please guys tell me something about... KAZAN!

HI :D

basically I have two questions:

1) I may have the chance next fall/winter, because of an exchange students program, to spend a semester in Russia. I have two choises... Moscow and Kazan. The problem is... money :lol2:
It would be a big sacrifice to me to choose Moscow, although I am attracted to. Does it worth it? I will be focused to learn Russian but I would like to live a great life experience as well.

So the question is... is it true that Kazan is MUCH less expensive than Moscow? Is it a very nice city aniway or it would be a much worse experience to me? I have no idea about the city, the people, the opportunities... I am a bit confuse. I don't know how much I would loose not choosing Moscow. I' ve never been in Russia before. And I don't know what to expect from Kazan.

2) Is there any chance you know a website with rent announces in Kazan it would be a big help... I have 3 accomodations choises if I go for Kazan:

- Kazan federal university dormitory. Very very cheap. But it has two problems: looks like foreign students are separated from Russian students, in two differents domitories. And I want to speak Russian at home as well, not english or italian! Second problem: no guests allowed...

-Russian family: a bit more expensive choice, It would be great to me for speaking Russian at home as well. Problems: I have no idea about which family I will be assigned to :D and, I suppose, no guests allowed as well...

-Sharing a flat with russians: the best solution, on theory. Problem is: how much does it cost? And, since i would leave Italy a few days before the semester begins, how can i find only russian people to share the apartment with, from Italy :D ?



I know I know too many questions... sorry. I hope you will be able to give me some piece of advice aniway.



thank you in advance! :grin:

Kazan seems like a much more authentic and exciting option. No doubt about it! It's an historical city. I haven't been there, but I'd love to go.

I have no idea how much cheaper - but it should be significant. Accommodation in Moscow has an appalling reputation for bad value for money - it's all over the internet. Anything will be better value.

Just take the cheapest option they offer and see if you can put up with it once you are there. If it doesn't suit you, get something else once you are there.

I think you would need to provide an address for the visa but I have no idea how seriously that is checked.
Probably there is a way around that, but I wouldn't know .
Why don't you go onto a Russian social media site (Vkontakte, for example) and try to ask some students in Kazan?

Here is a link for a Yandex search for rooms to rent, in Kasan. Add student to that, as well. Ой!

Top hit is this: http://kazan.sutochno.ru/rooms/

What an exciting adventure, hope you'll have fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRQishw9Z_g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhBnM65So

Moscow is great, but it can be tiresome to live in giant city. You can visit the missing city anyway,they are not too far from one another.
Sorry, I know too little about Kazan, except it's the capital of Tatars, and has very strong teams in most sport games.

Kazan is in news right now -- plane crash, about 50 dead
Lenta.ru:
http://rt.com/news/passenger-plane-crash-kazan-866/

if you were in my place, which one city would you choose for this my first Russian experience?

Kazan (and, by saving some money, i could make some travel) or Moscow?

Hi, klopp,
My name is Shamil`.
I live in Russia. The sity Kazan`. I am 42 years old.
I well know Russian. And badly I speak in English.
I want to help people to whom Russia is interesting. It is free. Tel.: +7 987 296 64 11, it is available for sms. E-mail: shammill at mail.ru
------------------
Привет, klopp!
Меня зовут Шамиль.
Я живу в России. В городе Казань. Мне 42 года.
Я хорошо владею русским языком. И плохо говорю по-английски.
Я хочу помочь людям, которые интересуются Россией. Это бесплатно. Тел.: +7 987 296 64 11, на него можно отправить sms. E-mail: shammill собачка mail.ru

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