Student Profiles
Program alumni are the best resources for students interested in going abroad, and they are available to answer your questions. If you would like to talk to a recent student about their experience in Kazakhstan, get in touch with the advisor, Susan Parsons.
Brenae’ Ervin, Middlebury College, Astana
The time I spent abroad in Astana, Kazakhstan with the Middlebury program was one of the best experiences I have had! The immersion program is set up in a way that provided me with so much opportunity for growth in the Russian language and also time to just explore the culture of Kazakhstan! The professors and coordinators are always there to support your Russian learning journey and there were so many fun activities that students in the program could participate in, both on and off campus. For example, we were able to go to a play based on the Russian short story ‘The Nose’ by Gogol, we went to the Astana Theatre, ordered and ate at local restaurants, and were even able to travel to other parts of Kazakhstan such as Semei and Barabai to learn more about the history and see the natural beauty of the country.
I would definitely recommend the Kazakhstan program because it helped me gain confidence in speaking and I also just learned to speak about different topics I had never talked about. In Kazakhstan, I met so many people that I can now call friends. All the interactions and experiences I had contributed to my progress and helped me improve my Russian language skills and at the end of the study abroad program I could see how positively it impacted me!
Maya Watson, Middlebury College, Astana
During my time in Astana, I had the opportunity to pursue both traditional academics and experiences outside of class. In some ways, the structure of the Middlebury program itself makes this possible, and in others the experience is really what each individual chooses to make of it. Thanks to our Middlebury program coordinators, I went to more plays, operas, and ballets in four months in Astana than I have in my whole life in the United States. The class schedule itself was also set up to allow students freedom for their own excursions. For example, a group of us took a trip to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where we rode horses in the mountains surrounding the city and used Russian to barter at the local bazaar. The classes themselves varied in intensity and covered a wide range of topics. I definitely felt as though my Russian-language skills improved over the course of the semester, especially thanks to many conversations with taxi drivers and various random encounters with people in the city (especially in the rock climbing gym!).
John Paul Oberst, University of Cincinnati, Astana
When you picture a typical American college experience, you don’t see yourself studying intensive Russian in the steppe of Kazakhstan, however for the students who seek adventure, experience, and a chance to see the unknown, Kazakhstan is the perfect place to study. I had always known that I wanted to study abroad and study Russian immersively, however like many students my studies were shifted due to events in Russia, so I applied to Middlebury and was excited to start studies in Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This step in my life was scary at first, and all students should understand that entering a program like the language school at Middlebury will be intimidating, but don’t be scared because everyone is on your side and the program is designed to help you grow.
Through my four months in Kazakhstan, I made so many lasting memories and got to explore three amazing countries within one of the most underrated regions of the world. Not only were the Middlebury courses incredibly well put together, they all uniquely helped me grow my language skills to the point that I feel more confident in Russian coming out than I did going in. I was always told that studying abroad would change my life, but truly studying in Kazakhstan gave me a better idea of who I am, where I want to go, and who I want to be in the future.