An American living in Russia for a year

[letnja_kisha]

Here's a diary of an American college student living in Saint-Petersburg for a year: http://students.ou.edu/W/Heather.E.Worley-2/
Very well-written, interesting and enlightening. And I'd say objective in not being prejudiced in either direction ("all Russian is best" or "all American is best"). Recommend to all (regardless of your country of origin).

Comments

[letnja-kisha.livejournal.com]

I actually think it's quite normal to compare to the place where one's from. When we came to Cincinnati to live from Moscow, I compared it to Moscow, not Saratov. Or maybe - she is comparing everything to Oklahoma because her audience is from there, and it would be the first thing familiar to them. Anyway, I think her observations are not biased at all.

I don't know her personally, no. I got the link from privet.com.

About German - since I intend to post in German here from time to time, I thought at least you would be able to understand :) and possibly comment (I don't think anybody else speaks it).

[brem.livejournal.com]

I actually think it's quite normal to compare to the place where one's from. When we came to Cincinnati to live from Moscow, I compared it to Moscow, not Saratov.

Sure, but hope you realized that at least some of the differences are attributable to that Cincinnati's position in America is not anything like what Moscow's position is in Russia. I just could not see any reservation of that sort in this girl's reports and that seemed wierd to me.

It reminds me that many mech-math profs who in hard 90ies were seeking positions in US colleges often complained that american students are crap compared to russian students. Well, yes, but not becasue americans are weaker in general, but because mech-math is nation's best math place whereas University of Idaho isn't. Have they moved to someplace like Орловский политехнический институт they would not be happy either.

since I intend to post in German here from time to time, I thought at least you would be able to understand :) and possibly comment (I don't think anybody else speaks it).

I will be happy to, but I am definitely not the only one - say, denis37 is much better in it than I am.

[letnja-kisha.livejournal.com]

Gee, how could I forget Denis! We were in German class together, duh.