Falling in love with St Petersburg again

Всем привет! My name is James and I will be interning in St Petersburg with Liden & Denz as a blogger for the summer. I am currently studying English and Russian at Oxford University, but my hometown is Cheltenham – which, I have discovered, is almost impossible to teach Russian people to pronounce correctly!

I like to think I am now quite well-versed in Russian life after previously spending 3 months in Perm and 3 months in St Petersburg, but I cannot wait to see what new things I will encounter while studying and interning with Liden & Denz this summer! Russian has been a big part of my life since secondary school, so it is super exciting to not only be learning the language but living it.

But why Russian?

People often ask me if I am learning it because I have Russian family, but – truth be told – I was simply drawn to the “cool” alphabet and its uniqueness. In comparison to other common European languages studied in the UK, Russian is not often available in schools. My love of learning the language, however, soon developed into a passion for Russian literature and culture. Russia is a dynamic country with a very distinctive character, so it is a fascinating culture to experience and learn about. Although my reason for studying in Russia as a typical year abroad student is a somewhat boring one, it sure is very exciting to be here!

I am particularly looking forward to being back in a classroom full of people who are just as motivated and passionate about learning as I am. The wonderful advantage of studying in a school like Liden & Denz is that you get to meet people from all different areas of the globe and at many different stages of life. The fact that everyone is united by the common goal of learning Russian creates a real buzz around the school and fosters a genuinely friendly and supportive atmosphere.

Finally, I want to fall in love with St Petersburg again! I first came to the city 4 years ago as a tourist, but when I started actually living here in February, the biting wind, my clumsy language skills and a crowd absorbed by the city’s rhythmic pulse made it difficult to settle in. This time, however, I am determined to delve into Petersburg life with my fellow students and bring my studies to life before returning to the UK to sit my scary final year exams!

This post was brought to you by James, currently studying Russian at Liden & Denz St. Petersburg