Day One

The first day in St. Petersburg turned out to be packed with events, because it started very early and we managed to do so much! First of all, we set our goals for the day — to be responsible. Everyone had their own role and tasks. After that, we had a hearty breakfast, because as they say in English, we were starving 😄 We especially liked the huge selection of dishes — it was a buffet!

And so, our educational and entertainment program began — we headed to LenDoc to shoot a film, albeit a short one, but very funny. There, we not only heard stories about the history of cinema but also learned how films used to be shot and edited. For a single 1.5-hour film, they used up to 30 reels of film!

Day Two

Today was no less eventful!

The lesson at LenDoc was very educational. We learned what screenwriters have in common with ordinary people, what three acts a plot consists of, what conflict and obstacles are and what role they play in films. We also learned to identify the climax and each of us drew an “idea” as we imagined it. As it turned out, ideas come to everyone differently — some get them in dreams or while cooking, while for others, friends and the people around them become the source of inspiration.

Then we went to the Hermitage — we visited the Small, Old, and New Hermitages, as well as the palace.

What I remember most were the mummy and the sarcophagi that have survived despite millions of years having passed. Also, the indescribably beautiful staircase, the throne, and the enormous paintings on the ceiling truly captured my heart!

The guide told us that people risked and even sacrificed their lives to save paintings and exhibits during the palace fire. I was especially struck by the wise allegorical meaning of the great clock, which symbolizes the fleetingness of time through three birds (a peacock, an owl, and a rooster) and foliage. I also learned that to keep secrets during feasts, the tables were lowered and raised like elevators — either to the kitchen or back up to the guests.

We learned and saw so many other interesting things, but unfortunately, the tour felt too short to me, so I hope to come back here again and explore everything more carefully.

With a pleasant sense of tiredness, we returned to the hotel, where reflection awaited us. As a bonus, our teacher organized a small pajama party for us 😊

Day Three

The third day in Russia’s cultural capital was memorable for our visit to the summer residence of the imperial family in Tsarskoye Selo. We had absolutely no idea it would be SUCH a magnificent place!

Returning and having dinner, we split into filming groups, assigned roles — who would be responsible for the script, who for photo/video, who for music — and began developing our own film about the trip to St. Petersburg. From theory to practice! The results will be shown on the last day of the expedition 😊

Day Four

We called the fourth day of the expedition the day of friendship and relationships. And do you know why? Because friendship is something we need to learn ourselves and also teach others. Teamwork is the best way to develop mutual understanding.

In addition, we visited the Zoological Museum. Now that’s impressive! You can instantly immerse yourself in the past in this place! Mammoths and other extinct animal species, huge killer whales, adorable penguins, fast sharks with voracious whales, loyal parrots, giant long-living turtles, baby kangaroos weighing just 3 grams — the list could go on forever! During the tour, we also learned to take responsibility for each other and understood how important it is to lend a helping hand.

Conclusion of the day: friendship is that important thing that helps us move mountains.

Day Five

The fifth day of the expedition — reflection and contemplation. At first glance, 5 days is an extremely short time for any significant metamorphosis to occur. But that’s for those who haven’t participated in an expedition with Lingva and LenDoc!

To become more confident, to forge a creative streak, to realize that you want to devote more time to art, languages, development, learning, history, travel — that’s what we were able to achieve.

Today we tried ourselves as actors once again — this time, filming was done using a chroma key (green screen), because it was a film based on Harry Potter, which required special effects and frequent scene changes. Magic beyond Hogwarts! 😊

But we witnessed even greater magic a little later — at the Peter and Paul Fortress! The huge bastion, built in 1703, amazes with its majesty and grandeur. According to tradition, the sound of a cannon is still heard from there every day at noon, and the bells ring every half hour.

Petersburg, we say goodbye — but not for long!