<p>Future Russian language major here. I'm going to have to study abroad in Russia, or some place close to it in a couple years. I know it's a little soon, but I has anyone had any experience studying abroad or just plain visiting the country? I imagine I'll be going to Moscow or St. Petersburg. Does anyone know which is the better for junior student spending the semester? Please, give the full story of what your time was like, the good and the bad.</p>
<p>I don’t know how the year aboard works in the US, but in the UK its common for students spending the whole year in Russia to split their stay to 18 weeks in a more provincial city like Petrozavodsk, Tver or Yaroslavl; and then another 18 weeks in St Petersburg or Moscow once their Russian has improved. A lot of people tell me that Moscow is a bad choice, both for its very expensive rent costs (so you’re much less likely to be in the city centre) and that you don’t get to use your Russian much because of its more international nature.</p>
<p>I would also discourage Moscow and St. Petersburg. They are great cities for visiting (and when you go to Russia you should try to spend some time in either) but I wouldn’t recommend living there if you truly want to emerse yourself into Russia. They both are very international and expensive.
Try to look at the weather too, as Russia in winter can get so damn freezing cold it’s unimaginable (seriously). Can get somewhat depressing (the cities’ residentia areas often arent all that beautifu).</p>
<p>Hi! Actually Moscow and St.Petersburg are a good choice if you are seeking for comfort. Also most museums and art galleries are situated in these two cities and most definitely you will find plenty of cultural immersion oppotunities here. Probably a better option will be staying in Moscow or St.Pete and visiting other regions for some time.</p>
<p>You can consider studying at Higher School of Economics. We are located in the center of Moscow and have branches in St.Petersburg, Nizniy Novgorod and Perm. We offer more than 100 courses taught in English most of them certified by our international partners so you won’t experience difficulties when transfering your credits.</p>
<p>If you are seeking for a strong program in Russian Studies, Economics & Finance, Political Science, International relations or simply Russian Language - we will be the best match in Russia. You can find out more at our website: cie.hse.ru</p>
<p>If you’re looking to compare programs in both cities, you can use the Abroad101 site to find ratings and reviews. Here’s the link: [Study</a> Abroad in Russia | Abroad101](<a href=“http://■■■■■■/9jLhZC]Study”>http://■■■■■■/9jLhZC)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>My d’s college (USAFA) at the last minute pulled them out for security and safety reasons- right before they left for Russia (they were supposed to go to the “Black Earth City” (Voronozh) and enroll at the university there.) They ended up doing a Russian Language school in Kiev and living with Russian speaking families. They really enjoyed the experience and traveled every weekend. She got a scholarship to return for another experience and returned to the same family and school. They did have a few scarey experiences with people following them when they rode on the metro. My d.'s appearance was similar to a lot of people on the street, she said if you look different than the general population you have to be really careful and not be alone. Evidently Kiev is popular with people studying Russian.</p>
<p>Even for someone who has lived in a russian-speaking country for half of her life, it can be a little scary visiting Russia as a foreigner. The best tip I can give for getting along on a day-to-day basis is to try your very best to look and behave like a Russian. (That’s a little vague, I know.) The main thing is that the people in Russia are usually able to tell very quickly (before you even open your mouth) whether you belong there or not. If you want to appear like you fit in and thus pass through public places without drawing unwanted attention to yourself, try to mimic the style choices of Russians. Russian people are generally more fashion conscious than their American counterparts, and won’t see as many people out in public dressed in an overly casual manner (i.e. sweatpants, plain shirts, ridiculous footwear like crocs or flip flops, or ill-fitting clothes). If you’re a girl, it’ll take even more effort not to stand out, as many Russian girls tend to color/dye their hair (mostly blonde) & wear heels everywhere possible. That’s just the culture there, and it’s accepted and expected. But, of course, most people aren’t well off enough for it to look really fashionable and classy, so a lot of it comes across as clearly fake & a bit like they’re “trying too hard.” </p>
<p>So, anyway, even after you manage to visually fit in (which, admittedly, is much easier for white people to do than for asians, blacks, hispanics, etc), you might run into some problems once you start speaking and people realize you’re a foreigner. Unless you’re in Moscow or St. Petersburg, foreigners are not all too common in Russia, so people will most likely either be so fascinated with you that it might make you feel a bit like a zoo animal or they’ll try to evaluate how easy it is to scam you and/or leech off of your American/English money & naivete (& proceed to do so).</p>
<p>Also, you’re probably aware that most of Russia in the winter is no pleasant place to be. It’s beyond freezing, the days are über short, everything looks bleak and depressing, and most areas are pretty sketchy and to some degree scary. Oh, and poverty. Other than the urban centers, most residential places are full of it, so that adds to the depressingness of it.</p>
<p>I’ve just re-read what I wrote and I’m aware that it sounds rather cynical. Meh. Anyway. The point is that your life would be much easier if you studied abroad at, say, a nation in the EU, rather than in Russia.</p>
<p>The nsliy trips are free- funded by the US government- either semester, year, or summer courses. A friend of mine did it and spent a semester in Kazan (you can look up the other city they go to). According to her, they don’t go to Moscow because the bustle of the big city gets in the way of the “Russian-ness”. They studied Russian with special tutorials at a local university and also sat in on classes that interested them.</p>