THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTH

Go berserk and enjoy ancient sagas at Medieval times International Festival in Karelia!

Telling the truth not every student who comes to learn Russian language in the North of Russia lives with the host families. Of course Russian homestay is the best option however sometimes the call of the wild breaks down the system of “everything is on the right track”. The historical Campus on the shore of Onego lake (the 2d biggest lake in Europe by the way) is going to be established in August 2018. For those who seek some unique places to visit in Russia and some authentic activities to try the “Legends of the North Festival” is the first must-see-item!

Learn how to set a fire both to your Russian trip and on the ground

We’d already written the post about Karelia and North-West of Russia as a place where many legends were born. Golden Mermaids, stones  “seidy” and Karelian Nessy, stories about brave men who conquered the death and forest creatures helping travelers to find a way.  They say Karelia is a land for spiritually strong Russian men. According to the legend Karelian people ancestors came from the North and to survive in these harsh weather conditions they should have been pure in heart and strong in spirit.

“Legends of the North” Festival proves all mentioned above and is slowly becoming the event people associate Karelia with. On 5th of  August citizens are invited to be fully immersed by the authentic Nordic atmosphere of 9-11 centuries, try on some elements of clothes, armor and weapons, get acquainted with historical handicrafts and take part in numerous unique workshops and talk sessions:

• Moulded ceramics workshop
• Scandinavian poetry of scalds
• Elementary leather goods. Types of hides and skins. Their destination. Where to search for materials.
• the Swedish overtone flute making class
• archery and throwing knives workshops

The best place in Russia for those who’re attracted by the North

Not only the sounds of folk bands performance might be heard here but also metallic clang from everywhere! So the bravest ones may take a sword and become the best in the battle.

“That was the greatest show! The level of organizing was really high, we could take pictures with the warriors, fight with swords, watch and photograph handicrafts and life, learn something new and communicate with people who can’t imagine their life without the Legends of the North!” (says one of the participants in 2017)

Don’t you think it’s your turn to try this? Choose a course and come to Karelia!

Former Helsinki’s deputy mayor considers Petrozavodsk an ideal city for learning Russian

Ilkka-Christian about dramatic history  of Petrozavodsk and his learning Russian experience

As you probably know Petrozavodsk where you can learn Russian language is situated close to the European Union and Karelia has a common border with Finland. May be that’s why many of Enjoy Russian students come here to practice Russian from this county. This autumn we were happy to host very hardworking and loyal student (who has been studying with us several times) Ilkka-Christian. What makes students come to Enjoy Russian more than once? Here is the testimonial of our Finnish student and his impressions from city and the school both in Russian and Finnish languages:

Лично думаю, что каждому финну надо посетить Петрозаводск, по крайней мере один раз в жизни потому, что в этом городе мы сталкиваемся и со своей собственной (!) драматической, иногда у нас замолчанной историей – на берегу Онежского озера финские коммунистические лидеры верили, что построили там социалистический рай, и финские националисты на военной форме исполнили свою разрушительную утопию о ”Великой Финляндии”. Но, конечно, финнам сегодня, прежде всего, было бы интересно ездить в ПТЗ потому, что нынешний город – близкий, красивый и развитый город, который покажет то, что Россия – это не только Москва и Питер. С точки зрения изучения языка город просто идеальный – всё находится поблизости. Школу могу сердечно порекомендовать потому, что здесь  хорошие условия, отличные преподаватели, эффективная организация и вообще хорошее соотношение цены и качества.

Jokaisen suomalaisen pitäisi käydä Petroskoissa ainakin kerran elämässään. Senkin vuoksi, että törmäämme täällä myös oman historiamme dramaattisiin ja joskus vaiettuihin käänteisiin – Äänisen rannoilla ovat suomalaiset kommunistijohtajat uskoneet rakentavansa sosialistista paratiisia ja täällä ovat sotilaspukuiset suomalaiset ”aakooässät” toteuttaneet yhtä lailla tuhoisaa utopiaansa Suur-Suomesta. Mutta ennen muuta siksi, että nyky-Petroskoi on läheinen, kaunis ja kehittyvä kaupunki, joka osoittaa, että Venäjä on paljon muutakin kuin Moskova ja Pietari. Kieliopintojen kannalta kaupunki on ihanteellinen, kaikki on lähellä. Enjoy Russian -koulua voin kokemukseni perusteella lämpimästi suositella – ajanmukaiset puitteet, erinomaiset opettajat, toimivat järjestelyt ja hyvä hinta-laatu-suhde.

LEARN RUSSIAN, DRINK COFFEE AND LAUGH YOURSELF TO TEARS!

It may sound cheesy but сoffee fans would probably agree: one should not wait for the certain moment for having a cup. However many of them believe autumn is the season of hot drinks.  While the scientists argue about the way caffeine affects our body and life, the Enjoy Russian School takes you to the best coffee shops in Petrozavodsk. Although they are quite numerous we would like to tell you only about brand new ones that have become incredibly popular in the last few months.

Live Russian music at “Coffessor”

Loft, wood, good vibes. These are probably main “Coffessor” associations.  The place with comfy setout and live music is located in the very heart of Petrozavodsk.  If you find Lavazza coffee mind-blowing, decent and full of flavors then this place is perfect for you. What is special: not every café in our city can offer you a substitute to a traditional dairy coffee. Soy latte and cappuccino are not only nice-looking but also delicious here. Moreover you can fully enjoy the wide range of coffee beans free to buy at Coffessor. What is more the professional baristas know how not to make milk curdle in the cup! By the way it’s super affordable. The average spend is only €7.

Crema caffe. Best brew in Petrozavodsk  

They say it’s “best brew in town”. Well, to some point the crowds of people inside every night is the proof to that. The crack of a matter is hidden in the original recipes available to be tested in there. Have you ever tried espresso shot mixed with cherry juice? Or maybe cappuccino with salted caramel? What about raf coffee with popcorn flavor?  “Crema caffe” baristas are open to an any kind of experiments. And they are also very tender and kind towards guests and the espresso machine. The reason they have such a good coffee had been detected:)

Enjoy Russian language café

If you find the mentioned-above-places attractive then you’ll probably like Macaron café or Red Cup. But since you read this post and you are familiar with our school, Enjoy Russian language café is probably holds the top position in your wish list. Why? We offer Russian-language-inspired drinks mixed with stories, games, happy moments and pleasant memories. We also have traditional treats and tons of humor-pills. Honestly, you should have heard how hardly Enjoy Russian language participants were laughing last Friday!

Come to Petrozavodsk and let the world know if local coffee shops are competitive with Starbucks and how do you like Enjoy Russian Café! Choose a course here