Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Vladimir: all that I ever expected from provincial Russia Past Review

By (Russian Regional Studies, Barnard College) - abroad from 01/25/2012 to 05/17/2012 with

American Councils (ACTR): Advanced Russian Language & Area Studies Program (RLASP)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I wished to improve my Russian language skills while abroad. I was able to improve my Russian however I did not enjoy my time abroad.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: KORA Institute
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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes

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

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? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Intermediate
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

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

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The professors were lovely.
* What could be improved?
  • There was very little interaction with students at the University in Vladimir.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The city of Vladimir is very small and you should not choose to study there unless you feel comfortable in a small town. If you are looking for a larger city or if you are used to living in a city, you should not study in Vladimir. I also wish that I had known that ACTR places students in Vladimir if their Russian language skills are, frankly, not good enough for them to get by in a larger city. There was a huge gap between those who chose Vladimir and those who were placed there.