Over the summer, 14 students traveled to Russia as part of an­international study tour for an unforgettable glimpse into the country’s history,­culture and nature.

Professor Michelle DenBeste, chair of the history department, led the trip as the­group visited numerous historical sites and landmarks. However, for DenBeste, it’s a­familiar trip into the foreign land.

“When I first made the trip in 1990, communism was falling apart, but by the next year­things were a mess with the change in government,” DenBeste said. “Now I usually­go once every couple years and things get consistently better. The streets are­prettier. The economy is better, which is why I could finally start bringing students.”

However, with recent developments in Ukraine, the planning and organization of the­trip was problematic.

“It was mayhem,” DenBeste said. “Three people ended up­dropping out of the trip. I had to call friends in Russia to see if everything was fine.­And everything was fine. We had no problems.”

The transition from the U.S. to Russia was difficult, yet exciting for the­students. Senior James Hernandez, a history major, said he was­tentative at first, but eventually loved his time there.

“It was a bit of a culture shock for most of us. It took a while getting used to,” Hernandez­said. “But I ended up loving the place.”

Upon arriving, one aspect of the trip DenBeste noted was Russia’s “overwhelmingly­beautiful” infrastructure and terrain.

“We had a run-on joke with all of us saying, ‘Oh look, more gold,’ because­everything was covered in gold,” DenBeste said.

While initially being greeted at times by anti-American sentiment from citizens in­bars or the metro, the students still had a chance to interact and befriend many of­the country’s people.

“I got a chance to spend time with two women at Kirov Park and just being away­from the city and just being around local people, they were so nice,” Hernandez said. ­“I was really taken aback. I didn’t want to leave at that point. Every time you turn­around, it’s something new. It was mind-blowing.”

“One thing I’ve learned about Russians, even if they say they hate Americans­maybe on a global scale, when you’re right there in front of them, it’s not the same. They­treat you like a person,” DenBeste said.

“It’s the random cultural encounters they’ll remember most,” she said.