Bishkek

Preparing for and Coping with Culture Shock

Some of our students report not feeling culture shock at all. Some are surprised by how much culture shock they experience. Often, those most affected are those who did not expect it. So how can you prepare to live in a new culture and get the most out of the experience? How do you prepare […]

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What to Eat in Bishkek: Trying Out the Local Cuisine on a Student Budget

Craft Beer, Bars, and Pubs in Bishkek

Warsaw

Warsaw, Poland as a Destination for Learning Ukrainian

Each summer, SRAS offers courses in Warsaw, Poland in Polish and Ukrainian language and culture. Students can specialize in either language and all participants take part in the Slavic Seminar – a series of lectures and workshops diving into topics of identity, language, literature and film, history, and more – and enjoy an extensive cultural […]

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International Airfare For Study Abroad

A Vegetarian Guide to Poland

Riga

Weekend Trip to Vilnius from Riga

Vilnius is a fairly cheap 4-hour bus ride from Riga. Making that trip give you the opportunity to see another side of the rich cultural heritage of the Baltics. With affordable housing options like the Downtown Forest Hostel, you can easily immerse yourself in Vilnius’s historic Old Town. Planning your trip around the last Sunday […]

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LGBTQ+: Study Abroad in Riga, Latvia

Guide to Shopping in Riga

Yerevan

SRAS Guide to Living in Yerevan

What’s it really like to live in Yerevan, Armenia for a semester? Staying long-term in a city is much different from just vacationing there. You’ll need to navigate more of the practical, everyday services of the city and budget to include more miscellaneous and long-term expenses. Thus, this guide covers everything from haircuts to pharmacies […]

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Bishkek vs. Yerevan: The Best Study Abroad Location

Study Abroad Budgets: A Student Guide

Uzbekistan

Guide to Travel to Tashkent

My Central Asian Studies Program with SRAS in Bishkek included a fantastic 9-day trip to the major Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan—Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand—which was book-ended by visits to Tashkent. At the end of my program, I made the trip to the capital of Uzbekistan again, this time independently. I stayed there for three […]

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Travel and Language Learning in Uzbekistan

Buying a SIM Card Abroad: Free Russian Lesson

Georgia

Ballroom and Latin Dancing in Georgia

In my six years as a competitive ballroom dancer in the United States, I’ve been struck by the fact that most of my coaches, teachers, and judges are from former Soviet states. Even Ukrainian President Zelensky had a star turn as a dancer when he won a Dancing with the Stars competition in 2006. During […]

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Staying at Fabrika Hostel in Tbilisi

Gyms in Tbilisi: Staying Fit in Georgia