By Katherine Gibson (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: January 15, 2014
Feeling down about the dreary winter weather? Why not look forward to travelling and exploring St. Petersburg this summer instead?
Organized by UFV’s History Department, this trip will give students, faculty, and community members alike the unique chance to take part in St. Petersburg Polytechnical University’s 2014 summer program “St. Petersburg in Wars and Revolutions.”
St. Petersburg is well known for its unique culture, a fact UFV History professor and trip co-ordinator Larissa Horne believes will make this destination the perfect place for participants to get their feet wet and become better acquainted with Russia.
“It’s a city that pays great attention to education and travel and languages. It’s very cosmopolitan and, of course, it’s filled with art masterpieces and artifacts,” Horne explains. “They call [the city] a museum under the open skies.”
Beyond foreign exploration and the opportunity to experience academic learning in a different country, Horne hopes that this program will help students see beyond the stereotypes that surround Russia.
“It will open their world views tremendously. They will be able to appreciate the importance of Russia in today’s world,” she continues. “There are so many biases and misconceptions that exist both ways, exaggerating overly negative things and overly positive things. Travelling to destinations, like Russia, that are always in the news is important — that way [participants] can create their own impression of the place.”
The trip gives participants the option to choose between two different travel options: one that includes the summer course and travel time in Russia, and another that only encompasses travel. Due to the differing structures and the fact that this program is individually funded by participants, Horne explains that the pricing will vary depending on which option people choose. The cost is between $3000 and $4000.
For Horne, this trip is about more than just travelling abroad. It’s about sharing a piece of magic with those who decide to go; a fact she hopes translates into each student’s experience should they choose to go this summer.
“I’ve done this [trip] before with a very small group of people from UFV and before we went on our first trip I said, ‘get ready, you’ll find some magic in St. Petersburg,’” Horne says. “I would like everybody to experience [a] day where they can say, ‘I have experienced something special.’”
