First Day in St. Petersburg

With three days left, we gathered our luggage to depart the hotel in Novgorod. With only 32 days of sunshine a year in St. Petersburg, the clear blue sky that greeted us was considered lucky beyond belief. Our three hour drive to the city known as the Window to the West opened our eyes to the beautiful wonders Russia has to offer. Although enchanted by the birch trees and wildflowers along the way, our eyes were opened to the vast economic gap in Russian society when we passed the homes of the less fortunate. Alumni delegates shared their memories of previous low income communities they have seen in South Africa and China with the new ambassadors. As we entered the city, which Russians call the brain of the country, we were filled with eagerness and anticipation.
Before we arrived in St. Petersburg, we had no concrete perception of the city’s true splendor. When we finally entered the colorful city, full of new construction and transportation, we realized the lively metropolitan atmosphere. Lunch at the Stolichnyi Restaurant stayed true to our typical meals containing bread, tomatoes, cabbage, meat, and sour cream. After lunch, we headed to the summer palace built by Peter the Great in Peterhof, where we received a VIP tour of the grounds. The tour consisted not only of gardens, but also the underground water systems which supply the 150 fountains and 5 cascades that characterize this paradise. The Greek and Roman influence found throughout the art and architecture, combined with the bright yellow façade of the palace, typical of Russian buildings, left us in awe. At this picturesque haven, we learned of Peter the Great’s infamous sense of humor when we became drenched by different surprise fountains. At the conclusion of our tour, we were taken to enjoy tea and coffee, as well as other refreshments such as ice cream and delicious blueberry crumb cake. Instead of taking a bus back to the hotel in St. Petersburg, located across the street from the Gulf of Finland, we had the opportunity to take a hydrofoil (high-speed ferry).
As we got off the boat and loaded the bus for a short ride to the hotel through the heart of the city, we were all happy to enjoy a leisurely dinner and relax with each other. As our day concluded with a group (programming) meeting, we reflected upon our new perspective of this fairytale city, experiencing the aspects of Russian society, such as how their traffic lights have visual timers and their White Nights have helped to keep the excitement alive, while we learn about the unique Russian culture. As we continue our journey, leaving the cities we have cherished and the wonderful people we have met, we can only hope that our futures will be filled with such unimaginable and beautiful friendships once more.

Written by: Raine Dalton and Caitlin Rudin