RUSSIAN OVERSEAS FLAGSHIP PROGRAM
Study Russian language and culture intensively in small group and large group classes at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU).
Gain invaluable professional experience interning at a local organization in Almaty.
Become immersed in local culture by living with a host family.
Study alongside local students at KazNU in a direct enrollment course related to your field of academic interest.
See the natural beauty and rich history of Kazakhstan during cultural excursions in and outside of Almaty.
The Russian Overseas Flagship Program is located in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This program is intended as a logical step after participating in the Stateside Russian Flagship Program and achieving a proficiency level of ILR 2.
In addition to the academic program at KazNU, ROF students also have the opportunity to take part in a variety of cultural excursions, from bi-weekly excursions in and around Almaty (including trips to the theater, ballet and museums) to overnight trips outside of Almaty (in past years participants have traveled to Aktau, Astana, Turkestan and Ust-Kamenogorst).
Formal language learning in the classroom is further reinforced through homestays with Russian-speaking host families. For the entire duration of the program, participants live with local families that use Russian as a primary language of communication. All hosts provide private rooms and telephone access for their American guests, as well as two meals per day during the week, and three meals per day on the weekends. The American Councils host family program is a popular feature of the experience abroad, as it complements the academic portion of the program by contributing to language acquisition and a deeper understanding of Russian and Kazakhstani culture. All families are chosen through a careful selection process and monitored throughout the program by the local Homestay Coordinator. Placements are made with consideration for student preferences and special requirements and best efforts are made to match students with families who share their interests. Each location is checked for security, relative proximity to the university and transportation routes, fire safety, and overall living conditions.
ROF host families provide students with the opportunity to engage in intellectual conversation in Russian in an informal setting. Many of the families include their guests in activities outside of the home, where students can further bond with their hosts and apply their Russian in a variety of social contexts, such as the following situations described by students:
“Sitting at dinner at a restaurant with [my] family, I uttered a rather simple phrase, but a well-timed one that resulted in laughter around the whole table. It was a great feeling! (Especially in light of the fact that it was a phrase using the negative future, which is a trouble spot for me!)”
“I attended a birthday party with a family friend. My host brother and his parents were there as well as a number of other guests who I had been introduced to within my first week. At the birthday party, I was able to joke around with everyone in the room and had very few moments where the conversation went in a direction that I couldn't understand. I felt like I could really handle myself in Russian and that felt great.”
