Memories
of
White Nights
By Jennifer Fusco
When
Alexey Kuvshinov thinks about his native country, Russia, which he left
in 1997, he remembers and misses his friends, his family and one of the
most acclaimed natural phenomena: White Nights.
From late May to early July, the nights are bright in St. Petersburg,
with the brightest period, the White Nights, normally lasting from mid-June
to early July. The White Nights—"Beliye Nochi"—are
caused by St. Petersburg's northerly geographical location. As one
of the world's most northern cities, it stands at such a high latitude
that the sun does not descend below the horizon enough for the sky to
grow dark.
"It is so special and hard to describe," said Kuvshinov. "It's
like nothing you see anywhere else and it's much different than regular
daylight. It is very romantic."
While Kuvshinov has witnessed this extraordinary phenomenon, his experience
at Montclair State, he says, has been that of a typical student. "The
hardest part is finding the extra time so I could get more involved in
campus activities," he said.
But juggling everything is a small sacrifice for someone who, with the
goal of pursuing higher education, came to the United States alone. Kuvshinov
had finished high school and studied to be a mechanic in Russia, but decided
to pursue further opportunities.
Although Kuvshinov came to the United States primarily for an education,
he hoped for much more. "I wanted to learn about life and culture
on the campus of an American university, to meet other students and make
friends," he said. "So far, all my expectations of Montclair
State have been met."
Despite being so far from home, Kuvshinov says he's been embraced
by the campus community and enjoys being in the United States. "It's
a beautiful country with hard-working people," he said. "The
people who work on campus are always helpful and pleasant."
The one thing Kuvshinov says he has enjoyed most about Montclair State
is the diversity. "It's truly an international community."
Through his experiences, Kuvshinov admits he has been changed. "So
much is accessible here," he explained. "I believe I can do
anything I want."