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I've learned throughout my life that first impressions matter. So what happens when they just don't go along with your expectations?

During the week at Babson College, a Professor, who will be known as... P.C throughout the blog mentioned to us that we should not even think about taking pictures at the airport in Russia. Apparently, if you were to do this you would be thought of as a spy, getting pictures of the airport layout for a later mission... that is if we want to sound like we're in a James Bond movie.

But I'm sure that you know all about those dehydrated naps/ sleep that we all occasional get. I had one of those, right before I woke up as the plane landed in Saint Petersburg. I know, it was a struggle fest; what can one really expect.

I walked off the plane and the first thing that came to mind was of course: "I should take a picture of the first thing I see in Russia..." this was clearly a very bad idea. The picture included a couple of steps leading down to the landing area, a landing strip, the clouds in the bright blue sky, and... the face of a security guard.

Okay, I get. You can say it, just make fun of me, I clearly had it coming and should have known better, but at the same time, who else got this experience as I did?

Not realizing what I had done, I kept walking over towards the bus that would take us to the actual airport. As I turned around to see my peers, I just saw the perfect picture of almost all of the students coming down the steps of the plane at the same time. I was ready to tweet that picture, if only I had internet!! Everyone would have seen it on both @michellegchin and @BabsonBric2012.

I had captured my first image of Russia on my phone, right until I entered the bus and another security guard walked over to me shouting. I had no idea what I did wrong, thinking that he got the wrong person, I looked around to find who the culprit was until he looked directly at me and pointed to me and then where he was, beckoning me to follow him outside of the bus away from my group.

Quietly freaking out, he just kept saying "Delete." and pointed towards my phone. Finally realizing that he meant the pictures I quickly showed him the two pictures and that they were being deleted. Until that was done was I allowed to aboard the bus again and then try my luck at customs/ Passport Control.

The moral of the story is: When travelling, try to remember what you've learned and don't forget that in other countries, things that are thought to be "normal" in your country aren't always okay or right to do in another.

-Wish I had photos for all of you to see...

Мишель (Michelle in Russian)

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