Are there English Schools in Sochi?

Question by Ele: American/English School in Sochi?
I am a 15 year old US citizen. We moved to Sochi for my Dad’s job. My brother and I need to go to school but after learning in the States it will be hard to write in Russian and learn in Russia. Are there schools that are in English in Sochi? Like American based or British based? Thanks.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Nick Nick
Unfortunately, the answer is no. There are schools that teach Russian as a foreign language – although they are usually associated with one of the universities and just teach Russian – they are not a regular school.

There are English / American schools in Moscow, St Petersburg and, I believe, Vladivostock. Unfortunately, that is it.

However, plenty of people do manage to integrate into foreign school systems. For example, I know several families whose children have successfully integrated into French and Spanish schools without speaking any French or Spanish whatsoever before moving there.

Also, with moving to Russia, the style of teaching will be very different to what you are used to. There is a lot more learning by rote than in English speaking countries and, anecdotally, Russian schoolchildren do seem to be further ahead than in English speaking schools so you may also be having to catch up with what is being taught as well as the problems of having to learn in a foreign language.

Also, think about all the non English speaking children that move with their families to English speaking countries each year. They all manage to cope with transferring to a new system where they don’t speak the language. I recall one story that made the papers of a girl that came from China to the UK at the age of 15 not being able to speak a word of English. She then managed to get a place at Cambridge University – the British equivalent of Yale or Harvard.

So there’s no doubt that it will be difficult for you, but, if it’s any consolation, it will be a lot easier for you to pick up the language than your parents, particularly your mom if she’s likely to stay at home most of the day. The reason for this is that you’re a lot younger and you’ll be immersed in the language all day when you’re at school – that is the best way to learn any language.

When I started learning Russian it took me a long time to pick it up, but things really changed when I moved there and was speaking it and listening to it all the time.

Hope this gives you at lest some encouragement.

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