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Study Abroad?
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Posted by: SethR6Hawaii

Hi all. I'm a student attending University of Hawaii Manoa. Russian is one of my majors and I love the language. Anyways, I'm trying to set up a study abroad trip for myself this summer, either going through a study abroad program to St. Petersburg State Tech University, or making my own program through Moscow University Touro.

In the latter case, I would need to find my own housing. (the school doesn't have their own dorms) I've been looking at several apartment and host family websites and they're ridiculously expensive. Most of what they found are too lavish for me and thus they charge more: I'm just looking for a safe roof over my head.

Also, after going through expedia, orbitz, cheaptickets, etc. the cheapest round-trip flight to Moscow/St. Petes is around 2,000 bucks USD. And thats only the planefare!

I was wondering if any of you guys/gals know of where I can get cheap tickets to Russia from America (Hawaii) and of a site/company I can contact that rents out small studio flats to students. I'd prefer they charge in rubles to keep the price down. OR, if any of you know of a reliable, affordable host-family company.

vuy znaete, kto Olesya Bondarenko? Ya panimayoo, ana pervaya krasivaya zensheena!!!

Its funny because I had a dream about her as I fell asleep stressing over my Russian final today!

Anyways, Spasiba (thanks)

-Seth
University of Hawaii Manoa
Russian Major, Pre-Business, and trying to squeeze in Dance Theatre

Posted by: SethR6Hawaii

Also, if any of you know of scholarship/financial aid awards given to study abroad students, Im interested to know where I can apply or write

Posted by: SethR6Hawaii

Ok ok, one more thing. Moscow University Touro is located:

About a five minute walk from Metro Kurskaya on the ring line and about a fifteen minute walk from Metro Turgenevskaya / Chistie Prudy.

Address: 20/12 Podsosensky Pereulok, Moscow 103062 Russia

For all you native Muscovites, maybe you can help?

Posted by: ConnerVT

On airfare -- I imagine it's not that it's expensive to fly to Moscow. It's the additional expense to fly from Hawaii. RT tix from LAX to SVO typically can be had for ~$700 USD. A quick check of airfare consolidators show some average prices around $1100-1200. There were some that were less than this, but I never have any luck actually buying these tickets! Search around the Web with Google, using words like Russia Moscow discount airfare, and you'll probably do better than those big corporate sites.

There are no direct international flights to St. Petersburg. You will go to Moscow first.

On lodging in Moscow -- Just like Hawaii, Moscow is a very expensive place to live. Especially if you are not a local! After all, it's only about 300K more people than NYC.

As I remember from my college days, if I moved to a new city/state, my first place to live was always too expensive and not what I wanted. As I learned the area and got to know some people, I would 'move up' to nicer housing that cost me less. You may need to do the same thing in Moscow...

Posted by: Emetsky

Cheap Lodging

Aeroflot flies direct from LA (12 1/2 hours) to Moscow. My first trip was in May of 2002 and back then, the ticket cost $820. I went again in August of 2003 and the bilyet was $1020.

I got my tickets, hotel reservations and visa from http://www.russia-travel.com/

You'll have to take the train from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

hth