«Enjoy Russian” language school invites you for a 4-week program of Russian immersion in April 2019!

The program includes:
80 intensive Russian lessons in a small group;
Study process focused on development of speaking skills;
Russian homestay including meals;
Diverse cultural program including Easter celebration, travelling around the Republic of Karelia, learning lots about Russian culture (trips to St. Petersburg, Velikiy Novgorod and Murmansk upon request);
Support of local volunteers, language practice with natives.

Start level: A2, B1
Start date: April, 01
Cost: 940 euro including tuition fee and homestay with breakfast
All informational support is provided

Apply here: https://enjoyrussian.com/courses/standard/
E-mail: info@enjoyrussian.com

Now, as we’re preparing for the next spring group course, we’re looking back to the March of 2018. There was such an amazing team of students from the UK, Finland, Brazil and Switzerland.

It was great: bright and sunny weather, frozen Onega lake, some snowy days to make the experience 100% Russian. What made this time unique? Of course, people: our highly-motivated and hard-working students, creative and supporting teachers, caring host families and active Russian volunteers, always ready to show any must-visit place in Petrozavodsk.

Here is a feedback from Sonja, Finland: «Content of the Russian language course was excellent. Fun teaching methods that kept to Russian class interesting. I wish I could have stayed longer at Enjoy Russian school in Petrozavodsk to learn more complex vocabulary. Russian native speaking teacher took into account our wishes and needs. My host family in Petrozavodsk was great, just the right balance of communication and privacy. I would definitely recommend this program: definitely value for money».

The next March will be even more delightful! Help us to make is unforgettable – welcome to Petrozavodsk!

2-week course: 04.03-15.03.19

Program cost: 470 euro (40 Russian lessons + homestay with breakfast)

4-week course: 04.03.-29.03.19

Program cost: 940 euro (80 Russian lessons + homestay with breakfast)

Apply here: https://enjoyrussian.com/courses/standard/

E-mail: info@enjoyrusian.com

Karelia is beautiful all year round! 

In February you’ll have a great opportunity to feel the magic of the Russian North during the annual International Winter festival “Hyperborea-2019” in Petrozavodsk!

“Enjoy Russian” language School invites you to get immersed into Russian language and culture with your friend on dates: 04 Feb – 17 Feb, 2019. Study Russian in a one-to-two group, stay in a Russian host family, practice Russian with locals and explore Karelia!

Tuition fee: 400 euro / 40 lessons in a one-to-two group

We’re here for you! info@enjoyrussian.com

Apply: https://enjoyrussian.com/courses/one-to-two/

WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU TO RUSSIA

If you happen to travel to Petrozavodsk (and want to start learning Russian with Enjoy Russian language school) then you should know what to expect from the weather. The most significant thing is that the weather in Karelia is as unpredictable as in Iceland.

In winter it's very snowy and the temperature might be up to 25 below zero. So you should definitely take with you earmuffs or beanie, scarf, waterproof winter jacket and boots. It's also quite slippery everywhere you go even though we put sand all around the road.

If you are about to take a summer trip, then pack some faves you wear in chilly weather as well - jeans, cardigans, sweater or even a scarf. But be ready to face unbelievable heat (especially if you take a course in July), so don't forget a swimsuit, shorts, sunscreen, sunglasses etc. 

Read the whole post here - https://enjoyrussian.com/weather-in-russia/

3 breathtaking lighthouses in Russia

Enjoy Russian School blog is not only about the language, education and advice. It is about traveling and possible ways to explore Russia. There is a saying in Russian: ученье – свет, а неученье – тьма (knowledge is light and lack of knowledge is darkness). In this sense, lighthouse may be the symbol of education and self-realization. Do you know this feeling when you come to a new place and thing number one you should do is to check out the nearest lighthouse? Then you will like this post! Get ready to read about the most beautiful lighthouses in Russia and start backpacking for the amazing trip!

1

Tarkhankutski Lighthouse. 200-year-old lighthouse is a unique historical monument of architecture carefully preserved by the government.  Breaking through the wires is not recommended but even without this, you will definitely take some nice pictures. Sailors and locals call this place Storms Cape.

2

Egersjöld lighthouse. Founded in 1876, it is one of the oldest lighthouses in the Far East of Russia. It can be reached on foot. The trip there will take quite a long time, but it’s worth it because it is a chance to enjoy the view of the strait, the Russian island, the Vladivostok port and the sea. You can also get there by water transport, for example, on a mini-ferry.

3

Osinovetsky lighthouse, Lake Ladoga. It is one of the highest in Europe and the closest one to Enjoy Russian School. Many people call it the Ladoga lighthouse, named after the lake. On the shore of the lake, you can not only stay with a tent for the weekend but also spend a few days at one of the recreation centers. In the afternoon you will definitely want to visit local attractions and walk along the beach but wrap yourself up in a soft blanket first.

Why is autumn the best time to explore Russian lighthouses?

Simply because the forests by the water are amazingly beautiful. They make the landscapes more colorful, add some magic and create a story around each lighthouse. Want to combine studies and traveling?  Choose a course at Enjoy Russian school! Autumn starting dates – 3 September, 14 October.

7 Facts about Everyday Life in the USSR

Welcome to MATRYOSHKA’S DIARY, the weekly column about Russia, its history and people. Today our author Elena Kiliakova tells us about some amazing and even shocking facts about everyday life in the Soviet Union. If you want to know more about pioneers, Artek and unbelievably huge lines in front of the shops in the USSR just keep reading!

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1. People in the Soviet Union took recycling seriously.

Back then we had no options other than to be environmentally friendly. Dairy products (such as milk, sour cream, and other traditional Russian dairy products were packed in glass bottles of different shapes and forms). We never threw them away, but reused! Another mainstream thing was a net tote bag – even though I was born one year before the USSR collapsed I still remember my grandparents using them. These days it is a must-have for those caring for the environment.

2. Did I mention that we took recycling seriously?

Back then we had special competitions – people who collected a set amount of paper (magazines, newspapers and old books) got a very special prize for reaching the goal. What was the award? Those who won the competition were granted an opportunity to purchase a book or a towel or something that was next to impossible to buy in the shops. My mum told me a story how she got a set of towels.

3.Food stamps

It is probably different to imagine it now, but back then we did get food stamps or vouchers which could be exchanged for a set amount of food/goods. Back then you could not just go to the supermarket and buy anything you like from any country you can think of. We had stamps for groceries which were allocated at work (everyone back then had a job). Everyone was given a set amount of goods (groceries)– so the stamps were used to buy some necessities. Some real numbers to get a feeling what was it was like to live in the USSR: one got food stamps that were sufficient to buy one kilo of sausages a month (among other groceries).

4. A legendary Artek camp

In the Soviet era, Artek was a landmark of the USSR. Located in Crimea, the camp was the first resort for young pioneers — the Soviet equivalent of Boy or Girl Scouts. Unlike other recreational facilities for children and youth, Artek was (and still is) open not only in summer, but all year round. The camp attracted children from the USSR (and all over the world really), and was visited by internationally recognized people, like Indira Gandhi.

 5.The 15 sisters

During the Soviet era, the 15 member states had strong ties and economic relationships. The states of the USSR were called 15 sisters. You can experience the special connection which existed back then if you visit the VDNKh or the Exhibition of achievement of the national economy in Moscow. There is a pavilion for each of the member states showcasing the best of what the member state (or I should say an ex-member) had to offer. Some of the main features include the Friendship of Nations fountain and the Cosmonauts’ alley.

6.Take me to…

We had a strong social welfare system which was funded by government. A special feature of it was resorts. Back then a concept of unemployment did not really exist – everyone wanted to work (and was given an opportunity to work) and contribute to the economy. This meant that if you were a member of a union, you could get a heavily subsidised or a free holiday package for yourself and your family members. What a luxury!

7. The Pioneer movement

The Pioneer movement was an equivalent of the Scout movement in western countries. Children and youth were accepted to the organization based on academic merit and other achievements. There were three stages depending on the age:
– Octyabryata– from year 1 to4(Primary School) – were given a pin-shaped like a star with a portrait of Lenin.
– Pioneers – from 5 to year 8(Secondary School) had distinguishable red neckties.
– Komsomoltsy– from year 8 to 10 (High School).
During the existence of the Soviet Union, thousands of camps and palaces (an alternative of a community youth centre) for members were built. These were exclusive only for Young Pioneers/Octyabryata/Komsomoltsy, which were free of charge, sponsored by the government and trade unions

Check out other posts here and follow the news! Some other facts are coming soon:)
And if you want to learn Russian and ask more info about the Soviet era, best teachers are here to teach you by Skype!

EVEN 12 WEEKS IN RUSSIA IS NOT ENOUGH

Rahel meets up with Russian mom 2 years later

It goes without saying that 3 months is more than enough to find yourself bonded with a Russian host family. Meet Rahel from Switzerland, Enjoy Russian School alumni of 2016. This wonderful girl had been learning Russian in Petrozavodsk for 12 weeks (check out Semester Abroad program here). To celebrate the reunion  Rahel’s Russian mom Marina cooked her favorite Russian treats and took her to some beautiful places in Karelia. The most obvious difference between 2016 experience and May 2018 trip is that now Rahel speaks fluent Russian!

She calls me Russian mom!

“Рахель – очень искренний, светлый человек. Такая веселая и добрая девушка. Всегда хочет мне помогать, записывает мои рецепты. Она называет меня русской мамой и всегда зовет нас в гости” says Marina. Rahel had always been attracted by Russia, people and mindset. Moreover, nowadays learning Russian is extremely advantageous. Thanks to fluent Russian Rahel successfully entered the Police Academy (by the way only 17 people were selected out of 800!) and is going to work at the airport in Zurich.

5 reasons to choose Russian homestay

• practice Russian all day long and learn colloquial vocabulary easily
• experience famous Russian hospitality
• understand Russian way of life
• taste Russian homemade food (blini, borsh etc.)
• take a step beyond the tourist trail and explore the city with your hosts!

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Sign up for 12-week group course in Russia this autumn! We start on 3th of September!

THE HUNGER GAMES SCALE

Russian North Hunting Traditions’ Festival

Have you ever tried to set a fire without a single match somewhere in the forests of Russia? We bet you haven’t! As well as never ever had you worn ancient Karelian traditional hunters’ clothes or eaten salmon bonfire soup. But no regrets, especially for those who come to learn the Russian language at Enjoy Russian School in Karelia. In September 2018 the Karelian city of Sortavala (North-West of Russia) holds one of the most epic and historically significant celebrations – Hunting Traditions festival.

Russian hunting comic-con is a must for chefs, sportsmen and photographers

And of course for anyone who likes spectacular and colorful events. Why is it held in Karelia? Because Russian forests in the North-West are famous for extremely rich flora and fauna, breathtaking landscapes and unique spots ancient people had been exploring.

The one-day-long festival starts with the welcoming words about the significance of hunting traditions for Karelians. Guests will be able to amuse themselves on several stages:

1.  cooking competition where professionals and amateurs cook a hunting soup from the same set of products in accordance with their own recipe.
2.  hounds exhibition – experts will tell about the different breeds features and the way they are evaluated
3.  Photo-hunting competition – the participants are given a fragment  of a photo of an animal and look for the place of its living
4.  Shooting exhibition and competition.
5.  Re-enactors performance – guests of the Festival have a unique opportunity to see the life and culture of medieval Karelia and even take part in the battle.
6.  kids’ playgrounds, crafts workshops, and fire-shows will also make you fall in love with the atmosphere.

Participants say

“Hunting for Karelian people was always about unity with nature, a careful attitude to forests gifts. Today we were able to look into the past! The organizers showed us the way ancient hunters looked in the Middle Ages, how they prepared for the hunt, made weapons, sewed special clothes and lit the fire. Amazing atmosphere and a great performance!”

Want to forget about Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for a while? Come to Karelia this autumn! The Russian language group course starts on 3 of September. Sign up here!

REAL RUSSIA: HOW IS IT LIKE?

“I had never expected to fall so much in love with Russia and its people”

This is what Enjoy Russian Scholarship contest’s participants say. Those of them who have already been to Russia and is able to understand the language. Our students come to Petrozavodsk to see the real Russia, to experience people’s hospitality and start speaking Russian of course. British traveler and blogger Katherine has written a great story about her Russian trip. Read and think for yourself if you want to learn about Russians from media or come to actually explore it.

Katherine about her trip to Russia

Будь здорова! cried a chorus of voices when I sneezed enormously on my midnight flight to Moscow. This was the first time I’d been surrounded by Russian speakers and the first time I’d ever traveled to Russia. On my way off the plane, a man lifted my suitcase out of the over-head compartment for me. My taxi driver shared his bag of pumpkin seeds with me. A woman offered to take my photo after seeing me struggling to take a selfie – two minutes later she was flat on her back in the middle of red square determined to get both me and St Basil’s in the picture. I was at the ballet when I felt a tap on my arm as a girl offered me some of her chocolate.

The hospitality and kindness of Russians is overwhelming. I was only in Russia for four days in order to run the Moscow Marathon. I had never expected to fall so much in love with a country and its people. Ultimately I want to learn Russian to be able to understand the country more completely as it is so often misrepresented in the West. Russia through the eyes of a Westener is frankly a shock – it exceeds all expectations! I had no idea it would be so full of sunshine, with so much energy and be so well-organised! I promised myself, as I ran around the city, that I would find a way back to Russia, to travel to its far corners, documenting the people I meet and the beautiful landscapes. I blog about my travels and want to be able to present the real Russia, not the repressed version our media feeds us. If it’s only greeting “privet” to your neighbours, chatting to the person next to you at the bus stop, laughing with the lady at the supermarket, or trying to coax a smile out of the man behind the bar; energy is exchanged. Small points of understanding are reached. Misconceptions are broken down. Even at beginner level, it is still possible to change the way people think. It is still possible to have a powerful impact on their day. In this way I would hope to break down some of the walls dividing west and east and show the world Russia through my eyes.

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Come to Petrozavodsk to be fully immersed in the culture and history and start speaking Russian in 6 weeks. Choose a course here

RUSSIAN GRAVITY FALLS

Vottovaara mountain in Karelia 

On September 3 Enjoy Russian language school starts a group course for people who wants to start speaking Russian in a short time (you may enroll here). We usually offer diverse cultural program to our students but sometimes they choose the places to visit in Karelia by themselves and this autumn we highly recommend you checking out some mystic places in Russian North. Why? Because here in Karelia we have it all: mountain idols, ancient petroglyphs, stone labyrinths and one more place – Vottovaara mountain. It can be compared to Gravity Falls  from the famous Disney series and here’s why.

A healthy habit to explore: what is Vottovaara mountain famous for?

They say one may find mystic spots almost in every Russian region. Near Chelyabinsk, lake Baikal,  Chukotka or even in Moscow (famous Patricarch’s  Ponds described by M. Bulgakov in his novel). The Republic of Karelia is not an exсeption.

People say Russian North is a place of energy and inner strength and that a trip around all the “unordinary” spots in Karelia may take 1 month. Vottovaara mountain (470 m) is a place that the locals are always asked about. The mountain was discovered about 30 years ago and still catches everyone’s attention. It is situated in the Central Karelia not  far from Segozero lake. Some ppeople are ready to take travelers there while others strictly say NO. Let us clarify what’s wrong with this place and why everyone should see this.

1. You may fall asleep in a second. That happened many times with travelers. May be because of ancient Saami people’s rituals or because of the placebo effect. Anyways, you should come to try.
2. Stones are everywhere. Almost 1500 stones that are called “seidy”. They look like absolutely typical stoenes but there is one tiny moment here. They are extremely heavy but when you get closer to one of them you notice that it stands on several stones that are extremely small in comparison with this big one. How did they get under? No one knows.
3. Spectacular view of the whole Karelia and even Finland. Even though it is not that high, you may see beautiful lakes and forests of Karelia and even a part of neighbouring country.
4. Go here if you are a UFO hunter. The locals say you may see here aliens from time to time.
5. The most tranquil place in Karelia and maybe in the Russian North. Not a single bird, fly or ant. Just you and the energy of mysterious Karelia.

15 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT RUSSIA

In this article, learn more about one of the most amazing countries in the world

1. Russia is the largest country in the world.
2. The deepest lake on Earth Baikal is located in Russia.
3. The oldest mountains on the planet, the Urals, are also in Russia.
4. The deepest subway in the world is in St. Petersburg, its depth is more than a hundred meters.
5. St. Petersburg is the most northern metropolis in the world.
6. The territory of ​​Siberia is about nine percent of the total land area of ​​the Earth.
7. Russia borders on 16 countries.
8. The distance between the borders of Russia and the United States in the north is only 4 kilometers.
9.  There are almost ten thousand trains in the Moscow subway.
10. The most visited McDonald’s in the world is in Moscow on Pushkin Square.
11. Sushi are more popular in Russia than in Japan.
12. The world’s highest university is located in Moscow, it’s Moscow State University.
13. The world’s largest tram network is in St. Petersburg.
14. The Siberian taiga is the largest forest massif in the world.
15. The longest continuous land border in the world is the border between Russia and Kazakhstan.

If you want to learn Russian, and explore Russia, come to “Enjoy Russian Language School”! Sing up for a language course here

Enjoy 'White Nights' in Petrozavodsk, enjoy Russian language classes with native speakers, make new friends and have fun!

Elementary level (2 weeks): July 18-29
Price: 450EUR (including tuition fee for 40 hours of Russian + homestay with breakfast)

Basic level (2 weeks): July 18-29
Price: 450EUR (including tuition fee for 40 hours of Russian + homestay with breakfast)

1 Certificate level (2 weeks): July 18-29
Price: 450EUR (including tuition fee for 40 hours of Russian + homestay with breakfast)

Deadline for applying: June 19