Written by Sophie Boelk, Summer 2024 and Academic Year 2024-2025 FLAS Fellow for advanced Russian. Sophie is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree with a dual major in Russian and French.

Ever since I was in high school, I knew I wanted to study abroad while in college. Studying foreign languages and cultures has been my passion for several years, and I have wanted to apply my language skills to the real world for a long time. Finally, this summer I had the opportunity to study abroad on the American Councils RLASP program in Almaty, Kazakhstan. While I initially wanted to study abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia and was later unable to due to the war in Ukraine, I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this program. Almaty is a very beautiful city and there are plenty of fun activities to do there. I went on a few hikes in the nearby Tien-Shan mountains and explored lots of beautiful national parks not far from the city.

The academic aspect of this program was very intense but left me with plenty of free time to explore the country and do fun activities with the rest of my cohort. This program helped me develop my language skills, particularly speaking and pronunciation, while giving me the chance to explore a new country. My Russian improved significantly after this program, especially my listening comprehension and speaking skills. I found that it was much easier to hold conversations in Russian and understand native speakers after completing this program.

I had many valuable experiences while studying abroad. Most importantly, I lived with a host family and had the chance to see how locals lived daily. I was able to try authentically prepared local foods and experience local culture on a more personal level. While I was in Almaty, I paid attention to how locals behaved and dressed and tried to imitate those behaviors to fit in better. Even after I returned to the U.S., I still maintained some of the lifestyle choices I had in Kazakhstan, simply because I enjoyed them. I also gained a new taste in fashion!

During our program we also went on several excursions to various attractions in the Almaty area, and one three-day excursion to the capital city, Astana. Our group took an overnight passenger train to and from Astana, which was a completely new experience for me. One of our excursions was to a local bazaar, and there I had the opportunity to see how locals sometimes buy food and clothes, and how they negotiate prices with local vendors. Overall, the excursions that this program offered were both enjoyable and gave us insight into the local culture.

This trip was my first experience abroad, and as someone who enjoys traveling, I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity. I was very fortunate to have received funding from the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) summer fellowship, as well as a scholarship from the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures. These scholarships gave me the chance to travel without worrying about the financial costs involved, and I encourage you to apply for them if you qualify! American Councils also offered several scholarships, especially for disadvantaged students. Don’t believe that you are unable to study abroad for financial reasons - there are plenty of opportunities to receive funding for your dream trip overseas.

Studying abroad won’t only strengthen your academic skills but will also provide you with an unforgettable life experience and new perspective of the world. By studying in Kazakhstan, I had the opportunity to learn about a different culture that isn’t well-represented in the West, as well as develop a new perspective of my home culture. I encourage everyone to study abroad if they are able, even if this experience doesn’t directly connect with your major. By traveling to a different part of the world, you will gain experience in interacting with people from another culture, which is extremely important in our increasingly globalized world.

Applications for summer 2025 and academic year 2025-26 FLAS funding will open November 1, 2024. To learn more about this opportunity, click the link below.

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