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Our clients mainly consist of business people, students, people with a Russian partner, and people who study Russian as a hobby. A signipicant part of our course participants come from the Netherlands and Belgium, but also people from the United States, Germany, Great-Britain, France, Spain, Italy, and others participated in our courses. We also frequently host students of the second generation of Russian immigrants, who grew up outside Russia and now want to upgrade their knowledge of Russian. During the last years we noticed a significant growth of organizations, sending their employees to our center, like: Haskoning, ABB, Cargill, NOS Journaal, De Volkskrant, Stork, Kleyn Trucks, Matrix Agritech, Mitsubishi-Caterpillar, Boskalis, Ahlers, Nicolaas Witsen Foundation, Agfa-Gevaert, Ravenswaaij, Bekaert, Prolyte, Queens Grass International BV, Ploeger Machines, Baardse BV, Meplax, Reformatorisch Dagblad, IHC-Calland, Johnson Controls, Joris Ide, De Groenhoeve, Pannenbakker, Vianen en Vianen, DPW te Paske, Nijhof Bouw en Woonwaren, Stichting Friedenstimme, Europese Commissie, Sportnavigator, Van Abbemuseum, Borotov, Euro Sun Import-Export BV, Caspian Service Group, Frylink, Scrapheap Innovations, TQ3 Travel Solutions etc. Below we provide you with some testimonials from our participants: Marten (38) – Aalten, export manager Eastern Europe, participation March 2008 The company I work for, realize more and more sales in Eastern Europe and especially in Russia. So some knowledge of the Russian language would be welcome. Through internet I found Petrion’s language courses and decided directly to book the B PLUS course. To be short: this was pretty tough. All of a sudden I was back in class again.
Five hours per day of individual tuition plus some hours of homework: not easy for someone who left school a long time ago. But due to the patience of a very good and motivated teacher, I got the grammar quite well onder de knie. In addition, my passion for the language and the country have multiplied by 10! The knowledge of grammar I built up is a very good base to continue Russian language lessons in my home country. In addition, the conversation training is for me good to keep small conversations in Russian at exhibitions. Unforgettable were the visits to the Hermitage and the Russian Museum (where I learnt more about Russian history than during the last two years) and of course I will always remember the visit to the football match FC Zenit against Spartak Moscow. Due to some personal contacts of the course coordinator, I got into contact with a potential customer, possibly making this course a direct successful result! To summarise: 2 heavy weeks of study, learnt a lot, laughed a lot with the course participant Thomas, and my love for Russia and the Russian language got very serious!
The website russianinpetersburg.com is very clear, and trustful to me to directly book a course. Before travelling to Russia all my questions were answered. It all went so fast!! The driver waited for me at the airport and during the trip to the host family I knew everything would go smoothly. Once I got my suitcase in, the host lady gave me instructionshow to get by metro to the city center. What a nice feeling to explore such a beautiful city on your own! At dinner I told Antonina all what I saw and she gave me some hints for the next day.
The city has much to offer with respect to art and history. During my short stay I visited musea, churches and went to a fantastic opera. Also, I enjoyed one evening with the Belgians, and one evening at the Dutch expat scene. I went to shopping malls, and in «Дом Книги» I took a cup of coffee on the second floor and enjoyed the view of the busy Nevsky Prospekt. About the tuition I can only say "chapeau"! Bart does it with a young and alert crew. They all are very motivated, professional and know how to handle things. Nastya very well asked for my interests and explored my level of knowledge of the language. She gave me the necessary theory, combined with texts which really did interest me. I felt very well and also outside the lessons I learnt a lot about the city. During the practice lessons with Pasha, I proved - by all means - my knowledge of Russian. I chose what I wanted to do, but we only spoke Russian with eachother. Very nice also was the "Russian Club" organised on Wednesday evening by the teachers. Everything is so easy in this metropole which established Peter the Great 300 years ago !!! I came back home very satisfied, with a lot of knowledge and wisdom and definitely will book another course at russianinpetersburg.com. In the beginning of July 2008, I did a crash course for beginners. Through my work, I come in St. Petersburg since 2005, and met my current fiancée there. We are in the process of planning to live together in the Netherlands after our marriage, but so far we still live apart. This summer gave a good opportunity to participate in a language course and to be together in Saint Petersburg. Therefore I organised myself the accommodation.
Except for the usual words you pick up when travelling and during the relationship with a Russian, my knowledge of the Russian language was limited. In two weeks time, through the Russian in Petersburg program, and especially by the splendid lessons of teacher Alexandra, I built up a good base of the language and an extended vocabulary. After two weeks, I was able to have a conversation with my future mother in law (we also did the homework together). My fiancée and her friends were very impressed by the progress I made in a very short time. To be honest, the reading and speaking went quite well, but listening remains difficult in such a short period. However, through the bigger vocabulary and knowledge of grammar it gets easier to understand where the conversation is about. Nevertheless, the practice lessons were still very difficult for me. In addition I would like to mention, that everything around the course was very well organised and I am very well planning to continue to study Russian in my home country and to come back to Saint Petersburg for another course next spring. Eight years ago, I was in Moscow and Saint Petersburg during my end year study trip. Then my fascination for this country was born. Some years I also had a relationship with a Russian girl, and therefore I started to study Russian. At that moment a necessity, now it is just a passion. Unfortunately last year I was very busy and did not have much time to spend behind my Russian books. I found this language course on the internet, offering exactly what I was looking for: an opportunity to train intensively the Russia language and at the same time a cheap holiday in a fantastic city. Everything went smoothly. The communication with Bart, the transfer from and to the airport, the registration. Lessons with teacher Alexandra were perfect: she quickly understood what I did and did not know, and adjusted her lessons on that. We very well got along with each other. Also with Ruth, my flat mate, I got well along. She provided me with some worthy do's and don'ts. Two weeks passed very quickly, but anyway I learnt a lot in a short time and I got enough time to do cultural things and to relax. So, I am very satisfied about my period in Petersburg and whenever I get an opportunity again to leave for 2 weeks Saint Petersburg will definitely be an option. Poka Rossiya! The countries that I work with are Russian speaking countries and Russian is essential for my business, so that work is as efficient and customer oriented as possible. It is a wonderful but some times challenging language but the instructors were amazing and dedicated to helping me reach my goals. I can't say enough about the instructors; they truly were the reason I enjoyed my lessons and the language so much. I discovered the program through a business associate who had participated in the program. I decided to take the Program B Super and it was definitely intense but well worth it. I hope to come back in a year and increase my knowledge of Russian. As a non-student, I had to get used to the intensity of the course. Four hours of lessons per day, homework and several practices lessons and excursions, make it... indeed an intensive course. If you have not been in Russia before, you will need to get acquainted with the country... especially if you are used to luxury and service. But behind the apparently rigid, indifferent and closed culture, you'll find passionate and interesting people.
Being the cultural capital of the country, St. Petersburg is a really to be recommended. A city where presence and past, East and West meet each other. Every "dive" on the escalator into the deep metro is a "party": watching people and being watched. You will never be alone when drinking a beer, because everybody does it, also on the street. Everything and everybody goes fast... But if you show that you want to speak the language... then people appear to be proud and patient. "Russian in Petersburg" is the best way to study the language and to get to know the Russian people and culture. The teachers pay very good attention to your personal wishes and there is a light and informal way of interaction, to my opinion really good, both from a didactical as a practical point of view. For you a recommendation, for me a reason to return... I was positively surprised by the quality and the enthousiasm of the teachers. Even at the end of a long day, they managed to keep speed, and using a good mix of tuition methods they efficiency of the lessons remained high. As a former director of a school, I know from my own experience how difficult this can be. For everybody, who does not know yet St. Petersburg, the excursions and practice lessons are a very good addition to the lessons. Due to the fact that the lessons were given in the (very well established student accommodation) there was no loss of travelling time and therefore many time available to study and for excursions. Both the lessons as the accommodation really exceeded my expectations. One and a half year ago, I started with self-tuition of the Russian language - besides my work as a environment consultant in The Hague - due to my interest for history, geography and international politics, and because of the role of the former Soviet-Union and the current Russia as one of the super powers. Shortly after I discoverd the Russian in Petersburg website, I knew directly that I wanted to do something like this in addition to my self tuition. After I visited as a tourist Moscow and St. Petersburg (in Soviet time I had visited Ukraine once), I this year took the decision to apply for the course. The program more than answered my expectations, although my ambition for the level to achieve was unrealistic high. I chose for an individual course and a stay in a host family, because I wanted to use my time in the most efficient way. Well, I definitily have succeeded in that, thanks to the very good lessons of my teacher Alexandra. She was very flexible to the speed of the lessons (both excellerating as slowing down). The efforts of my practice tutors and the good care of my host lady Antonina very much motivated me to practice my achieved knowledge.
The practice lessons could be arranged according to my wishes, resulting in some less touristic trips to less known, but at least as interesting objects in St. Petersburg, like an art gallery (with an exposition of a gallery owner who recently exhibited in Amserdam), a market and a trip to Kronstadt where a bridge with flood barrier is built in the Neva by a Russian and a Dutch company. This, in addition to some nice excursions with other course participants to the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Hermitage and the Russian Museum. It should be clear that I not only gained a lot of knowledge, but also had very interesting experiences. My praise for the excellent and professional organisation of the accommodation and the transfers by teh course coordinator. The program was organised so smoothly that it appeared "non-Russian"; due to my experiences in the eighties, I expected more improvisation. My thanks to Bart, Alexandra, Nastya, Kshosha, Pasha and Antonina; it was wonderful and unforgettable, to stay a few weeks in the nice St. Petersburg. Due to the nice city and your efforts, I could feel myself a little bit Russian. I'm Spanish mum of two children, six and ten years old. When for different reasons I decided my children to learn Russian I couldn't imagine having those surprising results with both of them. Two hours a day lessons for each and some practical during the afternoon has been enough to start with this difficult language.
The thing I like best is that both of the children want to come back again, they have learned too much and have had fun. Teachers has bean very patient especially for the small one and very professional. The organization seems to be perfect, nothing to be changed on Visa support, transfer, apartment.. Two weeks passed very quickly and I really want to come back again and learn Russian myself to. After some years of Russian lessons at an evening school in my country, I decided to let the language get alive by participating in a language course in Russia. Soon, the internet led me to this language course in Russia. So full of enthusiasm I booked this crash course in Saint Petersburg. The communication with the course coordinator (Bart) was very clear. I got good instructions for the visa application, the payment and the journey. At the arrival on the airport the driver was waiting for me. After a typical Russian greeting (none!) we drove to the apartment where Bart and the other participants welcomed me. We had a very nice group, did a lot of activities together and went together out for dinner or we cooked at the apartment. The lessons were in a classroom next to the sleeping rooms, so no travel time in the morning! The teacher was very motivated. In the evening we were for hours doing homework! The afternoon we spent by visiting the city for an excursion or a practice lesson, together with Russian students or city guide. They also led us to the non-touristic spots, where you really are between the Russians. They told a lot about their life in Saint Petersburg and about the local habits. All in all, I can tell that I had a great time. Very nice as a holiday, but also valuable for someone who wants to learn the Russian language. I am very satisfied about my stay in St. Petersburg. The student apartment, where also the lessons took place, was very comfortable and situated at 300 meters from the Finnish Gulf. The sea was totally frozen during my stay, so for me this was a special place to walk. The grammar, explained by the very good teacher Katya, is now totally clear to me. Very special for me were the trips per elektichka to the surrounding villages. The quietness of these wooden villages were a pleasant change to the big St. Petersburg. To see the other extreme, I went by night-train to Moscow: an absolute recommendation to combine with your visit to Petersburg. I was very pleased with Arktika, a concert hall with cafe and internet, located on a 15 minute walk from the student apartment (next to metro station Primorskaya). I visited this place a lot, because of the shows of Russian and sometimes foreign metal- and folk rock bands. My stay in St. Petersburg was a special experience and therefore I recommend the language courses at this language centre for anyone who wants to study Russian (on any level) and wants to visit the city with its many tourist attractions, and the surroundings. We very much enjoyed our stay in Russia. The lessons were very practically organised: a good mix of grammar and vocabulary. Very patient and motivated teachers.
We could directly examine our knowledge into practice and we mentioned that the Russians really got friendly when we did our first efforts to speak Russian. The combination of language lessons and visiting the beautiful city of Saint Petersburg is definitely a direct hit. I can everybody recommend! I once studied Russian by self-tuition, that was the reason to chose for a group course "basic" level. That very much suited to what I had learned. But, Russian you will only really learn in the country where it is spoken. In this language program, you not only study from the books, but there is also much attention to how the language is spoken in daily life. This organisation works with very enthusiast teachers and guides. Saint Petersburg is a beautiful and sprakling city. In the free time I, together with fellow students, enjoyed all the city had to offer. The housing was good, in case you did not want to go out for dinner, there was a small kitchen so you could prepare a meal yourself.
I just had my last lesson. Two times five days in a row of Russian language lssons. Now I will need to continue the study myself. In the first, week we went very fast through the course book. This week the speed slowed down and we repeated a lot. For me it was very difficult to quickly find answers on questions in the Russian language. To make a good Russian sentence is not so easy. First to find the right words, then to place them in the right order, and of course not to forget to use the falls and change the endings of nouns and adjectives. Fortunately, I got a lot of questions to “process’ making me stumbling and fall and repeat, repeat and repeat. A magic word!
Alexandra asked me to write a small story about my experiences in St. Petersburg. What I wrote was that it was very difficult for me to study Russian, but that I had a very good time. She also gave me a small Russian book as a present, to practice making sentences. Very nice! I can use this very well during me further trip through Russia. Sunday night I get on the train to Moscow. One week later on the Trans Siberian Express. I got a lot of motivation during the last two weeks and I am planning to keep this and continue to study on with this language. So soon I will be able to conduct completer conversations. My two weeks were very intensive. Besides the lessons and the homework, I wanted to visit as much as possible. In this city with 5 million inhabitants, on every corner of the street there is something to see. Street venders selling salted cucumbers or dried mushrooms, shops with a total assortment of Smetana and other typical products. And of course the “classics” like the cruiser Aurora, the marine museum, the artillery museum, the Isaac Cathedral, the icebreaker Krasin, the communication system, etc. The longer you are in the city, the more things you discover. And you keep being surprised, for example: before going to the swimming pool, you need to get a medical test for 100 roubles (3 euros) before diving into the water. One of the biggest advantages of a language course in the country where it is spoken, is that you get to know a lot about the culture. And that is necessary to understand the people. This language course provided me the possibility to take part in the Russian society. Thanks to the language courses and the practics lessons, I could get to know from the inside Saint Petersburg and the Russian life, and not standing at the sideline like tourists do. For me it was an adventure. I was astonished by the greatness of the country, the power of its citizens, the richness of its art and the medieval magic of its religion. Russia is more than just another country, it is another world. From the outside it looks like a Western civilization, but behind the façade there is a very interesting population, quite different from ours. It is more than worth to discover this. From “da, nyet and spasiba” to basic Russian. My tutor at university once recommended me to study Russian after having defended a thesis about the Ukrain. I could not easily find a good course in my home country, but through the internet I found this course in St. Petersburg. With a ticket, a visa, a suitcase and many do’s and don’ts advices from friends, I traveled to Russia.
The first impressions were “grey” and “communistic”, very cold, dangerous traffic. But my impressions changed when reaching downtown Petersburg. How cold and snowy it was outside, so cousy and warm it was inside the apartment, where stayed two other students. The city indeed seemed to have rightly earned the title of “Venice of the North”. I was surprised by the Russian manner of buying food, standing in lines, the life in metro, the Nevsky Prospekt and the driving styles of many Lada’s. The language course we followed wtih 2 in a group, and because we both already knew the alphabet, we directly could start working on grammar and vocabulary. Our teacher seemed to have an endless patience by repeating grammar, falls, Russian logics of words and sentences. Between the lessons there were coffee breaks together with other students and teachers. During the breaks we did not learn less than during the lessons: a lot stories about Russian culture, and many new Russian words. Without any idea what to expect from this language course, I started this program and came back home very satisfied, with many extra books and cd’s to continue to study Russian. I am convinced that I will come back to use the language in practice and because my experience of this month just asks for more!
In July 2003 I did a language study of three weeks in Saint Petersburg. This course was organized for me by Petrion. The advantage of this organization is that it is managed by a person from the Netherlands. The content and planning of the course could therefore very easily be discussed in advance. As a result I could travel to Petersburg with a safe feeling. The support at the spot was very well; all agreements were met and there was a very pleasant contact with the teachers and the course coordinator. At the beginning of the course, I almost did not have any knowledge. I just knew the Russian alphabet. I can recommend to anyone, to learn the cyrillic alphabet in advance. In this way you’ll book many progress from the very beginning of the course. The content of my lessons and the learning speed, I discussed in advance very well with my teacher. I also would advice anyone to do the same: make for yourself and for your teacher clear what your goals are and on what to put the emphasis (grammar, pronunciation, reading, conversation skills). The teacher spoke English well, but tried to use it only when necessary. At the end of three weeks I was able to understand easy conversations and take part in it. I thereby reached the goals I set for myself in the beginning. I stayed at a host family, which I could recommend to anyone. Both during the day and in the evening I was in a total Russian language environment. This positively influenced my learning results. I am satisfied about the way I was guided and supported. I seriously think of doing again a course in the near future. And I definitely will do this at the same institute. Important is to have a good and realistic idea of the goals and to discuss this in advance. The strong asset of this program is that within the broad staff of teachers always ca be found a teacher and program which directly match with your intentions. I woud like to share my experiences with future participants of the "Russian in Petersburg" course. The two weeks stay in St. Petersburg in May 2008 was for me a very instructive and impressive period. My limited knowledge of the Russian language, I could bring into practice (or better to say: I "had to" bring into practice!). My goal is to travel alone in Russia, to make myself heard and to be able in musea to read things.
The time next to the lessons and the homework, I used for siteseeing and I really enjoyed it. Also the shopping at the supermarkets and the kiosks on the street, the local transport and walking long distances, give me an nice impression of the daily live. I have to compliment mr. Leenhouts for the good information and communication prior to the course. In case my age (62 years) allows, I would definitely want to come again.
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