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Bianca (left) with fellow CLS student Kristie Moore at a Dungan Mosque in the city of Karakol.
Bianca Visekruna is an alumna of the 2022 CLS Russian program hosted by American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Bianca is a senior at Portland State University’s School of Business Honors College majoring in Management and Leadership with a certificate in Entrepreneurship. Bianca aspires to work in project management or consulting in the fashion industry using her language and cultural savvy to contribute to international business and fashion.
Why Russian?
Throughout my adolescence, I was most often best friends with people from Russian families. Coming from a Slavic household, I felt the most seen and understood by other Slavic people and their families. When I discovered NSLI-Y my senior year of high school, I did not hesitate to apply to Russian. Not only is the culture so familiar to me, but with my native tongue (Bosnian) already being so similar to Russian, I felt like I had no excuse not to learn the language.
Friendships Sweeter than Honey
One of my favorite memories from Kyrgyzstan has to be our cohort’s trip to Issyk Kul. We stayed in a couple of towns surrounding the giant lake and spent the weekend swimming, visiting cultural landmarks, and stocking up on souvenirs and gifts for friends and family back home. Admiring the passing landscape through our tour bus windows, playing games to pass the time, and buying up a tiny village’s supply of fresh honey, were some of my favorite bonding moments with my cohort. This trip not only made me fall even more in love with Kyrgyzstan and all of its natural beauty, but it made me realize how cohesive and close our cohort had become over the course of the program. I’m so deeply grateful for the relationships I built on program, especially with my fellow Americans.
Connecting to Central Asia & Eastern Europe
Russian culture isn’t limited to just Russia the country; this language and culture are intertwined with that of a dozen Central Asian and Eastern European countries. Being able to speak Russian allowed me to connect with Central Asian people and their culture on a level much deeper than if I had just stuck to using English. Knowing Russian opens up a whole world of travel. Before CLS, I didn’t realize how often Russian would come in handy when traveling. If you want to explore countries that are rich with culture, history, gorgeous landscapes, and delicious food, it doesn’t hurt to pick up some Russian.
