UPDATED: Sunday, July 26, 2009 -- 4:45 p.m.

The Special Olympics have been going on for more than 40-years. In that time, the games have spread to almost 200 other countries. This summer, people from all over the world were invited to the U.S. to learn how the events work here.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Fellowship Program is in its second year. For 10 weeks, 5 participants learn about Special Olympics from the nation that started it.

And this year Wisconsin was selected as a host state.

Dasha Zakharova works with the Special Olympics in Russia. She's in America for the next few weeks learning about the similarities and differences the programs have.

"I think this year they matched the fellows and the mentors just perfectly," says Dasha.

Russia's Special Olympics program started 10-years ago. So by comparison it's relatively new. But it has caught on well and is growing.

"It's almost all around Russia."

62 of Russia's 88 regions participate it the games. Or about 120,000 athletes.

Dasha says, " I wish some day it will be as big as here in America."

Dasha's focus while she's here is film production. Once she goes back to Russia she'll make an educational movie about Special Olympics.

But her trip here hasn't been all work.

"Yesterday I went to a baseball game to Milwaukee."

Dasha's also gotten to visit Lambeau Field and soon she'll learn about a unique fund raiser that Special Olympics holds every year.

It may be summer right now. But in a few months, Olin Park will be packed with people waiting to do the Polar Plunge.

And that's something that Dasha is hoping to introduce to Russia.

Dasha says, " That could be fun but I think I have to prepare myself."

Dasha isn't the only one that's learned something on this trip. Her host's say she's taught them as much as they've taught her.

Denny Alldridge with Special Olympics Wisconsin says, " That's one of the premises of the fellowship program is to close that global gap."

Dasha will head back to Russia in late August. There were four other fellows in the U.S. taking part in the program. They were from Pakistan, India, South Africa and Kenya.

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Posted Sunday, July 26, 2009 -- 3:00 p.m.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Fellowship Program is a professional development and cultural exchange initiative for people involved with leading Special Olympics overseas.

This year Wisconsin was selected to host one of the Fellows. For about one month Dasha Zakharova of Russia will study how Special Olympics works in Wisconsin. Then she'll return home to use what she's learned.

Dasha has already been in the Madison area for about two weeks. And she'll be here for another two. Dasha has already experienced a lot. From going to Lambeau to cheering on the Brewers at Miller Park. Her main focus is learning how to produce an educational film about Special Olympics. She plans on making the movie once she's back home.

More on her story on NBC15 News at 5:00 p.m.