I'm so glad I went, traveled outside of Moscow, and got an internship Past Review

By James Lumley (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/28/2017 to 12/18/2017 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Moscow

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

The internship I took as a class has already had affects at establishing the next steps in my career, and the learning experience has given me a bounty of knowledge that can help me in many areas.

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.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I had wonderful hosts, but in comparison with the the cheapness of apartments in the area it was quite expensive.
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I ended up spending a lot more time with fellow program people than I anticipated, as opposed to integrating with Russian students.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	The insurance and affiliated providers were quite useful, although somethings were a bit lost in translation at the actual clinics we used.
* Safety:	Moscow is surprisingly safe.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes Moscow is a great city with a lot of great opportunities, and there is just so much to explore.

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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Probably around $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Try to find a cheap lunch place/plan during the week so that you can then enjoy going out to lunch on the weekends. If you go someplace not even that fancy everyday but are still eating out, the expenses can add up quite quickly.

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?	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?	Advanced Russian at language schools (essentially a low 300 level course)
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?	If you really want to work on Russian, strive to early on make friends with Russians who you can spend time with instead of Middlebury program people. Some people take the pledge quite seriously, others no so much, and this can be tough when you want to work on your speaking skills in a casual environment.

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
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?	Internship Opportunities 4 day class-week to enable traveling on the weekends Program staff; Shushana is amazing
* What could be improved?	Communication early on about housing costs and course offerings Additional opportunities to interact with Russian students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	It's really not that hard to travel around Moscow, either to other cities or nearby countries. You can get a lot done in a 3-day weekend, so take advantage to as many of them as you can. Also, get tickets to the Bolshoi early so that you can see the main historic stage.

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Adv Grammar and Oral Speech
Course Department:	Russian
Instructor:	Anna Michaelovna
Instruction Language:	Russian
Comments:	No trips, was relatively challenging, but not always seemingly applicable.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues.

Course Name/Rating:	Moscow: Russian Culture and History
Course Department:	Russian
Instructor:	Maya Volchkevich
Instruction Language:	Russian
Comments:	Good trips, a decent amount of assigned writing, very good discussion practice.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues.

Course Name/Rating:	Internship in Russian
Course Department:	Russian
Instructor:	Natalia Firsova
Instruction Language:	Russian
Comments:	Fantastic experience, great practice for research, writing, and speaking skills.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues.

Course Name/Rating:	Socioeconomics
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Marina Andrianovna
Instruction Language:	Russian
Comments:	Challenging writing and discussion, but very useful and fulfilling.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues