AIESEC Overseas to Russia
This was my second trip to go overseas under AIESEC programs. I joined as a volunteer in one of AIESEC exchanging programs which was Global Youth Ambassador Program. I chose the project from AIESEC Rostov-On-Don, Russian Federation. Then there it was my journey to go to Russia by AIESEC. I was there the day after final exams of 3rd semester and during my flight I had transit in Istanbul, Turkey. I didn’t want to miss my cwhance to enter Turkey hence I paid 45 USD for Visa on Arrival.
I traveled to Sultanahmet Meydani and Topkapi Palace before I continued my journey to Rostov-On-Don. When I arrived in Rostov-On-Don International Airport I had my first cultural shock because most Russian people always put on their fierce face as their habit.
At that time when I wanted to exchange my money from USD to Russian Rubles, I thought the clerk was angry with me but I found that when they met strangers whether they liked them or not they would keep still put on that face expression. The second obstacle that I had to face was that I needed to wait for almost 7 hours until one of Aiesecer picked me up in the airport. Previously, they said there would be one girl who would pick me up at 8 A.M. meanwhile I already arrived in Rostov at 6: 30 A.M... I was very exhausted because at that time was fasting month and also I was also running out of phone battery and I couldn’t find any free electricity sources.
I tried to use my power bank and also my laptop as the main resource of my battery. Finally I arrived at my small apartment and I lived with my new friends from Slovakia and Columbia. After 3 days stay in Rostov city the other 8 others volunteers and I went to Taganrog city and our camp was located in Romushka near Lomakin if I am not mistaken. Our main duty was teaching kids from 6-17 years old and fortunately my group was from 6-8 so they were so cute.
I met 8 new friends to become one group of volunteers. They were Estonian, Slovakian, Turkish, Rumanian, Czech Republican, and also Chinese. We were really close as if we were a new family back. We were laughing together, doing the projects together, hanging out around Taganrog together. Our next obstacle was that some of us couldn’t speak Russian language but just a little and some of us didn’t understand at all. The last obstacle that I felt was when I became the last volunteer in that camp.
I felt like an alien in Russia. All of my friends were already on their vacations and one of them already went back to her country for continuing her college education. I decided to leave Russia earlier, actually my flight was on 6 September but I bought the new one on the 1st of September. On that date I went to Turkey for vacation and I spent my last week in Turkey to travel around Istanbul. After that I went back to Indonesia