Middlebury Russia 2014/2015

Middlebury offered me the opportunity to return to Russia, continue my education, and form ties in Russia that have kept me here since.

My Russian levels went from a 1+ to 4 within several years of studying at Middlebury and all instructors were of the highest quality. Furthermore, Nana and Shushana were not only excellent professional resources, but wonderful sources of support. I remain in close contact with them to this day. For example, when it became clear that graduate students probably should be able to live on their own in Moscow, they quickly adapted the program for us as living with a host family was stressful as an independent adult. Their flexibility is one of the best parts of the program.

In this vein, there’s a lot of free time, which I used to find a job and create a social circle, in turn helping my language skills immensely. It can be a blessing or a curse as some students will simply spend this free time at home talking to their family and friends on Skype. This is less true for the undergrad students, whose lives are more structured within the program.

The academics provided by Middlebury are strong, but the courses provided at host institutions are less organized and students are left to fend for themselves a bit, which in actuality is an excellent opportunity for language practice. A lot depends on the student, so it really is what you make of it. While I loved and thrived from the lack of confines in the program, others in our group felt as though there could have been a bit more guidance.

Overall, the graduate program is great and I highly recommend it for its flexibility and intensive language-learning environment. I only recommend it for those grad students who are willing to take initiative and be independent, however. Middlebury provides a genuine Russian experience - Moscow is not a place to go on vacation, but a place to learn, live, and try to get by.