Through My Eyes, In My Words:

The New Russia and the Old: Russia and Latvia

Taught by Vera Brusentsev, visiting assistant professor of economics and business, and Valeria Sajez, visiting part-time instructor in foreign languages and literatures

Todd Palo of Newtown, Conn., is a history and government & law major. In addition to studying in abroad during interim session, he was one of about 200 students who had an unusual opportunity to explore career fields by serving externships with Lafayette alumni and other experienced professionals. He shadowed the director of the national security studies and analysis program at Arete Associates, Arlington, Va., a firm that provides solutions to technical problems faced by U.S. military and intelligence organizations. He is student representative to the Trustees' Committee on External Affairs. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, he is president of Intra-Fraternity Council.

My interim trip to Russia and Latvia was undoubtedly one of the most eye-opening and provocative experiences of my life. I had not traveled out of the country much before our trip, and the experience opened my eyes to a culture in a way that does not even compare to what one may gather by reading history or literature.

The trip took us to a number of historic sites including St. Basil's Cathedral, historic Red Square, and the world famous Hermitage, but we also ventured off the beaten path to more remote attractions, such as the estate of Leo Tolstoy and the apartment of literary great Dostoevsky. However, the most interesting and rewarding aspects of the trip for me were the relationships that I developed with several Russian people.

There was one young woman that a group of my peers and I met in an Italian restaurant. Her name was Gala, and she immediately came into our good graces due to her proficient English speaking skills. Often the language barrier proved to be difficult when ordering food in Russia, so when Gala waited on us in the restaurant speaking proper English, four non Russian-speaking tourists took it as a welcomed luxury. However, Gala not only made our meal run more smoothly, she proved to be just as informative as any of our tour guides.

We learned that, in addition to waiting on tables, Gala worked as an English professor at a local university. Yet despite her advanced education she was making only a flat wage of one hundred dollars a month as a teacher. Gala went on to tell us about her poor living conditions and some of the corruption in the society, but most important, she stressed how she was trying to leave Russia. In hanging out with her over the following couple days she told us many times how she had attempted to get a visa to the United States, but the Russian Consulate would not allow it, for fear of her not returning.

Thus if nothing else I acquired a firm understanding of why Russia fears and is suffering a so-called "brain drain." The trip showed me that the country has a lot to offer, but for some young, educated people like Gala, Russia was a place where her potential was restricted. When we left St. Petersburg, Gala saw us off, with tears in her eyes. Not necessarily because she was sad to see us go, but I believe it was because she could not come with us. My peers and I definitely felt for her - we were leaving to return to America the land of opportunity, and she was subject to being a prisoner of her own country. This experience is one of many that made my trip Russia especially beneficial and enlightening.