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Provincial Russia

Language Link’s Volunteer Programme in the Provinces is the best way to experience the real Russia. As every Russian will tell you Moscow is a fantastic city, but it isn’t Russia! Our International Language Centres in St Petersburg, Volgograd and Samara have a limited number of vacancies each semester for teaching-assistant volunteers. As a volunteer Teaching Assistant, you will be assigned to one of our foreign language departments to help teach English as a foreign language under the supervision of a qualified teacher. Following an initial period of basic training you will begin assisting in the classroom, where your responsibilities may include leading discussions, acting as a conversation partner and helping the students overcome their language learning difficulties or lack of confidence on a one-to-one basis. You may be asked to assist in lessons taught by Russian EFL teachers to improve students' pronunciation and understanding of the language as spoken by a native-speaker. There may also be the chance to help in lessons with children or young learners. The Volunteer Programme includes a choice of accommodation (shared apartment or home-stay), plus visa support and registration, so the usually daunting task of travel to this fascinating but rather bureaucratic country is greatly simplified. We will advise and support you as you adapt to the unique Russian culture. St Petersburg In St Petersburg, volunteers are welcome for the following periods: Early September - Christmas holidays (16 week programme) January - end of May (20 week programme). Language Link in St. Petersburg is based behind Kazan Cathedral, within walking distance of Невский проспект (Nevsky Prospect). In the central school you will find the Russian Department, the Education Abroad Department, the Translation Department and the central administration for the English Department. Other facilities and amenities in the building include a teacher’s room, access to a computer and the internet, up-to-date resources and audio/video equipment. Because of the central location of the school, there are a lot of shops and facilities close by. Just along the road from the school, there is a new shopping centre, and you can also find numerous supermarkets in the vicinity. A little further away, there is a small grocery store and an excellent delicatessen by metro Маяковская (Mayakovskaya). Whether you prefer traditional Russian cooking or a more international menu, there is plenty to choose from in the vicinity of central school. A convenient Russian столовая (cafeteria-style café) serving cheap Russian food is located in the Herzen University Hostel, just across the road. Also within walking distance are several other Russian restaurants, a Chinese restaurant, the Mocco club and a European restaurant, and a branch of Pizza Hut. Coffee House, Republic of Coffee and Идеальная Чашка (Idealnaya Chashka) are good places for a quick drink or snack. Невский Проспект (Nevsky Prospect) and the area around it offer plenty of bars to choose from too. If you’re looking for help with learning Russian or English language books, there are two excellent bookshops nearby the school: Дом Книги (Dom Knigi) and Англия (Anglia). There is a good gym nearby called Планета Фитнес (Planeta Fitness), and of course several cheap internet cafés in the area. Upon arrival in St Petersburg, every volunteer will receive orientation and initial training. Every volunteer will receive 4 academic hours of free Russian lessons. For beginners in Russian these lessons will be targeted to give the Volunteer the vocabulary and phrases they will need to get by in Russia. For the more experienced Russian speaker, the lessons will be aimed at activating their Russian language ability. Volgograd In Volgograd, volunteers are welcome for any programme length as long as it falls between September and May. Language Link’s school in Volgograd first opened its doors in 1995 and over the past decade has developed its reputation as one of the best language centres in the city. The Central School is situated in the city centre at ул. Комсомолская 6 (Komsomolskaya street 6). The school has everything necessary for teachers’ work: a photocopier, computer, video, tape player, free internet access and resource library. The Russian staff have been working there since the school first opened, and are always ready to help. One- and two-roomed apartments are provided for teachers in the centre of town, usually within 10 to 20 minutes’ walk from the school. Given the central location of the school, you can find anything you need close by. The central market is brilliant for almost everything, and Gourmand and Ramstore are large supermarkets in the vicinity. Eating out in Volgograd is very good value for money. The big self-service restaurant (столовая/stolovaya) on ул. Коммунистическая (Kommunisticheskaya Street) is a popular place for teachers. There is also a good pizza restaurant called Арка (Arca) on ул. Ленина (Lenin Street). There is a large bookshop quite near the Language Link school on ул. Коммунистическая (Kommunisticheskaya Street), which has a selection of foreign language and ELT books in the basement. Prior to travelling to Volgograd, every volunteer will receive orientation and initial training in Moscow. Every volunteer will receive 4 academic hours of free Russian lessons. For beginners in Russian these lessons will be targeted to give the Volunteer the vocabulary and phrases they will need to get by in Russia. For the more experienced Russian speaker, the lessons will be aimed at activating their Russian language ability. Every volunteer will also be given a health and safety briefing from the International Programmes Coordinator. This will be quite informal, and any concerns and questions that the volunteer may have will be addressed. After completing your initial training in Moscow, you will transfer to Volgograd by overnight train. A Language Link representative will meet you at the station in Volgograd and take you to your accommodation. They will arrange for you to come into the central school for orientation. Samara In Samara, volunteers are welcome for any programme length as long as it falls between September and May. Language Link’s school and office in Samara are located in a recently refurbished building about twenty minutes from the city centre, near a large park named after Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. The office is staffed from 12pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday. The school currently has four classrooms, all of which are modern and comfortable, and fitted with tape recorders and whiteboards. There is also a TV and video player available for use. There is an administrative office, a small staff room with a computer which has internet access, a photocopier and a small library of reference and resource books. The school is located near Samara’s main thoroughfare, Московское Шоссе (Moskovskoe Shosse), and is therefore easy to reach by bus, trolleybus, or marshrutka (vans that follow certain routes). It’s about a ten minute walk from the nearest stop to the school, which is located near a TV centre on ул. Советской Армии (Sovietskoi Armii street). Samara’s shops are generally well stocked and the selection of goods is improving constantly. New shops seem to open up nearly every day. In recent years two new modern shopping centres have opened up. One of them, Park House, is a five-minute walk from the school. It has a modern supermarket (the chain supermarket Перекрёсток / Perekryostok) and stores with sports equipment, clothes, and electronics. An outdoor market that’s fun to wander through is on Ленинградский Проспект (Leningradskii Prospekt). All sorts of household goods can be purchased at good prices here as well as cheap clothing, CDs and souvenirs. There are a number of bars, cafes and restaurants in Samara; you’ll never have a hard time finding one. There are two good gyms which are reasonably priced, and several internet cafes. Prior to travelling to Samara, every volunteer will receive orientation and initial training in Moscow. Every volunteer will receive 4 academic hours of free Russian lessons. For beginners in Russian these lessons will be targeted to give the Volunteer the vocabulary and phrases they will need to get by in Russia. For the more experienced Russian speaker, the lessons will be aimed at activating their Russian language ability. Every volunteer will also be given a health and safety briefing from the International Programmes Coordinator. This will be quite informal, and any concerns and questions that the volunteer may have will be addressed. After completing your initial training in Moscow, you will transfer to Samara by overnight train. A Language Link representative will meet you at the station in Samara and take you to your accommodation. They will arrange for you to come into the central school for orientation.