[Dolce God]

Hey i am mid 30 and will have next a 4 month paid leave! As i work related travel anyway all the time arround the world i decided to stick during the 4 month at 1 place and to do something usefull! Therefore i am searching a good place learn russian.
My criterias are:

- Prices ( living expences and tutution)
- dating opportunities
-availability of good professional russian language Schools
- attractiveness of the City (it will be from april-july 2013)

I have been thinking of kharkiv in ukraine as i know the City and have work related high Level goverment contacts there. ( which can be a pro or con)
Would you have better suggestions?

[samsamsam]

This might help. I did a quick search, since I think I saw a thread before.

http://www.google.com/cse?cx=01264455029...gsc.page=1

[DaveR]

I wouldn't recommend Ukraine for studying Russian, especially for beginners. Most of the people I know who studied Russian in Ukraine don't speak it or speak very poorly. Here's a few reasons why:

- yokel accents except in Crimea and Odessa

- they mix Ukrainian and Russian when speaking, and not only words but grammar too! I've heard weird stuff spoken by people in Kiev even though they went to Russian schools. Eg. "я скучаю за тобой" (sounds like a drunk person saying "I'm sick of you") instead of "Я скучаю по тебе" (I miss you).

- advertising, street signs and product labels officially have to be in Ukrainian. I notice you've already picked up some of it (Kharkiv in Ukr. = Kharkov in Russian).

- forget private language schools. They're a ripoff and the quality is almost always rubbish. You can hire your own teacher for the same price they charge for group lessons.
- If you want to take group lessons, there are plenty of universities in Russia which offer cheap courses based on the very effective curriculum which was developed in Soviet times. http://en.russia.edu.ru/russian/test/

- Ukraine isn't really cheap; it's just low quality. If you want cheap, go to Belarus. Quality of life in Minsk is better than anywhere else in the FSU. There isn't as much of a language conflict in Belarus, especially in the cities. Unlike in Ukraine, advertising and product labels are mostly in Russian. You can study here: http://www.bsu.by/en/main.aspx?guid=2011

- Once you're at the intermediate level, you can take weekend trips to Daugavpils (Latvia) or Narva (Estonia) which are almost exclusively Russian-speaking. It's very easy to find Russians in Riga too (about 50% of the population).

[Menace]

Quote:

Quality of life in Minsk is better than anywhere else in the FSU.

Not to derail, but better than Moscow? Things work? Amenities? Restaurants? Cleaner?

[Cattle Rustler]

I would say start in the middle of nowhere (Siberia? Far East?) so you will be forced to speak Russian and then move to Moscow to master the Muscovite accent. State universities provide great value when learning Russian!

[Dolce God]

Minsk is defintly an Option ( had been my second choice) I know the City also well as i have ben there on many b-trips! ist clean , saveetc! But i will Need an Extended visa which causes Trouble (paper work) Furthermore next year the hockey world Championship is there! That will appartment Prices! Siberia is to far as i will take my dog as well ( longest flight distance is 4 hours i would go...starting from Berlin)

[DaveR]

(10-16-2013 11:47 AM)Menace Wrote:  

Quote:

Quality of life in Minsk is better than anywhere else in the FSU.

Not to derail, but better than Moscow? Things work? Amenities? Restaurants? Cleaner?

Cleaner, everything works, less low-level corruption, people follow the rules, food quality and regulation is much better, very little traffic.
On the other hand, it's far less cosmopolitan, so you won't find a lot of exotic dining options. Italian restaurants are easy to find and there are a few five-star hotels.

(10-16-2013 12:00 PM)Dolce God Wrote:  

But i will Need an Extended visa which causes Trouble (paper work)

You will need a long-term visa to stay more than 90 days regardless of which country you go to, except if you're a US citizen in Russia (they can stay 180 days).

[Akula]

Quote:

You will need a long-term visa to stay more than 90 days regardless of which country you go to, except if you're a US citizen in Russia (they can stay 180 days).

so if you're an American citizen living in Russia with a Russian visa you don't need a visa to get into Belarus? Never heard that but it would be great. I do know that they don't check passports on the train from Moscow to Minsk (but it's like a10 hour overnight train).

[DaveR]

(10-16-2013 12:25 PM)Akula Wrote:  

Quote:

You will need a long-term visa to stay more than 90 days regardless of which country you go to, except if you're a US citizen in Russia (they can stay 180 days).

so if you're an American citizen living in Russia with a Russian visa you don't need a visa to get into Belarus?

No, what I meant was that Americans can stay in Russia for 180 days on a business visa. Everyone else needs a long-term visa for a stay of more than 90 days in Russia.

Regarding the other two... Everyone needs a long-term visa in Belarus for a stay of more than 30 days and in Ukraine, for a stay of more than 90 days.

Russian visas aren't valid in Belarus.

[Dolce God]

As there are no border checks between russia and Belarus you could enter Belarus with russian visa! But you may end up in jail if checked by Police!

[DaveR]

One more thing... a lot of universities secure their campuses and you won't be allowed in unless you have a visa issued by that university. This can work to your advantage, because, for example, where I studied the female:male ratio was about 3:1.

You'll also get discounts on a few things as a student (museums, transport, etc.)

Study visas are not much more difficult to apply for than business visas anyway. You just have to plan ahead a bit more.

[Dolce God]

ok then Minsk! Whats better MLU or BSU in minsk? Therefore where are less turks, arabs and students from third world countries in the classes?

[Dolce God]

i would not go for individuel teaching, as i consider this as boring and not productive