Learn Russian in the European Union

Participating in the Learn Russian in the EU program in Latvia has been one of the most formative academic experiences of my undergraduate career. The administrators are consistently kind, attentive, and genuinely invested in each student’s growth. They helped me navigate everything from housing to local logistics, creating an environment in which I felt supported from the first day. The professors are exceptionally knowledgeable, especially in areas connected to Soviet history, regional politics, and the linguistic complexities of the post-Soviet space. What stood out to me most was their ability to tailor instruction to students with widely different skill levels. Outside the classroom, the program offers a thoughtful set of excursions. Some take you to other EU countries, such as Estonia and Lithuania, where you gain insight into how these societies have navigated their own transitions since the Soviet era. Local excursions within Latvia provide invaluable context on the country’s complex history, from its pagan roots to wars of occupation and the Cold War. In Latgale, I encountered a cultural world that is both distinct and remarkably welcoming. Visiting Old Believer communities, learning about local Polish and Belarusian diasporas, and exploring the region’s religious and linguistic traditions helped me understand Latvia as far more than a site for language study. One of the highlights of my time here was the visit to the Daugavpils fortress, where volunteers reenact Napoleonic-era battles. It is an experience that brings history to life in a way that books simply cannot.

This study abroad program exceeded all expectations I had for it, and words cannot describe how much I learned from and enjoyed my time living in Daugavpils. I took half of my classes on the Russian language and the other half on a mix of political science and history topics. The professors were all extraordinarily knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and eager to teach me. There were an enormous range of courses to choose from, which allowed me to design my program specifically to fit my personal goals. The living situation was ideal for learning Russian. I had an amazing host mom and brother, who made me feel at home from day one. My host mom was incredibly kind and caring, cooked delicious meals, and was always there to help me out or give me advice. Almost every day after dinner, we would sit, drink tea, and chat for about an hour - which was almost as valuable as my formal classes for getting me comfortable conversing in Russian. And if I finished my homework for the night, my host brother would always be eager to play hide and seek, watch a cartoon, or show me his enormous collection of toys and gadgets. The excursions were also an incredibly valuable part of this program. We traveled all over the Baltics and even to Minsk, Belarus, learning about and experiencing each countries history and culture. The location of Daugavpils was also ideal for traveling on the weekends. Cheap buses and trains left straight for Riga, Vilnius, Tallinn, Warsaw, and other major cities. But it was often tempting to just stay in Daugavpils and organize a trip to our private banya (we must have gone 12 times in the fall semester), volunteer to take dogs for walks at the animal shelter, or just гулять with friends around the city. I have no complaints about this program and would recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their Russian and have a blast while doing so.

I want to start by saying this program really went above and beyond my expectations in every way! The program was well balanced providing both an excellent academic experience along with a profound and highly informative cultural immersion aspect. For me, increasing my proficiency in Russian and experiencing the diverse culture of both Latvia and the larger northern eastern European region were my main goals. After a semester, I can say with absolute certainty that this is one of the best programs available for those who are looking to increase their language proficiency. The program is located in Daugavpils (a Russian speaking city in eastern Latvia) which makes it an ideal location for Russian studies. The academic aspect of the program is structured well with a mixture of both core Russian language classes and a wide selection of elective courses taught in Russian and tailored to each student’s personal criteria. This is made possible by the excellent teachers and the fact that the classes are very small (usually 2-6 students per class). In addition, each student has the chance to live with a host family which, for me, was really a crucial part of increasing my language proficiency and in acquiring a much deeper understanding of the culture and history of this region. My host family and particularly my host mother is one of the most gracious, genuine, and kind people I have ever met. The excursions are highly informative and diverse in both theme and location. I personally loved the opportunity to travel to Belarus! Our excursion guide and organizer is phenomenal! He has a deep knowledge of each location's historical and cultural relevance and I can speak for everyone on the program when I say that he really makes every excursion even more fun and interesting. In addition, the entire program is run by highly capable and helpful management that is always there to help make sure your experience is the best it can be. Unlike many other study-abroad programs, Learn Russian in the EU was very helpful right from the start. They helped me with logistics early on, long before I had arrived in Latvia. I have to add that being inside the EU makes traveling around Europe easy. From past experience in other study-abroad programs, I can say that this program is by far the best of those I have partaken in and especially for those who want to master Russian.