US Students Come to Estonia to Learn Russian Language

As a part of the academic program, 18 US students will live with local families in Narva, an Estonian city with a Russian-speaking majority.

MOSCOW, January 20 (Sputnik) — A group of US students arrived in the Estonian city of Narva to study the Russian language in a local college, Estonian National Broadcasting (ERR) reported Tuesday.

The studies will be conducted until May 2015 at the University of Tartu Narva College, located in Narva. The majority of the local population are native Russian speakers.

The group of 18 US students is taking part in a one-year program. Previously they studied in Moldova for five months. Several of the students had some experience in the Russian language prior to their journey.

The program, which involves students 16-19 years old, was mediated by American Councils for International Education. The participants of the program are chosen during a US competition based on academic achievement and motivation.

As part of the academic program the students live with local families, which enables them to practice the language and get to know the culture.

Studies at the University of Tartu Narva College are held in Russian, Estonian and English.

Narva is one of the largest cities in Estonia and has a Russian-speaking majority. The city, located at the Russian border, was a part of the Russian empire for two centuries until 1917.