For Worldwide Week, students share stories of life-changing trips abroad
Before traveling to Russia over the summer, Sasha Shpitalnik ’19 feared that something might go wrong with her senior thesis research on nongovernmental organizations there, or with the trip in general. But it didn’t. After more than 100 interviews, lots of connections, and plenty of sightseeing in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk, Shpitalnik realized the trip had enhanced her research and changed her outlook on life. “I was scared, but I had to force myself to push through and explore the unknown,” said Shpitalnik, a government and Slavic languages and literatures concentrator. “I spent many hours in Gorky Park thinking about my place in Russia and in the world. All the things I learned about myself in Russia will stay with me forever. They have shaped the way I see myself in the world.” Shpitalnik was one of 12 students who spoke Monday evening during Destination: World, which helped kick off Worldwide...