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| CLS students on an excursion to Bogoliubovo, a small town near Vladimir, Russia. |
Host institutions: KORA Russian Language Center
Language: Russian
Levels: Intermediate and Advanced
Approximately
26 students study Russian in the CLS institute in Vladimir. Located 120 miles east of Moscow, Vladimir is
part of the “Golden Ring”— a series of historic cities to the northeast of
Moscow that are famous for their ancient cathedrals, monasteries, and kremlins.
Today, Vladimir is home to approximately 350,000 residents and is the
administrative center of Vladimir Oblast
(region).
Location:
Vladimir is located 1.5 hours by train from Moscow, but despite its proximity
to the capital city, students in Vladimir notice that the pace of life is
slower in Vladimir and seldom, if ever, encounter the temptation to use
English. Other nearby historic Golden Ring cities, easily accessible by bus or
train, include Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Rostov Velikiy, and Ivanovo.
One
of the students who participated in the program last year said, “Vladimir is
rich in history and culture, with a host of museums, churches, theaters, and
monuments to visit. We scarcely scraped
the surface of the city’s sights on our cultural excursions, and nine weeks
truly didn’t allow for us to take everything in.”
Academics: CLS students have a rigorous schedule, with approximately 20
hours of formal classes each week and many outside language practice
opportunities. In addition to formal instruction, students have two hours
of homework each weekday and opportunities to meet with instructors outside of
class to review material.
Students take courses such as
practical grammar, conversation, classic texts, and mass media. In their courses, they learn Russian skills
and grammar such as using verbs of motion, making comparative constructions, and
sounding more fluent through proper stress and rhythm. They discuss topics like education in Russia,
health, art, and friendship. In
addition, students learn to better appreciate the work of great Russian writers
such as Tolstoy, Chekhov, and Nabokov, and they learn about Russian history.
Housing: CLS
students in Vladimir live with host families. This enables them to apply their
language skills outside the classroom and to take part in cultural activities,
which include sharing meals with host families, visiting host families’
relatives, and taking trips to the dacha
or nearby towns.
“My host mother was great. She always wanted to hear about my day,
encouraged me to ask her grammar questions, and always kept me comfortable and
well-fed. I felt that the host family
portion of the program was the most advantageous for my language skills – I was
forced to speak Russian early in the morning when I was half asleep, a type of
practice I would never have received otherwise, and I go to talk about events
and topics that interested me,” said one of the students.
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| Cultural excursion to meet with an artist who creates traditional Russian dolls. |
Cultural activities: Classes and
activities throughout the summer introduce CLS students to Russian tradition
and culture. In recent years, the KORA Russian Language Center has offered a
range of enrichment activities to CLS participants, including classes on
Russian music and folklore, and a series of film screenings. Students also
learn about Russian culture and often develop lasting friendships with Russians
by interacting with their peer tutors.
In addition, many students use
their time in Vladimir to explore personal and academic interests. CLS 2011 participant Meagan Todd built on her
academic interests by arranging a meeting with a local imam at a mosque in
Vladimir. They talked about a wide range
of topics in Russian, including issues such as the state of Islam in Russia,
educational and professional opportunities for Muslims, and the architecture of
mosques.
Student quotes:
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