From Texas to Russia: a Life-Changing Experience Abroad

After months of hard work in school, most Houston teens were eager to spend their summers lounging poolside or hanging out with friends. However, Duchesne Academy junior Julia Powell did not head to the beach this summer. Instead, she traveled 6,000 miles away from home to a foreign country with an unfamiliar language. 

This summer, Julia went to Kirov, a small city in western Russia. She earned this incredible opportunity by applying to and being selected for the Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth program. Julia aspires to work in foreign affairs and by immersing herself in the Russian language and culture, she has gained valuable experience. 

In Kirov, Julia spent hours every day studying Russian, and her skills advanced considerably. After the six-week program, she could speak Russian at an intermediate level. In a blog post published on July 11, Julia wrote, “Our classes are challenging (to say the least) but I am really enjoying my time here.” In addition to the classes, Julia and her peers explored Kirov. They visited museums and historical buildings, enjoyed an afternoon at a Russian amusement park, and interacted with Russian teens. 

Julia wrote that visiting ancient Russian churches was a “typical Wednesday afternoon in Киров [Kirov].” Surrounded by rich Russian culture and history, she came to truly love Russia, which she described as “so wondrously beautiful and complex.” After studying Russian for three weeks, Julia moved to stay with a Russian host family for another three weeks. She had two host sisters, and she stills keeps in touch with them today. The younger sister, 11-year-old Маша [Masha], spoke very little English, so Julia had the opportunity to practice speaking Russian with a native speaker.

Julia says that living with a host family “was the moment when [she] felt like an active member of the community, not just an American student.” In fact, being immersed in the Russian culture was her favorite part of the experience. Recounting the time that she learned traditional Russian songs, Julia says, “It was always an amazing experience because knowing how to sing songs with such historical and cultural significance puts you directly into the culture and history of Russia.”

Julia returned to Houston with a deeper understanding of the Russian language, a newfound love for Russian culture, and some remarkable stories to share with her friends and family. 

See Julia's blog here.