What accomplishments have I made while studying Russian at AUCA?

July 24, 2024

#exchangeprogram

Every year, students from different countries come to AUCA through exchange programs. One of the courses they study is Russian. We asked some of them about their success in learning the language. Narrated by Annabel Gorman.

– My name is Anna, and I am an exchange student from the USA. I have been studying Russian for more than two years. However, there are few Russian speakers at the university in Missouri where I study, and I did not have much experience communicating in Russian.

Therefore, in the beginning, life here was very difficult. I didn't know many words that are used in everyday life. Besides, I understood more than I could say and had many problems when I tried to explain something and answer questions. I was also ashamed when I spoke because I have an accent, I often make mistakes, and I was always afraid that I would accidentally say something rude!

But with the help of my wonderful teachers Zharkyn Kasymova and Olga Voitekhina, my friends, and my host family, I became more confident. Thanks to them, I realized that the most important thing is that people understand me and I don't need to be nervous. They also introduced me to new ways of learning Russian. For example, my friends and host family recommended that I listen to songs they like, and I started listening to more songs in Russian. I also started watching more TV in Russian, actively participating in class, visiting cinemas, and attending the cinema club "Watching Movies in Russian" by Zharkyn Kasymova. The more I listen to music and watch TV in Russian, the more I understand. For example, my friend and I recently watched the new three-hour film "Dune" in Russian, and I understood more than I expected!

In the future, I will continue to study Russian, and after graduation, I hope to return to Kyrgyzstan and maybe start learning the Kyrgyz language.

I am very grateful for the wonderful opportunity to study in Bishkek, where I can use (and need to) Russian daily. I seem to always learn something new!

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