The topic of the Maymester-2000 in St. Petersburg was contemporary Russian culture. Professor Konstantin Kustanovich from the Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages taught the course in English, but perhaps the students' immersion in everyday Russian life and culture was more important than formal classes at the Nevsky Institute of Language and Culture.

Ten students and Professor Kustanovich arrived in St. Petersburg on May 10. The students were taken to the private apartments where they were to live with Russian families for the next twenty-five days. They also had two meals a day with these families, which provided them with the opportunity to have a taste of traditional Russian cuisine. The experience was mostly positive if somewhat on the heavy side. During an orientation for the next Maymester, Professor Kustanovich will augment an introduction to the Russian alphabet with training in how to say no to sour cream.

Only three out of ten students had taken Russian before; the others did not even know the alphabet. At the beginning the language handicap was frustrating both at home and on the street, but in a few days the students learned how to read the signs in the metro and to communicate with the host families, most of whom had at least some English. Around St. Petersburg and during excursions to Moscow, Novgorod, Pushkin, and Peterhoff, the group was provided with English-speaking guides. Many street vendors, sales people, and young people in clubs and cafes spoke English.

The session proved to be very successful mostly because the students discovered an unexpectedly rich and exciting culture. They also developed close and affectionate relationships with their host families and new friends. The streets in Russian cities turned out to be safe, public transportation reliable, and supplies in the stores and markets abundant. The strong dollar helped to keep the price of the program within very reasonable limits.

At the end the students were asked to share their observations about Russian life, people, and culture in course papers. They were asked to answer specific questions and do some cross-cultural analysis. You can read the entire text of these papers by clicking on the name of a student in the list above. The papers range in style from stream of consciousness to scholarly description to psychological analysis to a poem. But the reader will, no doubt, appreciate the intelligence and broad-mindedness of all the authors.

If you have any questions about this Maymester or the future one please contact Konstantin Kustanovich.