The amount of actual time in class is much less than the regular program due to the time change. Class schedules have to take into account the time in Almaty, as well as various time zones in the US. Because of this, the program became much more independent and self-guided. Alexa actually found this to be one of the most beneficial aspects of the program. She had more time to engage with Russian independently, by reading and watching Russian television, which is an important habit to have to maintain Russian in the future. Also, this schedule allowed her to dedicate more time to her internship. Alexa is interning at 365Info, a local news company. She researches and translates articles for them on a variety of topics, such as nuclear nonproliferation, ecology, tourism and how Kazakhstan is portrayed or commented on in Western media. Although initially unsure how an immersive study abroad could effectively shift remote, she is impressed with the success of the program in enabling students to still achieve professional-level fluency. She was surprised to find out that it was possible to reach that level without being physically immersed in a Russian-speaking environment. In addition, the willingness of the host families to be involved in the program in this format allowed the students to still receive cultural knowledge and develop close ties in the country. Alexa is finishing the program with a working-level proficiency of Russian and impressive discipline and adaptability. Next fall, she will attend Stanford for graduate school.