Alumni Spotlight: Ivan

I really wanted to learn Russian. I had courses in France but felt I was not making enough progress. I decided to go in Russia for a total immersion during 10 days. I have looked on the web and took some advice. I wanted a complete package (intensive courses, accommodation). I chose CREF as they answered my needs. After intensive courses each day until 4 PM, I went around the city in the afternoons/evenings and could not be happier!

Academically I managed to surpass the fear of speaking Russian. I could speak but was uncomfortable and did not feel confident about it. The intensive courses of CREF, the patience of the teachers really helped me for that.

Personally, I just realized how important to “live the experience” abroad. That learning a language is not just about books and list of words to learn. By living the experience it is a whole cultural package that you assimilate.

Professionally it brought me a lot of interests from my Russian customers who clearly noticed that I was “speaking well” after my journey there.

CREF gave me the accommodation and an intensive courses shedule. It was one to one courses as I requested (group courses are also available). We were working on a specific CREF book adapted to my level. I had also homework to do. The journey was very studious per my request. The teachers were nice and available. An important thing for me too was that I could ask any cultural question to the teachers (the way they live in Moscow, the difference between the neighborhoods…).

I was there just before the lent. One week before Lent, there is the tradition of the “pancake week” (blinis). Pancake with jam, pancake with caviar…there was some concert on the streets. It lasted the whole week so I was nearly eating blinis at every meal (I just loved it). Otherwise there are the classic pirochkis (kind of meat donuts) that I always ate after my courses.