Bridget Stockrahm

Bridget Stockrahm, Russian, headshot
Bridget Stockrahm, Class of 2024

E-mail: bstockra@nd.edu
Language: Russian
Location of Study: Batumi, Georgia
Program of Study: Batumi: Russian as a Second Language, SRAS
Sponsors: The Nanovic Institute for European Studies

View Bridget’s Blog

If, then, I were asked for the most important advice I could give, that which I considered to be the most useful to the men of our century, I should simply say: in the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.

Leo Tolstoy, Essays, Letters and Miscellanie

I am a sophomore in Flaherty Hall studying Economics with a supplementary major in Applied Computational Mathematics and Statistics at Notre Dame. I have been studying Russian for two years, and I also hope to complete a Russian minor.

While I am not sure exactly what career path I will pursue or how Russian will fit into my professional life, I am very interested in language and culture, specifically in Russian-speaking countries. I chose to study in Batumi Georgia this summer not only because of the language, but also because of Georgia’s rich history and culture, beautiful landscape, and excellent food (so I have heard).

Having the opportunity to live with a host family, study Russian among native speakers, and immerse myself in Georgian culture will be an important part of my Russian education. I believe it will allow me to increase my language proficiency and my understanding of the Russian-speaking world (especially from the unique perspective of a post-Soviet state), as well as further my experience with cultural communication, exchanging ideas, and engaging with people from different cultures and backgrounds, which is a vital skill for any field of study.