By ANGELA MARSHALL
As part of the Russian American Cultural Exchange (RACE) program, six South Side students, Gavin Miller, Jackie Badalucco, Beth Brady, Anna Liberovsky, Liam Wall and Jeff Wunsch, were chosen to travel to Russia last February with Silecchia, an art teacher at the school. Anna could not attend the photo party. Late last year, their Russian counterparts came to America.
Time spent in either county with their new Russian brothers and sisters was a learning experience. According to the students, every experience was Bolshoi, which means big.
While in Russia, they stayed in Star City, home to the Russian cosmonaut training center. "They had a crazy welcome party," Silecchia said, and went on to discuss how they were made to put on traditional Russian clothing.
Then they were off to a mock-up of Mir, where they watched the cosmonauts train.
"It was like something out of a movie," Liam said.
Each day brought something new with trips to Moscow, the opera, the Russian Circus and Mission Control.
Their first exposure to Moscow's famous sites like the Kremlin and Red Square was overwhelming. "To see it in person instead of a movie, it was just mind boggling," Jessica said.
None of the South Side students had been particularly close before the trip. They new each other from classes or sports teams but not as true friends. So as they got to know their Russian families, they also learned about each other. In Silecchia's dining room last week, they laughed and carried on as though they had been friends forever.
"We mesh really well," Jackie said making sure to include their teacher and now friend Silecchia.
Coming to America
Nine months after the Americans returned home, their Russian counterparts arrived for a three-week stay in the U.S. To start the visit off with a bang, Jeff's dad arraigned for a balloon-filled stretch limousine to bring the group home from the airport. However, they made one stop on the way -- South Side High School.
After they showed off their school, the students each took their partner home to meet their new family.
In addition to trips to New York City attractions like the Statue of Liberty, the whole group took a trip to Washington D.C.
The highlight of the trip, according to Gavin, was celebrating Thanksgiving. It was the Russian's first opportunity to participate in an American holiday in America. And their hosts made sure dinner was severed with all the trimmings.
"They really put their lives on hold while we were there," Gavin said. And the Americans wanted to make sure their friends went home feeling the same way.
Through email everyone has been able to stay in close contact and Silecchia announced at the dinner that she was able to find low-cost shipping through NASA.
All the American's were invited back this summer but only Jackie thinks she will be able to take advantage of the offer. Cost will probably push the others off for a few years but all have plans to return someday.
South Side will send their next group of travelers to Russia in 2002.
