My year abroad has not exactly gone to plan. At the start of my third year, I was still studying both Russian and Chinese. A few days before I headed off to Orion, back in August, my grandpa sadly passed away, which made it even harder to leave. It also meant that I had to miss his funeral (although I was able to speak to the vicar before I left, and he kindly said a few words on my behalf). While I was away, I came to the decision that I no longer wanted to study Chinese. This was due to a variety of reasons, including the fact that I was the only one at my uni studying this course, which led to ridiculous timetabling problems, and the courses really just don’t mix. I am happy that I made that decision, although it meant that I had to rethink the second part of my year abroad (originally, I would have been studying at my university’s campus in Ningbo, which is near Shanghai).
As a result of my grandpa’s death, my mum became very ill, and had to stay in hospital for five weeks. When I returned from Orion, (still undecided about where to spend the next part of my year abroad) and discovered this, I put off my return to Russia for a long time to be there while my mum is recovering. I also visited my friends at uni, and it made me really miss it – I’m looking forward to heading back in September.
I applied in January to study at the Enjoy Russian school in Petrozavodsk (which basically everyone hasn’t heard of). I chose this place because the course looked okay, they let you do some volunteering, and it was cheaper than other options. I should be going in March. However, after worrying about many things to do with it, including being in a random town in Russia on my own, the 7 hour train journey that would have been waiting for me once I arrived, and the fact that because it was in the middle of nowhere, my family couldn’t visit, I spoke to my dad, and have since applied to be an Editorial Assistant in St Petersburg with Liden & Denz, starting in May. I’m happier, not only because I am interested in editing and writing blogs (part of the job description!), but also because Lois will be in St Petersburg for a bit when I am there, my family will hopefully be able to visit me, and my uncle is coming to St Petersburg on exchange for two weeks while I am out there. Not only that, but with the new dates of my travels, I won’t miss Easter, Mother’s Day, or my sister’s birthday, and I will be back just in time to see my best friend before she leaves for Canada for the year!
So fingers crossed this all works out, third time lucky and all!
Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone else’s year abroad’s are panning out a bit better than mine….
Update: I got the place, but had to put it back for 2 weeks due to visa issues. But I am leaving on the 12th May!
