Shortly before graduating from Harvard University, I received the John Huston Finley Fellowship from the House that I live in, Eliot House, to pursue a year of meaningful travel, and “provide an interval of exploration and experience, which might not otherwise be possible.” Of course I am incredibly excited about this change of events, and am honored to be chosen by Eliot House to receive this Fellowship.
While I contemplated many different directions in which to take my proposal, the path that seemed most fitting for the next year would bring together my academic interest in Slavic Studies and the Russian Language, my personal connection and involvement with Eastern Orthodoxy, and my work in organizing Youth Activities for the Russian Orthodox youth community.
My project is a trip to help bring Orthodox Youth Groups together, country to country, coast to coast. This will consist of year-long travel throughout Russia and Ukraine to meet with Orthodox youth groups at universities and parishes. I hope to share with these groups the experiences of their compatriots in America, and our struggle to preserve the language, culture, religion and customs handed down to them by parents and grandparents. From them, I would hope to learn about the difficulties they face in carrying their religion, culture, and customs through various societal influences and legacies, as well as what role these traditions play in their lives today. While my ambassadorship would be a temporary one, my goal would to help establish permanent links between youth groups in America with youth groups in the countries I visit.
Right now, I am in the midst of planning the trip, and hope to be working and talking with all of you to help prepare me for the journey. If I will be presenting to groups there about the experience of Orthodox youth in America, I need your input! I will be sending out an official questionnaire, but talking in person or over the phone would be a great way for me to get your input on Orthodoxy, Russia, or any ideas you might have for the trip. If you have any contacts of relatives, friends, organizations, foundations, churches, monasteries, companies, anything that you think might be able to help me in some way to make this year as productive and beneficial as possible, please don’t hesitate to tell me, I need all the help I can get!
I hope to be able to keep this blog updated with video, audio and pictures throughout the course of the year, so you’ll be able to see where I am at all times, and so that you can participate in the trip along with me!
I want to thank you all in advance for all your help and feedback. Without a doubt, I will need a lot of prayers and support in order to get through the year in one piece and come home safe and sound. I truly feel unworthy of such a great and unique opportunity, and hope that with all of your support behind me, and with God’s help, this will be a successful, and safe trip!
