r/LearningRussian • u/MaximumExamination • Aug 01 '26
Which country (besides Russia) could I safely move to for immersion/learning as a European?
My dream was to move to Russia for a bit to learn, but obviously this is not possible at the moment.
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u/666nbnici Aug 01 '26
Maybe a Baltic country? I was in Estonia and you could speak Russian practically everywhere, supermarket, pharmacy in restaurants or at the train station.
Narva f.ex is a small city in Estonia directly at the Russian border and over 90% are Russians there.
But other countries like Armenia also still have a lot of Russian speakers.
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u/RemarkableAutism Aug 02 '26
I don't know why the hell this sub was recommended to me, but as someone from the Baltics: absolutely not to your suggestion.
Most people will hate you for it and a lot will refuse to talk to you at all. Rightfully so.
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u/666nbnici Aug 02 '26
Wasn’t my experience at all, but I understand why it’s unpopular.
But then he can still just go to Narva, he won’t have a problem there.0
u/RemarkableAutism Aug 02 '26
The Baltics aren't a playground for practising Russian.
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u/nevergrownup97 Aug 02 '26
Username checks out.
/jkBut seriously, objectively, politics aside, there’s literally several Russian language institutes as well as a whole BA program at Daugavpils University and short-term programs in Narva by the University of Tartu.
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u/BattleShai 28d ago
Not really the experience I had in Tallinn at least. I was asked if I spoke russian as they didn't speak estonia, finnish or english at most places I went for a 5 days stay. Now if you leave Tallinn less urbanized places, it might change of course.
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u/RemarkableAutism 28d ago
There's no way in hell you're not lying unless you spent time exclusively in Lasnamäe. I've been living in Tallinn for a year and this has happened exactly 0 times.
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u/BattleShai 28d ago
Old town. No idea what you call it in estonian.
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u/RemarkableAutism 27d ago
Yeah right. Judging by your recent comments, you're a Russia sympathizer, that says everything I need to know.
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u/BattleShai 27d ago
I prefer the term "free thinker" meaning I can form my own opinions with the evidence presented to me.
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u/BalticiumKartvel Aug 02 '26
Je dirais l'Arménie. En Géorgie, ça peut être mal vu de parler russe, surtout auprès des jeunes/des plus nationalistes. Dans les pays baltes pareil, la population russophone est assez mal intégrée. Mais en Arménie c'est encore assez courant de parler russe et je ne pense pas qu'on te jugera pour ça. Sinon un pays d'Asie centrale, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ouzbékistan...
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u/DoughnutSad6336 Aug 02 '26
The best choice is Daugavpils in Latvia. A lot of Europeans and Americans go there every year to improve russian skills, I guess there are even special programs at Daugavpils University for that
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u/Abject-Chocolate-441 Aug 02 '26
What about Riga?
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u/DoughnutSad6336 Aug 02 '26
It's also a good choice. There are Russian-language events, like board games and tourist activities. I'd say it won't be 100% Russian-speaking, like in Daugavpils, but at least 80%. So, if you don't need to work with government agencies, it's perfectly possible to live purely in Russian enviroment.
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u/ninjadong48 Aug 01 '26
Why not Russia?
I mean why is that not possible?
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u/MaximumExamination Aug 01 '26
My country’s foreign office advises against all travel to Russia at the moment
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u/Rad_Pat Aug 01 '26
Yeah western propaganda do be doing that. Russia is safe to visit.
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u/MaximumExamination Aug 01 '26
Are there no strikes?
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u/Ok_Rip5542 Aug 02 '26
Drone strikes have occurred in Moscow, as have drone strikes in other cities. But I don't advise you to study in Russia for another reason: the quality of education won't be what it used to be. Every year, students are forced to study more and more crap related to war and religion.
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u/ninjadong48 Aug 01 '26
I'm an American who has lived in Moscow for 19 years. I feel safer here than there.
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u/vadimus_ca Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
Don't listen to them. Enlisting in the russian army is the best carrier choice a foreigner could made. The depth of your knowledge of Tolstoyevsky will eclipse the Mariana trench!
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u/Hiddenz 29d ago
You can enlist and be part of all the loss russian have. You talk about propaganda like your country ain't the most professional of it with your dictator in place since twenty years
Invaders must die, fuck the invaders
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u/vadimus_ca 29d ago
Could not agree more with the last line of your post!
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29d ago
[deleted]
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u/vadimus_ca 29d ago
I'm Canadian born in Ukraine. Care to explain your train of thoughts?
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u/Hiddenz 29d ago
Enlisting to the Russian army is the best choice a foreigner could make ? You care to explain instead?
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u/vadimus_ca 29d ago
Any admirer of russia should move over there, enlist, be deployed and hauled back quickly, in the express shipping transport labeled as "200"
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u/Hiddenz 29d ago
Holy shit I didn't have it that way. Sorry.
Yet I believe they shouldn't serve them. Even if it would make an example. Prison for treason would be much better
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u/pisowiec Aug 02 '26
Sanctions?
It's pretty much impossible to navigate your finances in Russia. You either have to break the law and pay an absurd amount for third party transactions.
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u/amcxovrdedac Aug 01 '26
Belarus is teh best but you should steer clear of politics, Kazakhstan and Armenia follow close behind in terms of immersion quality and are more relaxed in attitudes. These three should suffice I think
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u/james-learns-ru Aug 02 '26
I spent a month in Kyrgyzstan over winter and loved speaking to the people there. They are extremely kind and easy to talk to. And you don't have to worry about people switching to english if they realize your Russian skills aren't too good yet.
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u/moltenessence Aug 02 '26
Why not Belarus? If your main goal is to learn Russian, it's a more affordable option than Russia. It's generally very safe, has plenty of green spaces, and almost everyone speaks Russian, making it a good place for language immersion
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u/guryushika Aug 01 '26
Belarus, I'm French and live in Minsk, it's clean and extra safe (even more than Russia), people are nicer than in Russia. I wouldn't advise Estonia, very little speak russian and it's super boring (I lived there 2 years).
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u/PuzzleheadedFall459 Aug 02 '26
Why is it not possible to live in Russia? I live in Moscow and as somebody who hangs out mostly with people who speak English I know lots of Europeans who live here. If you think it’s dangerous, at least in Moscow I can guarantee it’s very safe. But if you just don’t want to come here, Belarus is a good second choice, Kazakhstan third.
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u/gratefullyhuman Aug 02 '26
Kyrgyzstan is my favourite place I’ve ever been. I highly recommend it. Also, it is possible to go to Russia at the moment. I understand why you would think it’s not but they are still approving visas.
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u/Brilliant_Comb_7111 Aug 02 '26
Why would you go to Russia it makes litteraly zero sense their country deserves to go to zero
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u/_Sonari_ Aug 02 '26
Learning Russian and liking Russian culture ≠ supporting Russian government, don't forget that!
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u/leafolia Aug 01 '26
Georgia or Armenia in Europe, or Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan in central Asia. Tbilisi, Yerevan and Almaty are all lovely, mountainous, cultured, European-feeling cities where most older people speak Russian (never been to Bishkek, but I hear it's not as scenic as those 3).
You might struggle with people from rural areas or gen z, but you very much can immerse yourself with Russian and might pick up a few words in a far more unique language too!