In the adventure of a lifetime, I, along with senior journalism majors Alex Keller, Virginia Wyckoff and Jeremy Collins traveled to Moscow in order to report on the 2018 FIFA World Cup as foreign correspondents of Kennesaw State.
The excursion, which took us over 5,000 miles away from the U.S., came with many firsts. It was the first time some have been out the country and the first that any have ever visited Russia. It is the first time that KSU has sent its students to an international sporting event for a study abroad trip. Most importantly, it was the first time that I have ever truly felt American.
From visiting the Kremlin to viewing Lenin’s mausoleum, I have lived a truly rememberable experience in Moscow. However, I feel that cultural experiences alone were just as invaluable.
As a visiting American, I found myself in an environment that I was not accustomed to. I struggled with apparent language barriers that largely affected my way of commuting and conducting business with Russian nationals.
I can’t recall how many times my meal was not to my appealing but was forced to remain quiet, for pointing does not help in this matter. Small customs such as refraining from putting rubles in the hands of cashiers were hard to transition to, and it didn’t make it any easier that many Russians naturally did not think very highly of foreigners.
Oddly enough, I can very humbly say that I felt safer in the capital of Russia than I have ever in the US. Despite their often-portrayed image in American media, Russians are very friendly people. From our hosts at Grint University to the thousands of football fans and a small group of former exchange students at KSU, I could not have found value in my trip without them.
As a future journalist, I found myself learning more than I ever would in a place where my journalistic efforts were supposed to be diminished. I tackled the fear of podcasting and was forced to work under intense deadlines, turning in stories shortly after games would end. However, I’ll never forget the smiles of all the proud nationalities in attendance, making my journalistic efforts well worth it.
“It was a lot more work than I expected it to be, but ask any professional journalist, that’s just the job,” Wyckoff said. “You’re always on the go looking for new stories.
“This experience gave me a true look into the profession I’m pursuing,” she continued. “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to cover a world event at such a young age, representing a great university. It will be a talking point for years to come and an advantage in the competitive job market!”
If I had any overall advice, I’d recommend that everyone study abroad, for true resilience and a full view of life can ultimately be achieved upon stepping out your borders — literally and figuratively.
