this...
As my semester in Russia approached its final weeks, our group set off for a long weekend. The first stop was one day in Helsinki, a short train ride from Saint Petersburg. We arrived in the evening and rushed to Vapiano for dinner. I loved introducing my friends to one of my favorite...
Kazan is one of the most popular stops on the Trans-Siberian Railway so, although I didn’t have two weeks available to ride the train, I knew I wanted to visit Kazan. I rode in a bumpy sleeper train for 22 hours from Volgograd to the city of Kazan. Along the way, I met a local...
“Is it true,” asked my Russian cabin mate on the 22-hour train ride from Volgograd to Kazan, “that Americans believe they won the war?“ I already knew the sad answer. American schools teach our participation in the war and not much about Russia in WWII...
“Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for the wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jack or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of pearls or pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting...
My expectations before my first time in Moscow were low. Would it only be Soviet-style buildings and melancholy designs? But, after exiting the Leningradsky Vokzal, the train station with trains to and from Saint Petersburg, Moscow immediately proved me wrong. Moscow is like New York City...
Packing is difficult for me. It stresses me out. I either put it off until last-minute or pack weeks in advance, leaving me weeks to overthink every single item. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a Russia packing guide. In preparation for four months in Russia, I packed and...
The guide to Saint Petersburg I read before moving to the city did not prepare me for life in this city. Palaces dressed in soft hues with swirling ornaments transported me to a time of royalty. My eye for the Russian Empire’s splendor diminished as I crossed yet another canal via a...
During the Spring 2017 academic semester, I studied abroad in Saint Petersburg, Russia with AIFS. I was nervous to study with a program I knew little about, so today I’m sharing my AIFS review of their Saint Petersburg program so you feel more at ease. Cost and Inclusions One...