This post came from my older blog and may not meet current standards

“The language barrier did not allow me to fully discover Russia. I was limited to the central area of the city with my guide book” 

I received such feedback about the language barrier from many people who visited Saint Petersburg. It is sad to admit, but still, it is quite complicated to discover non-tourist areas without possessing a decent knowledge of the Russian language. The language barrier is mainly caused by the lack of opportunities to learn and practice English in Soviet Russia. Nowadays, there are ways that you can get to know more about the country while having conversations in English.

In early post-soviet time

Ten years ago, I found it very difficult to practice foreign languages in Russia. The language studies were mostly done as a part of primary school education or as courses in a private school. This was never enough. At some point, to make conversational practice available, social networks started to play a valuable role. As they started to spread, groups and events dedicated to practice and language exchange started to rise very rapidly. Recently, out of curiosity, I searched for the opportunity to practice English simply by surfing the Internet and asking my friends about events. I found a few gatherings all happening the same and next week. From what I know, these places are visited by a small number of people, the overall knowledge of foreign languages in the country is still quite low. But, at the same time, these are the places where foreign visitors can feel very welcome and more a part of Russia.

English Communication club, almost 10 years of fighting the language barrier

Speaking of overcoming language barriers, I would like to mention the place where I practiced most of my English (before I left Russia). The English Communication Club (ENCC) was founded in 2006. At that time it was one of the few places, if not the only place, where foreign languages were practiced differently from in school. The organizers did a wonderful job creating an atmosphere of friendship and making it easy for people to speak with each other, making the ENCC special. Over the years I brought together people from many different generations, occupations and interests. I would say that these people are the ones who make ENCC different from any other communication clubs in St. Petersburg.

Update: English Communication Club stopped regular meetings, now it is a group where people can arrange a meeting.

Links:

ENCC

http://encc.ru/

Couchsurfing.

A social network for travelers to find a person who can show the city or offer a place to stay. They often have language exchange meetings and if you don’t find a suitable one you can create and host event by yourself. https://www.couchsurfing.org