Clara Giorgis ‘21 (Russian and International Studies) has just returned from spending the fall 2019 abroad on the Dickinson-in-Moscow program. Towards the end of the fall semester, Clara told us a bit about her experiences as an exchange student in Moscow.
- What was your favorite course in Moscow?
While all of the courses in Moscow have been amazing, I would have to say my favorite was “Language of Mass Media.” In this course, we learned vocabulary and grammar through newspaper articles and television programs. I love how I’ve been able to put what I’ve learned here to use in my research for other classes and how this class has helped me gain a better idea of current events from the Russian perspective.
- What was your favorite experience studying abroad?
I would have to say my favorite experience was living in Moscow. As the most populous city in Russia, there is always something interesting and exciting happening! The amazing metro system also makes it so easy to get around and explore the entire city – on days when we don’t have early classes, my friends and I will visit museums or walk around one of Moscow’s many parks. And even though the city has over 12 million people, I will still would often run into my friends from university just walking around!
- What has been the most challenging part of study abroad?
One of the most challenging parts of the program for me was dealing with the uncertainty of classes and the university structure as a whole. While at Dickinson, we know our classes and schedule ahead of time, here in Moscow we didn’t have a consistent class schedule until the end of September. Additionally, our program excursions and trips were sometimes announced on short notice and, as someone who likes to plan ahead, this was difficult for me to adjust to – however I always enjoyed the outcome!
- What would you say to students considering studying abroad on the Dickinson-in-Moscow program?
Go for it! Studying abroad has been such a rewarding experience and I am so glad that I had this opportunity. Living and studying in Moscow has improved my language skills immensely and also helped me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things.
