Enjoy Russian School (ONLY ONLINE)

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the EnjoyRussian school in Petrozavodsk. Preparation for travel and all the documents I needed were handled very well by Maria and it was a very stress-free process, from applying to study at the school, the visa, directions for travelling to Petrozavodsk from St. Petersburg etc. At the school all the teachers were exceptionally professional and tailored the lessons perfectly to me and my level. After only three months at the school I felt like my Russian went from zero to hero! The immersion aspect of Petrozavodsk also helped a lot and I was able to put into practice what I'd been learning in the classroom straight into the real world. Learning the Russian language was exiting and exhilarating thanks to Enjoy Russian!

Traveling to Russia has always been a dream of mine and last year I finally got to do it. It was my first trip abroad and living in Petrozavodsk was my first city. I really liked my accommodation. It was a very modern, clean, comfortable apartment and I liked my room. Most of the time on very nice days, I walked the entire distance from the home to the school, it would take me about a hour to get to the school. I enjoyed the sight seeing and watching every day life moving around. The school was a new building that was just being setup when I got there and a lot of work was done on making it welcoming and comfortable for the students. The water dispenser came in hand often as I would drink most of it at times)). The administration ladies were always very helpful to me and very polite and friendly. Maria did a lot to help me. My teachers were great. I still do online courses with them. I struggled with my lessons in the beginning and they were very patient with me. I miss them. I got to meet many Russian people including several volunteers some of whom became good friends with me and we still keep in contact and I miss them too. I met many children and helped them with some English and play games with them in the parks. I loved the social atmosphere in Russia day and night. I went on several excursions around Karelia. I would of liked to go to Veliky Novgorod but we didn't have enough students willing to join me. I enjoyed some of the museums, theaters, events such as the military parade. When I got there, I noticed some of the roads needed work and when I left it was replaced with all new roads and underground piping so was happy to see that. Yandex Taxi services were very good but some of the buses needs to be replaced with newer generation ones but were still reliable public transportation as I used them on rainy days. I spent some time in St Petersburg and was mesmerized by the architecture there and the beauty, elegance and safety compare to my home city. I had very good hotel accommodation at a very cheap price in the city center. I got to experience my first ever subway ride. I was very sad to leave Russia and my friends after living there for 3 months. I will return soon. :-)

In total, it was a great experience.

It already startet with the very well planned organization.
The document, where I could describe the host family I would like to stay with, impressed me. It was such a good idea!
And also months before my stay, I already knew every detail about the school, the freetime activities, I got my host familie's description, a city map, ...

Once at the school, I really enjoyed the small amount of people in every class. The teacher could keep an eye on everybody and even if we maybe didn't had exactly the same language level, the teacher would notice and made it possible for everyone to follow the lesson. Another thing I liked are the varying teaching methodes because they made it easier to memorize the new learned matter.

Moreover, the freetime activities had been a great opportunity to get to know the Russian landscape, culture and also kitchen. What I think is also a real benefit is the system with the native volunteers which are also there for you if you need help or just somebody to spend some funny hours after school with.

Not to forget, I also really enjoyed the stay at my host family. It was an oped hearted family so I didn't even had to miss my family at home. They also showed me their lifestyle and took me with them to their family activities which I really appreciated. In addition, my room was as clean as the rest of the appartment and there is nothing I could complain about.

It was really hard to leave Russia after this incredible stay!