Hi, my name's Dasha and I'm currently living in the USA. I'm from Belarus originally but I moved to the states when I was about 5 and forgot the language. I'm moving to Saint Petersburg for study abroad through my university in 11 days and I've been using various resources on the internet as well as Rosetta Stone, though that honestly did not do much. I'd like to pair my courses up with self study, as I'd really like to be able to speak Russian with my mom and grandfather.

I know some of the basics, but can anyone recommend any good resources out there or maybe a non-judgmental penpal to exchange messages/emails online with? I try to use my mom as help around the house, but she tends to just laugh at my attempts which isn't really that helpful hahaha. But yeah, any useful tips or anything really would be appreciated! I'm a little nervous to live in Russia for a whole year without really knowing the language too well, so anything at all-- even things about Saint Petersburg-- is welcomed.

спасибо!