Goodbye Moscow
Three months have gone by, and it is now time to conclude my stay in Moscow!
This is my first time in Russia. Exactly one year ago, I began studying Russian and am happy that things have turned out so well. One year ago I was sitting in the library to learn the Cyrillic alphabet. Now I can speak reasonably well, and am very happy as a result.
I am in Moscow not just for the language, but also to explore the city and what it has to offer. The conclusion is that there is so much (to much) to do in this city! Everyday I have class, and afterwards stay at school to learn new words and do homework, plus doing research and write for the blog.
Then it’s already late afternoon and I have more options. I can either go explore museums, parks, sights, etc. (my favorite place to be is Park Zaryadye) or go to a cafe with friends (Varennichnaya or Mu-Mu), or go where younger Russians my age hang out (Gorky Park or American Center) or just walk around the beautiful central areas. I met many people here and did so many things. If I were to have any regret, it would be that I could have gathered my energy to do even more!
Russian culture is unique and took time to get used to. Overall, most things have been positive surprises. There are too many things to list here, look at the whole blog and you will find useful information!
Having 20hrs of Russian classes every week at Liden & Denz gave my Russian a major boost. A lot of speaking practice, a lot of grammar, and immersion in a Russian-speaking environment has made me more confident about using it myself. I have had almost all teachers at Liden & Denz at one point or another (due to having moved levels twice): Lilya and Igor, then Anna and Irina, then Olga, and also Elena, Anastasia, Yulia and Katya stepped in a couple of times.
Each has a slightly different method of teaching, but the key is to focus on real-life communication and that worked very well. A common problem with learning languages is that students can use it passively but have a hard time using it themselves. My problem here is now solved! It was also good to have different teachers and therefore learn a little differently with each.
I also got to know the staff at Liden & Denz, due to having been here that long. Artur was always enthusiastic and helped me with everything, and everyone else in the Moscow staff did their part too. My internship supervisor (in Saint Petersburg) Anastasia was also very kind, and I enjoyed writing the blog and contributing on social media.
I arrived on June 1st and started at level A2. I now finished exams concluding level B1+. The road to fluency is still long, but a lot of progress has been made. I hope to come back next summer, perhaps to Saint Petersburg if time allows. But for now, goodbye! It has been an amazing experience, and I will always remember my time here.
Nick Nguyen
