Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Semester in Petersburg as a DIY Experience Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/26/2017 to 06/02/2017 with

Bard College: St. Petersburg - Liberal Arts study abroad at Smolny College

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience living in Russia for a full semester was saturated with new information at every turn, and it was absolutely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was able to arrange my schedule very advantageously with regard to academic rigor; many of my classmates who took other classes were disappointed, however.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived with a host family in a part of the city that was sleepy and sweet in a slightly bleak way, but quite out of the way.

* Food:

The food in the Smol'ny cafeteria is cheap and usually fully cooked. There's a pretty big range of choices, too.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It helps that Smol'ny is right in the middle of the city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

St. Petersburg, as far as metropoles go, is relatively safe. Common sense is key.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Smol'ny is very much what you make of it, both socially and academically. St. Petersburg is amazing.

Finances

* 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)

It's much cheaper to live in St. Petersburg than in Boston.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? about 30 dollars
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? your student id card can get you discounts in lots of places... and a student transport card helps with costs, too!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

In our Russian language classes yes, outside of them, not particularly... students in the program spoke to one another mostly in English, and Russian students at Smol'ny also mostly wanted to speak English with us as practice. Some elective academic classes were even taught in English (although the majority were in Russian). In host families, though, most people spoke Russian.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
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 302, the highest level at Wellesley.
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Talk to your host family members! Also, take your academic classes in Russian if you can, and pay attention as you move through the city. The environment has a lot to teach you.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The grammar and phonetics classes focused on specific issues in depth and really helped me improve my understanding of the Russian language.
  • The academic classes I took were amazing, and I could never have found similar courses at my home institution, and the workload was such that I could spend time actually thinking about the material in depth and in context, rather than churning out a series of detached, shallow papers.
  • The actual city of St. Petersburg is an amazing classroom— the opportunities that Smol'ny provides within that geographical-cultural framework were absolutely unique.
* What could be improved?
  • The structure of the program does not especially encourage use of the Russian language or integration with Russian students.
  • Integration with Russian students was especially hampered by the tendency of the academic advisory to push American students to take the easiest classes offered, or else to take the same few classes all together as a giant, impenetrable clump of Americans.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Most people who applied for this program were politics students, not so much arts/history people. I wish I had known how time I would spend explaining things, translating, and helping navigate various cultural situations. It was fun, just unexpected.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'