Study Abroad in Russia?

[xOrthodox4Christx]

Has anybody ever done a program through University to study abroad in Russia?

Currently that's the program that's in my mind, and since it's required anyway I'm considering going for it.

Does anyone have any experience with study abroad?

 

[Hinterlander]

Has anybody ever done a program through University to study abroad in Russia?

Currently that's the program that's in my mind, and since it's required anyway I'm considering going for it.

Does anyone have any experience with study abroad?

I experienced an off campus semester with a cohort of students from my school all living, studying and working in close proximity - it was great. There were structured/planned outings, communal dinners, etc that were great for community.  The one aspect of it that can be frustrating is if you have a significant other your leaving behind.

I imagine you might also be thinking of a program where your simply studying at a school in Russia that might be more challenging.

 

[xOrthodox4Christx]

Which places are of interest in Russia, if I were to go?

Not merely tourist-y, but also relics, Saints, Churches. Since... this is an Orthodox forum. Keep it thematic.

 

[rakovsky]

Which places are of interest in Russia, if I were to go?

Not merely tourist-y, but also relics, Saints, Churches. Since... this is an Orthodox forum. Keep it thematic.

Any of the major city centers are going to have saints, relics, monasteries in them or near them where you can take day trips. Take for example the city of Kursk. No saints come to mind within the city, but nearby there is the monastery where St. Seraphim lived.

If it were me, I would pick some place in the southwest of Russia like Saratov (there is a seminary in Saratov, BTW) because the 1st and 2nd century Christians were in Crimea and the Caucasus.

If you haven't learnt Russian before at all, I recommend going with a US program. If you've studied it for more than a year, you can contact the major college of any Russian city. They will probably be happy to take your money and give you a study program for foreigners. It could be even better than a US program because you will get immersion and be around Russians all the time.

 

[Alpha60]

Which places are of interest in Russia, if I were to go?

Not merely tourist-y, but also relics, Saints, Churches. Since... this is an Orthodox forum. Keep it thematic.

Moscow and Yektinenburg, the former has everything, the latter is where the Czar was martyred and is something glorious.  The best though, St. Petersburg, which has the best facilities for foreigners, easy transit by high speed train to Helsinki and Moscow, and is near Kronstadt.  There is a "Golden Ring" of monastery towns surrounding Moscow, and St. Petersburg is the starting point for journeys to Valaam, the Russian Mount Athos.

However, if I ever live in Russia, I would chose to live in either the Caucaucus, near the railway link with Armenia, so I could remain closely connected to my OO heritage, or Primorsky Krai, the Maritime Province facing the Pacific and home to the Siberian tiger.  I believe there is a need for more Orthodox monasteries and convents in that province, and it would be lovely if I do become a monk to join a new monastery after preparation in an existing one (because I believe in EO-OO unity, I have in the past and will in the future join the EO church if an OO church is out of range or if an EO church is struggling and needs more parishioners or would otherwise benefit from me, although I fear I don't have all that much to offer; in the spiritual hospital that is the Church, with our Lord as chief physician and director, I am usually able to be nothing more than a patient in the coronary intensive care unit.

 

[IreneOlinyk]

Most universities that have a one year study abroad as part of their BA program have an MOU agreement with a specific university in the foreign country.  You may not have a choice of city in Russia.

 

[Iconodule]

Probably Golden Ring towns like Vladimir, Suzdal, and Kostroma would have the most historic/ spiritual interest. Anywhere outside Moscow and Peter will also give you a good idea of the absurd inequality and corruption pervading the country.

 

[WPM]

I would probably study geography and location . . . Maps and stuff.

 

[rakovsky]

How much Russian do you know, and have you been accepted at a university yet?

 

[xOrthodox4Christx]

Which places are of interest in Russia, if I were to go?

Not merely tourist-y, but also relics, Saints, Churches. Since... this is an Orthodox forum. Keep it thematic.

Any of the major city centers are going to have saints, relics, monasteries in them or near them where you can take day trips. Take for example the city of Kursk. No saints come to mind within the city, but nearby there is the monastery where St. Seraphim lived.

If it were me, I would pick some place in the southwest of Russia like Saratov (there is a seminary in Saratov, BTW) because the 1st and 2nd century Christians were in Crimea and the Caucasus.

If you haven't learnt Russian before at all, I recommend going with a US program. If you've studied it for more than a year, you can contact the major college of any Russian city. They will probably be happy to take your money and give you a study program for foreigners. It could be even better than a US program because you will get immersion and be around Russians all the time.

I have beginning knowledge of Russian through self-study. I'm still studying. But even so, Russian language courses are obligatory in the program.

 

[xOrthodox4Christx]

Most universities that have a one year study abroad as part of their BA program have an MOU agreement with a specific university in the foreign country.  You may not have a choice of city in Russia.

St. Petersburg is where the school is at. But I can go off campus, I'll probably city hop in Western/Eastern Europe after my classes are finished anyway.

 

[rakovsky]

St. Petersburg is where the school is at.

Go visit Kizhi

And Valaam

And Novgorod.

And the Yuriev monastery nearby:

The St. George's (Yuriev) Monastery (Russian: Юрьев монастырь) is usually cited as Russia's oldest monastery. It stands in 5 kilometers south of Novgorod on the left bank of the Volkhov River near where it flows out of Lake Ilmen. The monastery used to be the most important in the medieval Novgorod Republic. It is part of the World Heritage Site named Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings.

According to legend, the monastery of wood was founded in 1030 by Yaroslav the Wise (whose Christian name was George)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuriev_Monastery

As for saints, Saint Mstislav was a prince of Novgorod.

 

[IreneOlinyk]

Most universities that have a one year study abroad as part of their BA program have an MOU agreement with a specific university in the foreign country.  You may not have a choice of city in Russia.

St. Petersburg is where the school is at. But I can go off campus, I'll probably city hop in Western/Eastern Europe after my classes are finished anyway.

Then you are most fortunate because St. Petersburg is an excellent gateway to travel by train or plane to the rest of Russia and also to eastern Europe or Western Europe.  The subway and bus system in St. Petersburg is great  for travel within the city.  Also the city is such a great cultural centre.  You can go to great museums and concerts and plays.  Lucky you.

 

[Bob2]

Has anybody ever done a program through University to study abroad in Russia?

Currently that's the program that's in my mind, and since it's required anyway I'm considering going for it.

Does anyone have any experience with study abroad?

I experienced an off campus semester with a cohort of students from my school all living, studying and working in close proximity - it was great. There were structured/planned outings, communal dinners, etc that were great for community.  The one aspect of it that can be frustrating is if you have a significant other your leaving behind.

I imagine you might also be thinking of a program where your simply studying at a school in Russia that might be more challenging.

I would have never came back to the US if it weren't for this. We'll be married 14 yrs in December. Wish there had been Skype back then, IM was not quite the same. I did it for the experience mostly, the credits all transferred but I didn't even take anything in my major. My university also had a language requirement that you were exempted from if you studied abroad, even though I went to English speaking New Zealand.