What happens on an CGCS visit to Russia?

A typical CGCS visit to Russia is approximately 10 days in length. Faculty and graduate students often choose to fly together and a strong spirit of collegiality develops even as they meet at the airport.

After a direct flight from Seattle to Moscow , CGCS representatives are met by their Moscow hosts. Hotel accommodation in Moscow , such as the Hotel Academischskaya, is simple yet comfortable.

One purpose of the stay in Moscow includes involvement in educational programs and conferences with institutions such as Moscow State Pedagogical University, the International Center for Human Values, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, the Russian Academy of Education, Moscow State University, the University of the Russian Academy of Education, or the Institute for Social Science Research.

In addition to the delegation from SPU, these conferences include distinguished Russian scholars who are also invited to present papers and host round table discussions within the parameters of the conference's theme. These conferences have consistently been an enjoyable time of sharing ideas, learning, and fellowship.

While in Moscow, a cultural itinerary is also prepared for the representatives of CGCS. This includes tours and site visits of popular tourist attractions such as:

• The Kremlin and Red Square
• Bolshoi Ballet
• Pushkin Museum
• Christ the Savior Cathedral
• Tolstoy's Moscow residence
• Novidevichy Monastery
• Sergei Passat (the ancient seat of the Orthodox Church)
• GUM Department Store
• Ismailovsky Market
• Moscow Circus
• New Tretyakov Gallery

Opportunities to visit local schools and orphanages have also been arranged.

The CGCS delegation often participates in a second conference elsewhere in the Russian Federation, such as St. Petersburg, Kursk, or Shuya. Of course, opportunities for sightseeing take place in these cities, too. For example, visits in St. Petersburg included the Hermitage, the summer palace, and St. Isaac's Cathedral.

Insofar as the Russian experience will be enriched to the extent that participants bring some knowledge of Russia and Russian culture with them, participants are encouraged to do some prior reading in preparation for the trip. Useful examples include:

• history books
• tourist guides
• the Moscow Times
• useful on-line museum guides
• a Chekhov or Gogol short story
• the historical novel Russka by E. Rutherford