Studying abroad during university is memorable and extraordinary. For the past two summers, I had the opportunity to study in Nantes, France and Moscow, Russia, respectively and it has been life-changing. Most programs go off without a hitch and the biggest problem a student will worry about is a lost passport, an annoying roommate, or a stomach bug. Contrarily, occasionally more serious incidents do occur.
The summer after my sophomore year, I studied French language and culture in Nantes, France. It was the best summer of my life. I lived in an amazing apartment overlooking the river with the most wonderful host family. My proficiency and confidence in the French language skyrocketed as I spoke with my host family, the locals, and my professors. The two months felt like an escape from the not-so-pleasant reality that I left in the United States. During the last few weeks of my trip, I even considered taking a job as an au pair for a family in Nantes so that I could stay for a while longer. When I returned to the US, I was one of those people who would never stop raving about my adventures in France. I encouraged all my friends to study abroad so that they, too could experience the best months of their lives.
This summer, my study abroad adventures led me to Moscow, Russia. As a Russian major, I could not wait to achieve the same amount of progress as I had in France the summer before. My teachers and family warned me that the culture in Russia is quite different from what I had experienced in France, but I was not worried. In fact, I was excited to prove them wrong and have another flawless adventure abroad. The trip started with exciting trips to Red Square, the Kremlin, and even the FIFA World Cup final match. I studied at Moscow State University where the kids in my class were from countries all over the world including Korea, Japan, Scotland, and Great Britain. We all quickly became close friends and I felt settled into the program.
From the first day of class, we were warned that our professor was “interesting” and “strange.” In the first two weeks, I let several sexist and inappropriate comments slide. Unfortunately, none of us predicted the nightmare that would ensue. One afternoon, we went to our teacher’s house for a luncheon where he became too intoxicated and physically assaulted me and the two other girls in my class. Thankfully, none of us were physically injured but my world was completely shaken up. In the following days, I spoke to representatives from Pitt and from Moscow State University. I told the story in Russian and in English over and over again but it still didn’t feel real. I hit my breaking point and shut down; I just wanted to lay in my bed and sleep.
A week after the incident, I made the decision to not let the incident with my professor ruin my entire experience. Here is how I overcame a horrible experience 7,800 kilometers from home:
1. Keep your routine
I didn’t want to wake up in the morning. I didn’t want to run. I didn’t want to eat. The best piece of advice I received was to go about my daily routine as normal. Even if I didn’t want to run, I needed to try. A few days after the incident, I dragged myself out of bed and ran. I channeled all of my feelings and energy into finishing and not only did I run my fastest 5K ever, I also felt calm, composed, and practically normal. Additionally, I made sure that I ate at least two meals a day and participated in all activities with the kids in my program.
2. Create distractions
The night of the incident, my friends took me out to dinner (noodles, of course, because they make everything better) and then we went to the Museum of Soviet Arcade Games. Even though I wasn’t in the mood to have fun, I ended up having a really nice time and my mind was focused on something other than feeling sad or anxious.
3. Talk to people
Literally anyone. I would sit in the park and talk to people about their dogs or ask a babushka at the market what her favorite thing to cook was. At times it felt forced, but I was always glad that I wasn’t alone. Pitt also sent me the contact information for the counseling center crisis line and Title IX office, both of which are always available to Pitt students, even from across the world.
4. Treat yourself
This is always a good idea, but it is especially important to give yourself some extra love when going through something negative and stressful. I treated myself with desserts. I finished each day with something sweet as a small celebration for making it through another day.
5. Remember where you are
My biggest motivation to get back on track was remembering that I was in Moscow—one of the oldest and most amazing cities in the world. My roommate and I made a list together of everything that we wanted to do before we left and I realized that I needed to get out of bed and start exploring again! My love of traveling pushed me to keep the incident in perspective and not let it ruin my time abroad.
Studying abroad in a foreign country is difficult enough as it is. As fun and meaningful as it can be, crazy things can happen. If they do, take care of yourself and do what you need to do for you to feel better. Bon voyage!