AASEI in collaboration with its Russian non-profit partner, ADONIS, is offering a unique cross-cultural environmental summer program in St. Petersburg, Russia and in two Russian Nature Reserves and one National Park: 1) Nizhnesvirsky Reserve (on the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga), 2) Laplandsky Reserve (north of St. Petersburg on the Kola Peninsula and above the Arctic Circle), and 3) Vodlozersky National Park (NW Karelia, south of the White Sea).

American and Russian university students will have a unique opportunity to study and better understand cross-cultural differences. The four-week program will also include an in-depth experience at two Russian Nature Reserves (Zapovedniks) and one national park to introduce the students to the present system of environmental protection in Russia.

Both American and Russian students will participate in an initial 2-day cross-cultural training program in St. Petersburg. This program will include an introduction to Conflictology, a Russian counterpart to conflict resolution studies. Following the training and several days of sightseeing they will go into the field and view the contrasts between metropolitan St. Petersburg and the wilderness of Northwestern Russia at two Reserves. Russian scientists at the Reserves will assist the students in better understanding Russian culture, the Russian approach to environmental protection and its differences from other systems. Training will be done both in English and Russian during the St. Petersburg part of the program. However, most interactions with Reserve staff will be in Russian only.

Program Objectives:

• provide cross-cultural opportunities for American and Russian students interested in preparing for careers in science and environmental education;
• gain a basic understanding of Conflictology and the Russian system of environmental protection;
• assist Reserve ranger staff with work projects;
• increase international awareness of the Russian environment and Reserve system.

Further inquiries to:

Stephanie Hitztaler
Acting Exec. Director, AASEI
E-mail: shitztal@umich.edu
Tel: (734) 761-9463

or contact:

AASEI
150 Coleman Road
Middletown, CT 06457
Tel: (860) 346-2967
Fax: (860) 347-8459
E-mail: wwasch@wesleyan.edu

More Information About the AASEI Summer Program from Past Participants

What is considered really necessary to bring vs. what was provided by the reserves?

Beds, linen, and towels were provided for all from the zapovednik. Clean drinking water is readily available everywhere except St. Petersburg, where it is easy to purchase bottled water. It is possible to purchase insect repellants in Russia rather than toting them in your luggage (be sure to purchase insect repellant before going to the zapovednik though).

Participants ought to bring from home hiking boots (preferably waterproof), rain gear, mosquito netting, sunblock, a decent pocketknife, a variety of small, inexpensive gifts for the myriad Russians that will be encountered, a swimsuit, and a mix of both cool and warm light clothing that can be hand-washed and dried relatively easily, ample reading material for the extended periods of free time, a decent set of evening clothing and shoes for St. Petersburg.

Quotes from Past Participants
About the program in general: The AASEI program in Russia was challenging, exhilarating, and full of impact. I gained a great deal out of this program, the majority of which I did not expect to.

The program was an unforgettable educational experience that I hope continues for many more years.

*******
I have had some incredible times and memories to look back on. Though I don’t know when my next visit to Russia will be, I will always remember [this visit] and I hope that someday I will be able to come back.

*******
The AASEI program gave me an opportunity to really get to know my Russian peers and understand what life for a Russian young person is like. In fact, I managed to build stronger relationships with the Russian people that I spent time with on the AASEI program than with the Russians I lived with in Moscow for three months. The program’s wilderness setting is conducive to forming close friendships, even in a short amount of time, and these friendships with Russians gave me a deeper view into the Russian people. The camaraderie between the members of last year’s group was wonderful. I also valued the opportunity the program gave us to visit the Russian reserves and meet the people who have made their lives out of working in them. Many of the places we visited were indescribably beautiful.

*******
This is such a great program, and I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to experience first-hand two of the great Russian reserves. So few people are offered this kind of opportunity, and I feel as though this program has certainly lived up to my expectations. Our leaders at each reserve were good, enthusiastic, intelligent people - eager to share their knowledge with us. I want to spread the word to my friends studying Russian at home - this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

*******
The summer internship couldn’t have been more suited to my interests. I came with the intentions to not only learn and understand more about Russian nature reserves and national parks, but also to learn to speak about nature, animals, forests, bogs, trees, berries, mushrooms, etc. in Russian.

It took Andre and I three days before we realized our interests, academic and otherwise, were so closely related. From that point on our conversations pushed each other to think of what the term sustainable development means to Russia, the United States and Eastern Europe. We talked of local ecological initiatives that came close to our definitions of sustainable and are now planning a joint research project between professors and students in each of our universities.

________________________________________________________________________
About the program at Vodlozersky National Park: The most dear activity for me was ending each day at a campfire - singing songs and recapping the day’s positives and negatives. It was also a great pleasure to see our group become an inherent part of the children’s routine: one of us would play the flute (Scandinavian) at the campfire each night, another made Frisbee a must-sport activity, and I showed everyone how to do several different knots for bracelet making.

One lasting thought - the people and places along the way have been incredible - this experience has left me speechless and most importantly, with a desire to go back!

*******
Spending time at one national park (Vodlozersky) and one zapovednik (Laplandsky) allowed me to notice, and discuss with others, the less blatant differences between these two ways of nature protection and conservation in Russia. Learning beside children between the ages of 8 and 16 at the Nature Camp at Vodlozersky provided me with a truly engaging and worthwhile learning experience.

*******