I went to St. Petersburg, Russia for 5 months from September 2021 to January 2022 as an
exchange student.
I wanted to make some memories, so I bought a Gopro to shoot video before coming to
Russia.
Looking back, I once again feel that studying abroad changed my life.
I hope that by sharing some particularly memorable scenes here, I can convey the appeal of
studying abroad to as many people as possible.
No.1
Finally, departure for Russia!
Arrived at the dorm after a 12-hour flight!
Departure to Russia at last! After three flights in one day from Kansai International Airport to Haneda, Haneda to Moscow, and Moscow to St. Petersburg, we finally arrived at the dormitory, but it was an unbelievable place. Our hearts were suddenly...
No.2
St.Petersburg Day 2!
Since there is nothing in the dormitory, I had to take the train to buy daily
necessities!
You know, I arrive at the dormitory, but there is nothing there. There was really nothing. Toilet paper, forks, spoons, chopsticks, paper cups, plates, etc... There was really nothing, so we decided to take the subway to the daily necessities store! We were excited to see the subway in St. Petersburg, which is the most accelerated and super deep in the world after a long time!
No.3
Meet up with friends Sasha and Lisa!
Explore the city with these girls!
Meet Sasha who became good friends during a short-term training program in 2019 and
her friend Lisa in St.Petersburg
Together we will go to a fashionable shopping center and explore the city on foot!
No.4
Finally meet Anya for the first time in 2020 after
meeting her through an online app!
Walk the streets and get an invitation to her villa for the night!
In 2020, when there was nothing to do at home during the pandemic, I decided to study English and met Anya for the first time through Hello Talk, an app that allows you to interact with foreigners! After walking around the city, she invited me to her villa and to my surprise, I got to stay there for one night!
No.5
Youtuber Adilya is coming to visit me! See the bridges of St. Petersburg on a cruise ship at night!
Adilya, a Youtuber and promoter of cultural exchange between Russia and Japan, is coming to St. Petersburg! We will meet for the first time at the airport and then explore the city! At night we will take a cruise ship to see the famous bridges of St. Petersburg!
No.6
Watch Jazz with Sasha!
My love jazz! Sasha took me there! We go to see a jazz session together! There's a crowd of people there, Cool barman.
No.7
Cycling with her friends near Anya's villa!
Anya invited me back to her villa! I'm going cycling with her and her friends! Me cycling in the mountains for the first time in my life! Physics teacher swimming naked in the river!
No.8
Walking my favorite place in St. Petersburg!
My favorite place, the bridge over the Neva River. It is very long and the sunset from here is really romantic. I just kept walking with my GoPro in my hand.
No.9
Bowling the ball with our buddies! Entering a very fulfilling college life!
I decided to go bowling with my local student buddies! I invited an Indian student I met at the dorm and we all decided to go bowling together! It was the most fun!
No.10
Hermitage Museum Square at night. Very beautiful and romantic
The Hermitage Museum is one of the three major museums in the world. I walked alone, at night, to the museum square. This place is really beautiful, romantic, and open.... I can't help but be impressed.
No.11
Twilight. Another walk around the Hermitage Museum.
I've been tired lately from classes. I often walk outside every day to refresh myself. It refreshes my mind and body.
No.12
Going to a ramen restaurant with a Russian friend who can speak Japanese!
I go to a ramen shop made in St. Petersburg with Leela, who is fluent in Japanese, whom she met through Anya's introduction! There, to my surprise, she starts making art...! At night we walk near the Malinsky Theater!
No.13
Host an Italian party with classmates you have become friends with!
An Italian party with my multinational friends from my Intercultural communication class! We gathered at one of my classmates' house and two Italians made pasta for us! This is the first time in my life that pasta is made by Italians. Italians are the strictest people in the world when it comes to pasta. That's why the way they make it is so wonderful.
No.14
Ivan, whom I met at the 2020 training program, is coming to visit St.! We will explore the city together!
I met Ivan when I went to one of the universities in Moscow for Winter School 2020. It was a truly fateful meeting with him. I had only been with him for 10 seconds and to my surprise, he decided to come visit me in St. Petersburg! And he invited me to his house in Moscow for New Year's Eve!
No.15
To the Botanical Garden with all my classmates! I am truly fascinated by the richness of nature in this place.
The Botanical Garden is located in the center of St. Petersburg. I went to the Botanical Garden with a group I became friends with in the same class. It was really majestic, and there were all kinds of plants... Actually, it was my first time to go to a botanical garden.
No.16
Neva River Cruise with all exchange students!
Neva River Cruise Tour with all exchange students! Russian buddy and exchange students rent a cruise together and explore the city of St. Petersburg!
No.17
Preparing Japanese dishes such as Onigiri and Okonomiyaki for a Japanese party with Russian friends!
What a surprise, they want me to hold a Japan party here in Russia. I will be the leader and lead my Russian friends to cook Japanese dishes such as onigiri, okonomiyaki, miso soup, etc. together and introduce about Japan! I was thrilled and excited to present in English in front of a large group of people for the first time!
No.18
Petit trip to Lake Ladoga, about 3 hours from town!
Go to Lake Ladoga, a 3-hour train ride from St. Petersburg! Walking adventures around the lake with classmates I have become friends with! Meet new people and discover interesting things!
No.19
Ride in a horse-drawn carriage for the first time in my life with Roma, a boy you befriended at a Japanese language club! I feel like Cinderella!
Roma and I were walking down the street and we came upon the Hermitage Museum. There was a carriage there, so we decided to ride together! And we went around the square of the Hermitage Museum! I felt like Cinderella!
No.20
Go to the outskirts of St. Petersburg to see an orchestra band!
The orchestra will be playing my favorite music of Lalaland, Harry Potter, etc. I
reserved a seat in the middle of the SS area of the venue and went to see it by
myself!
I knew I couldn't live without music!
No.21
Go to Andy Warhol Exhibition!
Andy Warhol Exhibition in St. Petersburg! I decided to go on foot with my buddy Vitalina! St. Petersburg is truly a "city of art," which is why it feels so glamorous just to walk around.
No.22
Join the Halloween party at the campground!
A Halloween event was held by a university club at a campsite run by the university and located an hour by bus from St. Petersburg! I was the only international student, and all the other students were Russians. I made friends from scratch, and eventually ended up enjoying the event as a group!
No.23
Rent one room at the university with my friends at 10 pm and just play the piano!
When I am stressed or tired, I play piano. It's the only time I can relax amidst the mix of classes, communication, events, romance and many other things.
No.24
Another day at the piano. I played Queen today!
I guess I'm just tired of everything these days. I feel like it.
No.25
Beauty Salon in Russia! On the way home, Max, who became friends with her at the Buddy Club, gives her a tour around his house!
I went to a hair salon in Russia for the first time in my life! I was nervous at first, but I'm glad I got my ideal haircut! On the way home, Max, who accompanied me to the salon, showed me around his neighborhood! We just keep walking!
No.26
A walk alone. Watching a very beautiful sunset.
Walking to my university! Anyway, St. Petersburg is a really beautiful city that I never get tired of no matter how much I walk around.
No.27
A Buddy Club event! Rent out the campground and have BBQ and quests for everyone!
Buddy Club, a group of international students and their Russian buddies, decided to rent out a campsite and hold a two-day and one-night event! Quests during the day, BBQ and dancing at night! The log house is very comfortable!
No.28
Travel alone for 4 hours to the Siberian city of Omsk!
To Siberia, which I had only seen in history textbooks! I was nervous, but managed to board the plane safely and depart for the city of Siberia!
No.29
Arrival in Omsk! Lisa's father picks me up! Lunch with Lisa's brother Alex in Omsk!
Siberia for the first time in my life. Today's temperature is -14 degrees Celsius. Incredibly cold. But it's not as cold as I thought! We ate pizza and walked on the frozen river. My Gopro froze on the way and went down.
No.30
I'm going to make ceramics for the first time in my life at Omsk! I'm going to make ceramics at Lisa's mother's pottery class!
First time doing ceramics in my life! I am very excited and nervous! Will I be able to make a good plate?
No.31
Walking alone in Omsk. Cold. Arrive home safely and dinner at a restaurant for the evening!
Walking alone in Omsk. Cold. Arriving her home safely, I walk the streets of Omsk alone. It takes about 15 minutes from where I am staying to Lisa's house. It is very exciting to walk in Siberia. And dinner at night!
No.32
Walking in the center of Omsk! The weather is so nice today! In the evening, I ask Alex to make me a logo T-shirt!
I decided to take a walk in the center of Omsk! After a quick visit to a Japanese language school as a Japanese teacher, I go to Alex's house to have T-shirts made!
No.33
Skating after a long time! Skating on ice together!
Omsk is -20°C. So the ice won't melt! So today I walked from my house to the nearby skating rink!
No.34
Departure to Kazan! Going to see Adilya!
Departure to Kazan, where I have been since 2020! I'm used to flying alone now! And after 3 hours, I arrive safely and meet Adilya!
No.35
Meet Adilya's friend Sasha for the first time in a year! And at night, I stroll around the city with Aisle, whom I met at a bookstore!
Another day, another new adventure! We meet up with Sasha, a friend of Adilya's! And in the evening, I meet up again with Aisle, who I met a year ago at a bookstore!
No.36
Started filming a movie! I had to wear a costume and act in -1℃.
This is the first time in my life that we have shot a movie. I participated in a project organized by Adilya, and I acted as the main character, a wanderer from Japan. The time period is the 18th century.
No.37
Return from Kazan to St. Petersburg. Great view today.
The project was successfully completed and I decided to return from Kazan to St. Petersburg. The scenery outside today is amazingly beautiful...
No.38
Christmas is almost here! Classmates who became good friends in class will reunite! Christmas party with everyone!
The members who became friends in the same class reunite and today they all decide to have a Christmas party together! This time it's our turn! We decided to make onigiri (rice balls) again!
No.39
We went to the Malinsky Theatre. We decided to see the opera "La Traviata"!
Today, Lisa and her friends decided to invite me to the Marinsky Theater! I was able to enter without incident, having tested negative for coronavirus! The inside of the theater is very, very luxurious. I'm already amazed.
No.40
I'm going to a Christmas market with my classmates! Very romantic!
The time is almost Christmas! Breathing in the romantic air, we visit a Christmas market in St. Petersburg. Christmas market in St. Petersburg!
No.41
Christmas Party!
Christmas party with my group members! Reporting each other's life updates!
No.42
Once again, the Buddy Club takes you to a winter campground! Too much fun at the club and your glasses break.
A club of buddies and international students rented out a campground, this time in the middle of winter! Everyone enjoyed the quests, lots of wine, and dancing at night ... but the glasses ...
No.43
Flying to Moscow! I’m going to visit Ivan's house!
Finally, the school semester is over and it's winter break! Ivan invited me to his house, so I decided to go to Moscow! And we explore the city with him!
No.44
Meet Alexi, who came to my college in 2019! We went to the aquarium together, saw a rocket, and talked about grad school!
I meet Alexy in Moscow after 2 years! He is a doctor at a graduate school in Moscow. We talked about rocketry and went to the aquarium together! It was a lot of fun!
No.45
I'm going to visit Dasha at her house! And we will sing a chorus together for the first time in a long time!
Dasha met in Russia in 2020 and in Japan in 2021. And finally we meet again in Moscow. And I visited her house and play the piano and sing together!
No.46
Skate with Veronika, whom you met online, at the largest skating rink in Russia! I'm used to skating already!
We enjoy skating on an incredibly large skating rink. After skating so many times, I'm used to it! It feels great!
No.47
Japan is now 2022! At that time, we will take a walk on illumination!
Veronika and her sister, Kseniya, and I decided to take a look around at the illuminations. The city of Moscow is really not tiring, no matter how much you walk around! Finally, New Year's Eve, 2022 in 6 hours!
No.48
Happy New Year! It's 2022 in Russia! We celebrate the New Year 4 times due to the time difference!
I were able to safely spend New Year's Eve at Ivan's house! The year is 2022. It's a traditional Russian way of celebrating, and I'm totally integrated into the culture!
No.49
Going to the Republic of Karelia with Nicole, an exchange student from Taiwan! I was astonished by the too beautiful winter scenery. And hypothermia.
4 hours by bus from St. Petersburg. Karelia Republic. It is further up, so the temperature is surprisingly cold and my hands begin to freeze. But the scenery was majestic and very beautiful.
No.50
This is the video from the dorm to the station!
From the dormitory where I lived for 5 months, I headed to the train station every day to go to college. A record of that journey to the station!
No.51
Longed for! Walking on the frozen Neva River!
The winter I have been longing for has arrived, all the river water is ice, and we are walking on the Neva River! Really beautiful snowy scenery. Beautiful sunset. What a beautiful city.
No.52
Take the train to Pushkin!
30 minutes by train from St. Petersburg. I headed for the small town of Pushkin. There, I found Yekaterina Palace, a place with a slightly different retro architecture, and a very historical atmosphere.
No.53
Walking around St. Petersburg. See the Isaac Cathedral.
I have only a few days left before I return home. So, as a way to make memories, I'm just going to walk around the city of St. Petersburg.
No.54
To Vyborg! Running north by train! A policeman stops me and my heart starts to race.
Another solo trip! This time, I arrived in Vyborg! This is another beautiful town with a very historical feel. But it is incredibly cold now. I was stopped by a policeman at the exit of the train, which made me a little nervous. I responded in Russian.
No.55
Return from Moscow to St. Petersburg on the finest sleeper train in Russia. A very luxurious first sleeper train in my life!
A sleeper train named Krasnaya Stylo (red arrow). Each car has its own station attendant, and each of these women takes care of its passengers. I was tired from my graduate school visit, so I went to sleep there for the night.
No.56
Farewell party. Finally time to say goodbye. This member is the best. Thank you.
It is almost homecoming day. Some of them have already returned home. In the midst of all this, I also had to say goodbye to class members who had become good friends. A farewell party was held for everyone.
No.57
One night before the day of my return, I had a party with a group of good friends at the end of the day! We drank wine, played with cats...but I had food poisoning and a high fever.
The salmon I ate on the sleeper train was a hit and I had diarrhea the whole time. But at the last party, we drank wine and shared our impressions! It was a very nice last day.
No.58
To return home. From St. Petersburg to Helsinki Airport in Finland, and from there to Kansai.
Study abroad finally came to an end. At the end, I took the best airplane and headed back home while enjoying the sky.
No.59
Started living in isolation in Japan. Enjoys hotel isolation life unique to the Corona Disaster.
A valuable experience that can only be had now. I was confined in a very small hotel for a number of days.
Special Edition
Moscow at the moment of January 1.
After New Year's Eve with Ivan, I decided to go to the center of Moscow by myself. There, I see many people drinking alcohol. The next day I meet Veronika and we celebrate New Year's Eve with each other.
Special Edition
Winter school in Kazan in 2020
In 2020, it will be my second time in Russia. To Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, located in the middle of Russia, for winter school.
Special Edition
Winter school in Moscow in 2020
After Kazan, we went go to Moscow. In Moscow, we had free time to visit the Valentina Tereshkova Museum and meet a Youtuber!
