Some time ago we asked just this question – What is the most difficult part about learning Russian? – on our Learn Russian Facebook page. Evidently, the question touched the nerve since we’ve got over 150 responses in just a couple of days.

One of our participants, Alice, brought up an excellent point in her comment when she said that “the books and tapes teach you one way but then no one really speaks like that in real life.” But how can a student of Russian, especially the one studying this language on his/her own, get lots and lots of real life experience?

«Русское ТВ и радио» [Russian TV and radio]

Thanks to Internet, you can now get Russian-language TV and radio programming even if you don’t live anywhere near a sizeable Russian community. All you have to do is search for the following keywords «русское телевидение» [Russian TV] or «русское радио» [Russian radio]. If you are interested only in streaming your video/audio online, as opposed to adding satellite dish channels, then add  the word «онлайн» [online] at the end of your search.

Some of the sites, such as СмотриTV, require no registration and are «бесплатные» [free of charge]. Others, like eTVnet, require paid subscription, but offer a variety of «тарифные планы» [price options].

As for radio broadcasts, I personally like the imaginatively named «Русское Радио». It is mostly music, but they do have a morning show and regular news updates (warning: they talk FAST).

«Газеты и журналы» [Newspapers and magazines]

There are quite a few Russian-language newspapers printed in the US, including «Аргументы и Факты» [Arguments and Facts], «Новое Русское Слово» [New Russian Word], «Русская Реклама» [Russian Advertising] and some others. Most have online versions.

Personally, I am not big on reading or watching the news. So I always try to find something related to my hobbies. I just learn best this way. If you are like me, then you might be more interested in niche newspapers and magazines. Well, here we have the “good news, bad news” situation. The bad news is that print editions are very expensive and availability is limited to a handful of top-sellers. The good news, of course, is that most of these niche papers and ‘zines have at least some presence online. RussianAmerica.com has exhaustive lists of Russian-language newspapers and magazines  with links to their online editions. Enjoy!

«Разговоры» [Real Conversations]

Of course, nothing can replace active learning through real conversations. If you have some time and money to spare, then your best bet is travelling to Russia for a language immersion program. Or at least taking the Q train to Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, NY to eat some «пирожки с капустой» [cabbage turnovers] and listen to Americanized and New York-ized Russians speaking Rusglish, such as «Вася, не паркуй здесь машину, точно тикет получишь» [Vasya, don’t park the car here or you’ll definitely get a ticket.]

If you live in a major metropolitan area, you don’t have to travel far to find a thriving Russian-speaking community (which might include, apart from ethnic Russians, Russian-speaking Jews, Ukrainians, Georgians, etc). So if you are in or close to Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Detroit, San Francisco, Miami, or Houston, TX, you will have no problem immersing yourself into real life Russian.

But even if you are nowhere near Brooklyn, there might be quite a few Russian speakers around you. You just have to be a bit more creative in finding them.

Craigslist – search for “Russian” and you might find someone offering Russian tutoring. Don’t be afraid to contact them and ask about Russian community in your area. Ask whether they know of «русский магазин» [Russian store, usually grocery store], «русская дискотека» [Russian disco], «русская церковь» [Russian Orthodox church], «русская галерея» [Russian art gallery], or «русский ресторан» [Russian restaurant].

College or University  – first of all, chances are there will be Russian language classes and cultural events held on campus. Second, there will ALWAYS be at least a couple of Russian students. And a couple of Russian students are all it takes to form a Russian club.

Meetup.com – There are over 200 groups on Meetup that get together to learn about and speak Russian. True, most of them are in the major metropolitan areas that I already mentioned. But you’d be surprised at how many are not – Saint Johns, FL; Smyrna, GA; Denver, CO;  Raleigh, NC; Scottsdale, AZ; etc. And if there isn’t one yet, you can either request to be notified when a new Russian group opens or start your own.

Forums – one of the Russian-language forums that I like is Говорим про Америку [Talking about America]. It is a forum for expat and expat-wanna-be Russians where they share «впечатления о жизни в Америке» [impressions of life in America]. Head straight to the Говорим про нас в Америке [Talking about ourselves in America]  and select the forum section based on your location – North East, Mid West, South or West. Then look for someone in your area to start a conversation with. (BTW, my favorite topic so far is «Mississippi – Есть ли жизнь там?» [Is there life in Mississippi?]). RussianAmerica.com is another site that offers an established and active discussion forum.

Finally, listen for snippets of Russian conversations or Eastern European accent all around you – at a grocery store, park, at a mall… Then don’t be afraid to say hello. Ask what language they speak. If indeed it is Russian, mention that you are learning Russian. With so many first- and second-generation Russian speakers in the US, chances are good you’ll meet them just as you are running your regular errands.