In Mother Russia...

It's not like your traveling to Kabul. Use common sense and be aware of your surroundings and you'll be fine.

Learn the Cyrillic alphabet first. It will likely take you some time, but you will get a good sense of whether you actually are interested in the language. The culture shock is huge, it's very childish to think you can simply adapt. Measure thrice and hack away once.

With all due respect kid, you are nowhere near the level where you need to even be pondering any of the non-sense you just posted. Perhaps when you're visibly worth 8 digits and up, we can have that conversation, but even then as Sojourner pointed out it is not Kabul.

What you should be prepared for (since most Americans end up in Moscow) is that it is the most expensive city on Earth and that most of the people you would likely come in contact with (as a finance professional) will look at you like an immigrant pauper.

Now if you are planning on growing oats in Vladivostok with "Made in the U.S.A." t-shirt on while pushing a backhoe...then yeah, maybe you should watch your back. Otherwise, you'll be okay.

I should have known better. Make a quick post and the shit hits the fan. Marcus/Midas I'm clearly out of your league. Midas, we will never speak, 8 digits already? Damn bro, you must have killed it!

Way to correct grammar Marcus, I guess you have a backup career as an elementary school teacher, kudos. The world needs more selfless people like you. Praise the lord someone like you was born. My guess is you’re just sexually frustrated. The closest you get to sex is jacking it to your avatar at work, hey whatever gets you off.

Also, I'll save you a shirt Midas, because I'm pretty sure your shit will come in handy.

Sojourner, thanks. It appears Russia isn't as bad as I've read about. I was just looking for peoples past experiences, not looking to be flamed. In the future I swear to improve my grammar and coherency of my posts, promise.

My experience in Russia, and Moscow specifically, while admittedly limited, is that they're more afraid of you than you should be of them. Having been someone who learned Russian in order to adopt two Russian kids, I'd have to disagree with the advice to learn Cyrillic first. Unless you want to translate Dostoevsky, there's no reason to read and write Cyrillic. Speaking is hard enough.

Once you've learned to speak Russian, you'll discover that 90% of Russians won't speak to you because you're a foreigner. Especially Muscovites. Get outside Moscow and people soften up a bit. But I'd think long and hard before devoting years of my life to learning Russian. 3rd rate country with not a lot to offer for the coming decades.

MOCKBA!

Learning Russian language probably takes up to 5 years (to keep conversation going with native Russians). However, if you try hard you can get to that level in 2-3 years. Universities like MSU and some others are pretty much international and you don't have to worry about racism. After you complete your study there are good chances to get a job in Moscow/St. Petersburg. I can only think of some German businessmen who work in Russia. But doors are wide open for smart people no matter where they are from. Good luck.

Кстати, "Как делает эта сука убегает от мафии, когда он не мог прочитать уличные признаки?" это перевод Гугл-транслейт? Я ничего не понял, честно.

^^^

skoree vsego pryamoi perevod v google

Unless you're jewish, black or look like your from the Caucasus you'll be fine in terms of racism.

And whoever said that OP should learn how to speak but not how read and write...are you retarded??? The alphabet is by far the easiest thing of the language... Also, Moscow really isn't that expensive if you don't want it to be.

My motivation, Russia is fascinating. Also, I'll start grad school in a few months and want to take some language classes as my electives. It'll be a good challenge.

Thanks for the advice Joe, Braverman, zee4, and noonies.

how much does language count in IB/ PE?? if you have a choice of studying more econ/math instead of finishing a language, what would you pick in general?

I am in Russia right now so I will let you know if I get stabbed. So far, seems pretty safe -- but that might be because I am on a boat with my family and a bunch of 80 year olds. I'll be heading into the city (st. Petersburg) to check out the nightlife tomorrow night.

Я могу использовать Google Translate слишком