L.E.A.P into the Baltics with Me!
Labas! Sveiki! And Tere!
One unique experience at Dartmouth is "Sophomore Summer," a required on-campus term following the summer after sophomore year. Since the majority of campus will be students from your class year, many campus activities, classes, festivities, and traditions serve as an opportunity to bond with their classmates. While Sophomore Summer is mandatory, there are a few exceptions such as being an international student, having an internship lined up, or participating in a study abroad program. At Dartmouth, around 60% of students study abroad at least once, so I knew that going abroad was definitely something I wanted to do over the course of my time here.
This past summer, I decided to spend my Sophomore Summer studying abroad in the Baltic countries—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. While this decision came with a lot of thought, I considered that this abroad program, only offered in the summer, would be a rare opportunity; I mean when would I ever be able to go to the Baltics again? Three months after confirming my spot, I was on a plane to Vilnius, Lithuania!
The Language, Energy, and Politics (LEAP) Foreign Study Program (FSP) is a relatively developed program—inaugurated in summer of 2023—affiliated with the government and Russian departments, and Irving Institute for Energy and Society. The FSP offers two tracks: Government-Energy, or Russian language. This summer, with a cohort of ten students, the majority of us were on the Government-Energy track, while two students were on the Russian language track. The Government-Energy students took 3 classes: Baltic Politics, Baltic History and Culture, and Baltic Energy Systems. Meanwhile, the Russian language students took 2 intensive language courses, and joined us for the Baltic History and Culture class. Furthermore, the LEAP program also worked in partnership with Vilnius University in Lithuania and Tartu University in Estonia; thus, our classes were held at these universities, and also taught by local professors and guest lecturers at the affiliated institutions.
A distinct aspect of this study abroad program is that you are not just living in one country, but three! We spent 4 weeks in Lithuania, 2 weeks in Latvia, and 4 weeks in Estonia, which was very insightful and crucial to understanding the region's politics and energy transition as we were able to immerse ourselves in three different nations. Additionally, while we stayed in a specific city in each country, the program sponsored various day and weekend trips to cities such as Trakai, Klaipeda, Kaunas, Daugavplis, and Narva—with all group meals paid for!
As I reflect on my first study abroad experience, it has been an academically and culturally enriching experience that I will forever be grateful for. The Baltic states—along with their distinctive geographic location—showcase a complex history of democratization intertwined with the Russian Empire and Soviet Union, and embodies a living laboratory experience as Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia navigate the green energy transition and address energy security concerns. On a personal note, while our abroad cohort was smaller than a typical Dartmouth abroad group, I shared tons of smiles and laughter with my abroatemates whom I might not have met otherwise on campus. I must add that I also learned a thing or two about how to cook rice on a stovetop, and discovered my love for shakshuka and frozen mangoes!