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UAHuntsville student recipient of Fulbright award to study in Russia

UAHuntsville student Kyra Gordon is about to experience the proverbial "needle in a haystack" existence when she leaves the U.S. later this summer for parts unknown in Russia.

Gordon, who will graduate on Sunday, May 11 with an undergraduate degree in Foreign Language and International Trade (FLIT) and a Russian major in language, was recently awarded a prestigious Fulbright Teaching Assistantship to Russia. This will be the third time Gordon has visited the country. She is methodically planning a career in foreign affairs and international security.

For two months, from June 1 to August 1, Gordon will attend Nizh-Novgorod State University for intensive language training. "I will be perfecting my Russian and conversational language skills," she said.

Those two months she’s sure about, and that’s good. It’s the next year or so that’s a little iffy.

Fulbright grantees to the Russian program have been notified that they will be placed with host families in regional cities, outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. "I am a little nervous about where I might be placed," Gordon said. "Moscow and St. Petersburg have a European flair, but I am quite sure I will be placed in a small Russian town where day-to-day living may not be so easy….there will be some hardships."

When pressed for an example of any inconveniences she might encounter, besides extreme weather conditions, Gordon said, "The same vessel I use to wash dishes might also serve as my bathtub! Some provinces in Russia only have hot water six months out of the year. Although communism ended in 1991, there is still a lot of poverty in Russia.

"What you have to understand about Russia is it is not a quick culture," Gordon pointed out. "For instance, it might take most of the day traveling by bus just to mail a letter….a task here in the United States that may take us 15 minutes max. You most definitely have to have a pioneering spirit to visit the country–especially if you stay outside of the larger, developed cities," she said.

Academically, Gordon said she is more than prepared for her stay in Russia. "My FLIT and political science professors and classes did an excellent job of getting me ready for this assistantship. Having the Russian program here was a great learning experience."

And, on a personal level, Gordon is ready too. "My parents have really supported my decision to continue my studies abroad and my future career goals. They are more at ease because I’ve traveled to the country before on mission trips. I will get to come home for Christmas and they will visit me at least once. So, hopefully I won’t be too homesick."

The Fulbright Program is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, and university teaching worldwide. The Fulbright Program is supported by the U.S. Department of State.