Ladas and Shawarma - A Semester in Moscow Past Review
By A student (Russian Language, Literature, Wellesley College) - abroad from 02/04/2015 to 06/28/2015 with
Middlebury Language Schools: Davis School of Russian
My experience was definitely worthwhile. My language skills definitely improved, but more importantly I learned a lot about daily life and culture in Putin's new, multicultural-ish Russia under sanctions.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The Middlebury language courses were comfortable with a minimal homework load. Mainstream classes at RGGU were also not super demanding; however classes at the Higher School of Economics definitely operated on more Western guidelines (large amount of readings, higher standards for papers and exams). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family were some of the nicest people I've ever met, and I hope I can stay friends with them in the future :) Living arrangements were a bit tight since Moscow apartments as a rule are small and can be a bit cramped, especially if living with a family. Almost no-one owns a dryer and having the toilet and sink in separate rooms can be a bit annoying. |
| * Food: |
I personally have no problems with Russian food, although it helps that my host mom was Tati Jewish and so I got a wider variety of foods to eat. As a rule there's lots of mayo, sour cream, and dill (the go-to seasoning for everything). |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I didn't feel super integrated but I also didn't go out every night or make a lot of Russian friends. Also, as an African-American in Russia, trying to find clothes that fit - or visually fit in - was a bit more difficult. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Prevalent health issue - smoking is everywhere, so if you have asthma/breathing problems bring extra meds. |
| * Safety: |
Moscow isn't much more dangerous than any other big city. Russia is pretty anti-gay and pro-Russia/military rallies have been known to go badly (steer clear of riot police). On the flip side very few Russians actually have a working gaydar. Plus if you sign up for STEP you'll get a list of upcoming rallies and thus can choose which areas/events to avoid, although as a rule the State Dept. is usually more panicky than necessary. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Right now the exchange rate is definitely in our favor, so the student budget went pretty far. A lot of museums (and the Bolshoi!) have student discounts, so it's really easy to be 'cultured' :) That said Moscow is still pretty expensive, esp. food (sanctions and all), so it's pretty easy to blow through a few 100 dollars in a week if you go shopping or to restaurants very often. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at food stands on the street/in the переходы. Of course this isn't healthy at all (though delicious!), so for a more balanced diet go to a supermarket (or to a bazaar/marketplace for ingredients) and buy some snacks/quick meals for the week. I recommend Sunday afternoon if you want fresh bread. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Language pledge. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Russian 301 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Stick to the language pledge. If that's too hard/not fun at all, set aside certain hours of the day or certain activities as English or Russian only. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish someone had reminded me that Moscow actually does get warm in the spring and that if you stay through June they open up the pools (complete with fake beaches!) so actually bring warm-weather clothes and maybe a swimsuit too. The simple act of speaking Russian 24/7 is surprisingly exhausting, so DON'T FEEL BAD if you don't go out and do something every night! Also, if there's problems with your host family, try to talk to them about it/talk to your program coordinators sooner rather than later!!! |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
