Hi all, I'm getting started with Russian, learning it from Nicholas Brown's New Penguin Russian Course. Unfortunately, it's just a book. I have no way of listening to Russian, or speaking it with anyone. I only know one native Russian speaker, but he and I don't like each other very much, and he certainly wouldn't want to help me with my Russian.

Anyway, is reading/writing the only proficiency I am ever going to achieve? If not, can anyone give me some tips for building up speaking and listening skills?

Thanks.