Final(s) Week

The church in Peterhof -- similar to Spilled Blood.

Finals are OVER. наконец! However, this week has been increasingly bittersweet. Staying inside while there was so much to do (and such beautiful weather again) was frustrating, but studying was extremely important as well. I’ll review some of the things that I got to do last weekend and the activities of my last week in SPb.

Last Saturday was a group excursion to Peterhof. This place was gaudy, beautiful, glistening, and underwhelming all at the same time. The grounds were gorgeous and right by the Gulf of Finland -- so there was a fantastic rocky beach to wander along. We got there just in time for the “opening” of the fountains for that day (the actual festival of fountains was on May Day, or the Day of Workers’ Solidarity). Most of the fountains had the typical Tsarskoe Selo-esque gold motif -- I say underwhelming (for the main fountains) because I always expected the fountain to be spectacular… and although it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen, it didn’t feel as special as I thought it would. Still, it was wonderful being in such a lively and scenic town.

We learned a lot about Peter the Great’s antics when creating Peterhof. He enjoyed trick fountains quite a bit, and as a result has traps set about the grounds, designed to make the guests get wet (and to see ladies’ underwear). It must have gotten old, pretending to be surprised year after year for Peter the Great, but I’m sure the children of the nobility enjoyed it. Many of the fountains had superstitions or quirky stories surrounding them:

One of the many gorgeous houses on the grounds.

Large fountain in front of the palace.

I’ve basically been studying the entire week, except for yesterday, which was when I got to finally breath and relax. I’ve been finishing up some last tasks, like going to the Naval Museum, Zoological Museum, Commander's House at Peter and Paul Fortress, going inside St. Isaac's, buying presents for family and friends back home, and....

Conquering the Hermitage. 


Yes, I've been inside and explored every gallery open for visitors. So much for it taking 20 years to get through! Ура! What makes things even more exciting is that as volunteers for the museum, we get to go up a tower to the Archaeology department.

As for other events, the group took a river cruise, and went to a Russian restaurant with folk dancing. It has been bittersweet, and -- quite frankly -- heartbreaking these last few days. I've never been so sad to leave a place; I've finally gotten to know city and made wonderful friends. I don't want to leave at all -- just as finals are over and I can relax, we have to depart. I have had the most wonderful experience of my life here.

I hope that this will just be a short farewell to St. Petersburg, and most importantly, to Russia. In general, studying abroad has been enlightening and exhilarating -- I'm already dreaming about the next time I get to travel and study abroad.

The entire group is leaving tomorrow morning, and then we'll arrive in London once more. At this point, I will join my mother (who is in London as we speak!) to go to Spain and France for about 10 days. Going to see other parts of Europe is exciting, but I still feel like I'm leaving a piece of my heart and soul in Россия.