Let our Irkutsk students let you know what to expect when arriving to Irkutsk! Heading abroad is always a big step and can feel exciting or overwhelming – or both. Learn from the experience of others and hit the ground running! How did you feel when you first arrived? Bronwyn Galloway (Fall, 2019): When I […]
Despite the quiet small-town feel, Irkutsk boasts an impressive cultural legacy, and is center stage for important environmental debates. To help you better understand what life is like there, we’ve asked our students to share spme of the experiences they had while studying abroad in this wonderful city. Finding Things SRAS: First, think of the […]
Students on SRAS programs in Irkutsk can choose between dormitory stays and homestays. See the invidual program pages for details. The reviews below of the Irkutsk dormitories and Irkutsk homestays are meant to help students make their decisions and prepare for their time abroad. Dormitories in Irkutsk Living Conditions Katya Grigerman (Summer, 2019): I […]
The Irkutsk and Baikal areas abound in locations that highlight its cultural and environmental heritage. Below are a sampling of some of the trips that SRAS groups have taken in the past as part the cultural package offered with SRAS Programs in Irkutsk. Note that not all trips are taken each session and not all […]
Many students come abroad with minimal cooking experience. Add to this the fact that you’ll need to shop in a foriegn language and that your kitchen situation can often be very basic, many students shy from cooking altogether. However, cooking and shopping can be great cultural experiences, not to mention a great way to keep […]
We asked some SRAS graduates to share their open and honest evaluations of their experiences on SRAS Study Abroad in Irkutsk. SRAS actively seeks out feedback from students on all programs so that we can continually improve our offerings. Alaina DeLeo (Fall, 2017 and Spring, 2018) My first semester in Irkutsk, I did the Russian […]
Julie studied abroad in Bishkek and Irkutsk, learning Russian as a Second Language with SRAS’s Home and Abroad Scholarship program, with the goal of someday having some sort of Russia/Eurasia-related career. Below is her review of her programs abroad and experience as a Home and Abroad Scholar. Academic Program in Bishkek and Irkutsk Bishkek First, the basics. […]
Most of us probably knew we were in for inevitable culture shock when we arrived in Russia, no matter how much we had convinced ourselves we were prepared. Sometimes it comes on quick, but other times culture shock reveals itself incredibly slowly. It took longer for this to sink in, but one of the ways […]
Jean-Marc was a non-traditional student who took advantage of SRAS’s program flexibility to organize a short stay in Irkutsk. SRAS: Introduce yourself to us, Jean-Marc. Jean-Marc: I’m a 35-year-old French civil servant. I’ve been studying Russian in France for four years now at night courses, just two hours per week. But in fact I’ve been […]