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Written by an Advanced Russian Language & Area Studies Program student It is conventional wisdom that under the Putin regime, anti-American sentiments have skyrocketed. The reasons for these are varied, ranging from the shortcomings of American foreign policy to a stereotypical culture of arrogance that is believed to be pervasive in American citizens about their … Read more

When I first told my family I would be spending the summer in Russia, they were a bit confused, to say the least. “Do you really have to go that far?” was my dad’s initial response. I couldn’t be too disappointed in their reactions, because the truth was that I was feeling a bit hesitant … Read more

A typically untraditional place to visit in Saint Petersburg is the Piskariovskoye Memorial Cemetery (Пискарёвское мемориа́льное кла́дбище), located further away from the center of Saint Petersburg. In order to get there you will need to take both the metro and the bus. The cemetery contains almost 500,000 Russians in 186 mass graves who died during … Read more

Like many students who decide to study Russian, I fell in love with the country’s literature before I began studying the language. The prospect of developing the skills to read that literature in its original format can be a great motivator. However, the pantheon of great Russian writers can also have a chilling effect for … Read more

The prospect of studying abroad, exploring new cultures, and gaining new insights into the world is very exciting. The reality of paying for this invaluable experience, however, can seem quite daunting. Fortunately, numerous resources are available to help offset the cost of study abroad, including private, federal, university and American Councils scholarships. AMERICAN COUNCILS FUNDING … Read more

The Individualized Russian Language Program for Heritage Speakers is intended to address the specific needs of students who speak Russian at home or with relatives, or who grew up speaking Russian and wish to strengthen their Russian skills. Program participants work with American Councils staff and host university faculty to develop a tutorial program serving … Read more

During winter break I elected not to travel home, and instead spent some time in Ukraine. A couple of days after classes ended, I flew to Kiev, where I met my father. We spent a week together touring the city’s cathedrals, Great Patriotic War monuments and museums, and of course stopping by Maidan to get … Read more

(Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP), Business Russian Language and Internship (BRLI), and Russian Heritage Speakers Program) Application Deadlines Summer Term: February 15th Fall Semester: March 15th Academic Year Program: March 15th Spring Semester: October 15th Program Dates Summer 2014: June 12, 2014 – August 11, 2014 Fall 2014: August 28, 2014 – … Read more

Upon successful completion of an American Councils program in Russia, participants receive academic credit through Bryn Mawr College. Bryn Mawr awards the following credit for American Councils programs:  Semester Programs: four units* of undergraduate credit (the equivalent of 16 semester hours) or three units of graduate credit (the equivalent of 15 semester hours) Academic Year … Read more

It probably sounds silly, how much I love the metro. Maybe it’s due to the small town girl effect- I come from a town of 10,000 that used to have a taxi, but other than that, has no public transport whatsoever. I think it’s more than that, though. I remember clearly sitting at orientation, being … Read more