You get exactly what you put in

Study abroad in Russia is very different from study abroad in any other country. Many aspects of the summer in Moscow were challenging and required a change in mindset. The American councils BRLI program was very helpful in preparing students for the realities of studying abroad in Russia. In general some of the complaints of students were that the dorms weren't suitable. These students generally had troubles with adapting to everything in Russia. American councils told students never to say "This should be different" while abroad, and this was the perfect advice to set the stage for the summer. The BRLI program was well managed and students were given many opportunities to meet Russians and fully immerse themselves in the culture. Concerning the internship aspect of the program, students were placed at internships depending on their interests and level of Russian ability. People considering the BRLI program should consider whether they've attained a sufficiently high level of Russian to gain something from an internship (approximately three years of study in my opinion). Overall, the summer was amazing, the program wasn't academically overwhelming, and at the end we took a (free) cruise from near Moscow to St. Petersburg, getting a taste of many different Russian cities along the way.