Teaching English at the American Home in Vladimir is the best way I can
imagine to get to know Russia. You live with a Russian family and take
Russian lessons from an excellent teacher at the same time that you have
the support, assistance and friendship of the other American teachers and
the wonderful Russian staff. As you get to know your students better they
begin inviting you to dinner, to the theater, to go dancing, etc. Thanks to
the friendships I've established here, I feel even more comfortable than I
did last year in France where I was more familiar with the language and
culture. However, I do recommend learning as much as you can about
teaching English to foreigners before you get here. There is an orientation
before classes begin, but the more experience you have, the more
comfortable you'll feel...
--Nicole Mercer, University of California at Santa Cruz
The American Home provides a wonderful working environment, including all
the "necessities" that are frequently not available from Russian-owned
businesses. The students, who are used to the stern rote memorization
approach of Russian language classes, respond very positively to the
relaxed atmosphere of our program.
--Matt Rehkopf, Ohio State University
I would highly recommend this job, not only to Russian majors, but to
anyone with an interest in Russia.... Vladimir is a nice place--quiet and
provincial, but within daytrip-distance from Moscow. The teachers here all
live with Russian families and are offered three hours a week of Russian
tutoring as part of their salary, so even though we're teaching English,
there's ample opportunity to speak Russian. In terms of teaching English,
there are many opportunities in Russia, but I can't imagine finding a
better situation than I have here. The staff at the American Home (both
Russian and American) is incredibly supportive and encouraging and has been
a wonderful part of my experience here. Because of the maximum 2-year
contract, there is a constant influx of new ideas and passing on of learned
lessons and experience.
--Kira Lee, Carleton College
Vladimir offers a real opportunity to immerse yourself in Russian language
and culture. Such immersion can be very frightening at first, and that is
why working at the American Home is such a plus. Here I am given the
opportunity to work with Russians in an atmosphere that is very familiar,
fostering, and comfortable. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who
wants to experience Russia for what it really is--and be involved in an
internship-style occupation that is both flexible and rewarding.
--Matt Plischke, Miami University (Ohio)
Vladimir and the American Home are ideally situated. Vladimir is a part of
Russia's famed Golden Ring, and the American Home lies in the heart of
downtown Vladimir. Here, you have all the advantages of Russian city life,
but with all the charm of the nearby dachas. The American Home really is
the meeting and mixing point for two cultures. You live and work with a
friendly staff and friendly students. The Russian lessons and the Russian
homestay give you a chance to improve your speaking abilities while
experiencing Russian culture firsthand. The longer I stay, the more I
discover how much Vladimir has to offer me.
--Erika Boeckler, University of Wisconsin at Madison
Working in Vladimir is the best thing I have ever done to improve my
Russian, learn more about Russian culture, and give myself time to decide
what my next step will be...
--Rachel Lu Owens, University of Montana
One of the things my current professors [at Columbia University] have
pointed out to me is that, for people interested in pursuing anything
related to Russian or post-Soviet studies, there's a real advantage to
living in a city like Vladimir. Because of the political situation which
restricted most travel and research outside of Moscow and Leningrad for so
long, a lot of the current specialists are people who may very well not
have spent much time outside these two major cities. For this reason, I'm
told, the younger Americans who are living in small towns in Russia are
seen as possessing a "unique and valuable experience" when compared to
those who worked pretty much exclusively in the larger cities...
--Jason Muse, Occidental College
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