Riga - a good alternative for learning Russian
Monday, 7th September 2009
The idea of studying Russian in Riga, the capital of Latvia, might sound a bit strange, but Russian is widely-spoken there, and there are quite a few Russian language schools.
Riga is a port city on the mouth of the Daugava River and is home to over seven hundred thousand people. About 43% of the population are Latvian, 41% are Russian, and the remainder are Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish, or from elsewhere in Eastern Europe. The Russians in Latvia speak Russian, and most also speak Latvian. The situation is simliar for the other ethnic groups in Latvia.
In Riga there are no shortage of Russian people to practise your Russian with. You can also find Russian food in local restaurants, see Russian plays and other performances in Russian, read Russian newspaper and magazines, listen to Russian radio, watch Russian television, see Russian films, and in the summer there are numerous Russian festivals at the nearby beach resort of Jurmala.
There is a good selection of Russian language schools in Riga and Jurmala offering general and intensive Russian courses, individual Russian lessons, and courses in Russian for business. Some schools also offer tailor-made courses in such specialised areas as medical Russian, legal Russian or Russian for travel and tourism.
Riga is home to over half the population of Lativa and is the country’s oldest city. It has been an important centre for economic, politcal and cultural activities since the Middle Ages, and the historic centre is a World Heritage Site full of narrow, winding streets and beautiful buildings. The architecture is a mixture of art nouveau and a variety of other styles, including old wooden buildings and medieval houses.
There’s no shortage of places to visit, including many museums, art galleries, churches, theatres and the National Opera, and a good selection of shops. There are also plenty of bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and other places where you can enjoy the lively nightlife, and if you need to relax you could visit one of the local spas, saunas or Russian bathhouses.
Riga is a great place to learn to Russian and a fascinating place to visit and explore. The locals are very hospitable and will encourge you to communicate in Russian. If you’re ambitious you could even learn some Latvian as well – there are a number of language schools offering Latvian language courses – and you’re efforts are likely to impress Latvian speakers!
More about language courses in Riga
Tags: lativa, riga, russian, language course, course, language
Posted by Simon Ager 2009-09 under Experience Cultures, Types of Courses,
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