University of Warsaw Library Library Card: 10 PLN Hours vary – see below BUW.uw.edu.pl Acquiring a library card for the University of Warsaw Library may be one of the best investments you can make while in Warsaw.  For only 10 złoty, you may purchase a public access library card at the UW Library, a behemoth […]

The National Library of Kyrgyzstan/Национальная библиотека Кыргызской Республики Address: 208 Советская near the National Art Museum Hours: 9-5 every day, closed on the last Friday of the month Price: Day Pass is 5 som, Year-long pass with proper documentation is 30 som. NationalLibraryofKyrgyzstan.org NLKR.gov.kg On the walking tour of Bishkek, the group is taken towards […]

Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL) Exam Experiences in Kyiv www.sras.org/torfl While in Kiev this summer, I took advantage of the opportunity to take the TORFL exam as part of my Russian language courses there. This is a valuable experience I would recommend to anyone studying Russian abroad in the former Soviet Union. Below […]

The Central City Public Library named after V. V. Mayakovsky / Центральная городская публичная библиотека им. В. В. Маяковского Реки Фонтанка 46, Metro Маяковская Open: Monday-Saturday, 11am-7pm www.pl.spb.ru  Literature and culture have a very strong bond in Russia, and as any student of Russian can attest to, reading Russian literature is a key component to understanding […]

TEDxKyiv: (Ukrainian) Ideas Worth Spreading Annual Event http://tedxkyiv.com/ Over the last few years, the TED organization has become increasingly popular and influential through its various talks, conferences, and awards. Started in 1984 to promote “Ideas Worth Spreading,” TED—which stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design—has become a global nonprofit whose two large, official annual conferences are […]

Chechen Journalist Kamila Zhabrailova Talks about the Chechen-Kyrgyz Experience In Bishkek this past week, Chechen journalist Kamila Zhabrailova talked to SRAS students about the history and culture of Chechnya, the Chechen disapora in Kyrgyzstan, and her attitude towards the Boston marathon bombings. The Tsarnaev brothers are of Chechen descent and had spent some of their […]

A Performance and Interview with Nazarkyl Seydrakmanov This past week, SRAS students met with one of Kyrgyzstan’s most famous manaschis, Nazarkyl Seydrakmanov. Manaschis are Kyrgyz professional storytellers of the Manas epic poem, the longest epic poem in world history. During this meeting, Nazarkyl discussed his personal life story, the artistry of his craft, and gave […]

Great Baikal Trail Weekly Meeting / Болшая Байкальская Тропа, еженедельная встреча Лапина 43В Thursdays 18:30-20:00 www.greatbaikaltrail.org The Great Baikal Trail is one of the most successful NGOs in Russia; founded only 10 years ago in 2002, GBT has succeeded in building and cataloging hundreds of kilometers of trails all around the Baikal region using the […]

Brian Horne is pursuing his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in anthropology. He studied at MGU on SRAS’s direct enrollment language study option. He also used this affiliation with MGU to access archives within Russia to perform dissertation research. SRAS: We have heard that your interest in Russia was “accidental.” How did this come about? […]