So, I’ve been behind in passing on my experiences in Russia, so I thought I’d pass one on that is pretty representative of what’s been going on lately. The following story is the first and worst story I have from Russia, but it’s a pretty good one.
We’ve been traveling for 24 hours. Six students from Rhodes have gone from Memphis, to a 7 hour layover in Cincinnati, to Paris, then to St. Petersburg. Our professor is already in Russia getting everything prepared for us, so we’re travelling alone. We’ve managed to survive the ordeal of switching airlines in Paris to Air Russia. It was pretty difficult getting our tickets when none of the women working the ticket counters could speak Russian, and 96% of the flight were native Russians. Yet another glorious hour and a half in line.
But through all of that, we’ve made it to Russia. RUSSIA! We eagerly step off the airplane. We are the only foreigners, so we fill out our declaration/passport forms while everyone else speeds through passport control. We finally all get through and into baggage claim… but there’s no baggage… and no passengers. So we wait 15 minutes… No bags.
OK. Not a problem. We’ll just get some assistance, no big deal. Oh… customer service is closed. Wait, does anyone know the word for “luggage”? I knew the word for ”bags”, but apparently (as I found out later) my form of the word related more to sandwich bags than to luggage. So we scramble between us to figure out how to explain to security that we have lost our luggage. We walk to the security checkpoint to attempt communication with two women, because they looked less ominous than the 6′2″ man with the pistol. We kindly go up and ask very politely in Russian, “Excuse me…”, and we are greeted with “No.” And the woman gets up and walks away.
Our first half an hour in Russia, and we can’t even find someone to listen to us. Luckily the other woman was far more patient and managed to understand some of our situation. And even more luckily, our professor got through security to check on us, and with her native Russian connections, managed to help us get our luggage situation sorted out. We didn’t get the luggage for another 3 days, but for getting lost in Paris, I’m just glad we got them at all.
It was definitely the worst experience of the trip, and luckily, it was just at the beginning. A little discomforting, but so exhilarating! All of our expectations of the country, the people, everything were totally turned upside down. And it was awesome.
And now that I’m back on campus, moved into my HUGE dorm room, I can’t help but scream, “FINALLY!!!” And yet, as I arrive, the laws of the campus, just like the laws of the customs officers in Russia, change your expectations. The friends are even more precious and missed now that I’m with them. Suddenly, I’m switching from working in the International Studies office to being an Admissions Intern. That’s different!! Within the last 24 hours I’ve switched my life plan from a life of complete academia to law. LAW?! Well, it makes sense, and I can change the world a little more efficiently if I can help write the laws that will do it.
But I just stepped on campus! I haven’t even gone to class, I’ve just barely started work, the Cross Country hasn’t even arrived for our first team meeting. And my life is going in a totally different direction. My priorities have totally flip-flopped. How is this possible?!
It’s Rhodes. When you talk to people, get advice, hear hints, listen to stories, you get a different picture. You’re pushed. My professors expect a lot. My friends get involved in everything. I’m motivated. What can I do? What could be better? Is this the right idea? I need to be open. I need to challenge my concept of law, of work, of getting sleep. It’s not unique to Rhodes to have your college experience change how you think. It’s different at Rhodes, because you think higher than what you did before. Your view of the world changes, and it’s a vastly more informed view. Your expectations jump to that of your professors, if not higher. Your exhaustion limit is pushed up to that friend of yours that always drinks coffee.
It’s the laws of campus. Don’t step onto it if you don’t want to get a kick, risk the fall, and then jump.
But I’ve got classes to get into first. I’ve got a team to run with again!!! FINALLY!! After months of running alone, I’ve got the team back, and we march to qualifying for Nationals again. And nothing like the Olympics to get us motivated (hope you’re watching the Track & Field awesomeness).
Get back to campus Rhodes!! I need my meal plan to start up again…
No comments yet.