Good afternoon,
Dear Irina,
I m writing to enquire whether you are organizing Russian courses next year in July-August.
I m planning to bring over my family next year.
My husband Chris has already been a student in your course and was very happy with the teaching etc. He would like to take another course.
I see you provide accommodation. Will this be the case for next year too?

Best regards,
Marina
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Marina Vraciu

Мне очень понравилось жить и учиться в Санкт-Петербурге. Люди в основном добрые, общительные, готовы и рады общаться с иностранцами. Город сам красивый, и легко ездить по нему на метро и маршрутках. Мое любимое здесь место – Таврический сад, который находится в двух шагах от Смольного собора. В течение двух месяцев познакомилась с многими студентами и петербуржцами, которых теперь считаю настоящими друзьями. Конечно скучаю по дому, но все равно мне жалко уезжать, и я надеюсь скоро вернуться в Россию!
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15.08.2008
Молли Мозес
Балтимор, Мериленд
Студентка Гарвардского Униврситета

Я уже третий раз в России, и могу уверенно вам сказать, что это только начало. Атмосферу страны сразу будете чувствовать с самого начала, особенно в Петербурге, который, по-моему, самый красивый город в мире. Это не только прекрасный город, а еще очень интересный и веселый: днем и ночью здесь всегда можно делать что-нибудь и развлекаться. Учеба, город, клубы: все на высоком уровне! ЦРЯК-отличная школа, и Питер, вообще, никогда не забудете!
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15.08.2008
Алессандро Бономелли
Болонский Университет
Италия

My name is Ilya Rekhter and I participated in the CIEE 2008 summer study abroad.
I enjoyed my time in St. Petersburg and Russia as a whole. I would recommend this program to anyone who is considering it. The staff and professors were fantastic. I learned far more about the language and culture than I ever expected.
Aside from the educational aspect, I also enjoyed the culture and white nights of St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia and has a multitude of great museums. Beautiful buildings line the streets of the city, and museums are on virtually every corner.
Overall, I found that St. Petersburg is a very safe and hospitable place. I did not run into problems with pick-pockets or police, and the white nights make days and nights seem extra safe.
As for the weather, St. Petersburg reminds me more of Seattle than Siberia. The weather fluctuated a bit, but there were no dashing climate changes.
As a whole, I recommend this study abroad to anyone and everyone interested.
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11.08.2008
Ilya Rekhter,
CIEE 2008

Good morning! I am writing for two reasons. First, I had a wonderful experience with your University during the month of August. My teacher was exceptional. The campus, the organization, the assistance-just excellent. I am considering returning for a month, possibly May or June of 2008.
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Hoping to return to the marvelous city and University,
Barbara Hall, Canada

My name is Marius Hertz, I am a 22 year old German student currently enrolled in the course of Media and Business Administration at the University of applied sciences in Stuttgart, Germany. In the year 2006 I took part in a 3 week summercourse at the Center of Russian Language and Culture of SPbSU and I was greatly satisfied in every respect. I am now considering studying at your institute for a longer period of time in Spring/Summer of 2008.
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Marius Hertz

I just wanted to say a big "spasiba" for all of your help both before and during my time in Saint Petersburg recently. I think this was really a very profitable experience overall for me.

Many thanks again,
Nick Thomas
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Nick Thomas
MA International Studies (graduated June 2006)
Graduate School of International Studies University of Denver

Dear Natasha,
Thanks again for all the wonderful work you've done on our behalf. As usual it was a pleasure to work with you and your colleagues at the Center. Nathaniel and I are looking forward to seeing you all again next year. In the meantime, please, check out a cute little movie/slideshow about our trip put together by one of our students Michael Maratas. Feel free to put this link on the Center's webpage - it might be a good advertising tool :)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4qO-SpwOsPs

Please, do enjoy the rest of the summer. And don't forget that if you are ever in New York you always have a place to stay.
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Yours,
Maxim

Finally I have the chance to write you a letter. I want to tell "thank you" to you and to the Center for the excellent course. It helped me very much. My linguistic knowledge has improved during these 2 weeks. I could not expect it would be so progressive.
My interest to the Russian language and literature has risen due to nice and beautiful professors of the University.
Please send my love to all the professors of "group 12" where I studied. Thank you.
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Sincerely yours,
Mari Rautio ("group 12" from 27th Februay till 10th March 2006)
Helsinki

Our students did well in Russian, they had good practice. They are also satisfied with the dormitory. We are very grateful for everything.
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Dr.N.Ryan
Head Russian Studies
Macquarie University

Dear Natasha,
I am back in the States and just wanted to thank you for your help in setting up our study abroad program. I really appreciate everything you did for our group. The students absolutely loved it in Russia and at least couple are talking about returning next May. We would certainly like to continue this program. If nothing untoward happens, we are planning a similar program for next year. We'll probably have more students since the word has gotten out about the "awesome Saint Petersburg program." Let's keep in touch. My warmest regards to everybody at the Center. You guys are doing an absolutely fantastic job there. I look forward to see you next May.
Yours,Maxim Matusevich
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Maxim Matusevich

I finally decided that with three years of college-level Russian I should do something with it. After the quick decision of where to go (Moscow was described to me as too large, too dirty, and too Western, that is, non-Russian), I applied to and was accepted for the CIEE 10-week summer program at Smol'nyj Institut in Saint Petersburg. I didn't really have any goals in mind save seeing the proverbial sights and improving my use of Russian. That 10-week program turned out to be 14 of the best months of my life.
I had never been outside of North America before I left. Upon my arrival in Saint Petersburg I felt as though I had arrived on another world altogether. Everything was different from what I was used to. Even the classroom setting wasn't a thing like that of the American educational system. I quickly learned to enjoy myself however, and while the feeling of other-worldliness never went away, I grew to love pretty much everything about life in Russia.
My teachers showed themselves to be helpful and caring and their classes interesting. I do however have my favorites. In the U.S. I just can't seem to be interested by Russian literature. Frankly, it bores me. At Smol'nyj, however, Roza Aleksandrovna was my literature teacher. She peaked my interest in the subject, by the end of my time there I was even reading poetry, something to which I am normally staunchly opposed. More so, she is a simply wonderful person, one with whom I am scheduled to go skydiving the next time I'm in town.
There are more than just teachers at Smol'nyj. Nathan and Mila, for instance, are the directors of the CIEE program. However, "directors" is really a cold title for people who are more than anything knowledgeable, friendly people who happen to come along on all of the excursions in and outside of Saint Petersburg. I would recommend to anyone just sitting down and talking with either of them (especially on the electrichka from Novgorod). These two, along with Irina Borisovna (an especially friendly woman who happens to know how to get anything done) are those who are responsible for giving the visiting student a huge dose of Russia. I can't thank them enough for the splendid curriculum, loving host family, and interesting excursions that they provided me.
I must admit that I am biased towards the whole CIEE / Smol'nyj / Saint Petersburg experience. You see, being there under these circumstances I was lucky enough to have met my wife, Nastja. I don't really know what to write about her in such a composition save that I love her and that I am incredibly grateful that there is a Saint Petersburg, Russia, that I lived there for over a year and, that I met her there.
I am greatly looking forward to returning to Saint Petersburg this summer. I don't think that I could stay away for more than a year. I would highly recommend to anyone else who happens to speak Russian to do the same.
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David J. Haines
Student of Russian, Dance, and Life-In-General
(Order of priority subject to change)

"- I spent three weeks at the Center for Russian Language and Culture's Smolny campus and would very much like to come back. The atmosphere was very nice, the classes interesting and we learned much from our teachers. The location of the institute is very romantic, and it was always enjoyable to come here -"
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Chantal Dragomir

"-We were very happy to have received our academic program in the university. The teachers and administrative staff were always ready to here-"
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Kanto school

"-it is hard for me to say good bye and leave Saint Petersburg after a month here. The classes were intensive. The teachers introduced me to all the best that this country has to offer. I stayed with a fantastic family, and 'Piter' is a marvelous city-"
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Erdmuthe Klaer

"The Council on International Educational Exchange has been working with Saint Petersburg (previously Leningrad) State University for more than thirty years, and has been working with the university's Center for Russian Language and Culture since its inception in 1990. The program in Russia is ClEE's longest continuously running international study program for American university students, and was the first American program in the Soviet Union.
It was CIEE that brought the first group of American college students to study Russian in Leningrad in the mid 1960s. The teaching faculty's expertise and decades of experience working with foreign students, the professionalism of the administrative staff and the quality of the living arrangements for students are all unequalled. Students receive the highest quality academic program, excellent support from local staff and top quality living conditions. Without a doubt, Saint Petersburg State University's Center for Russian Language and Culture provides the best possible program available in Russia today."
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CIEE: Council on International
Educational Exchange