They say cultural immersion is one of the best and quickest ways to truly learn a language. Six CC students are currently proving that to be true while in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where they are not only improving their Russian language skills, but fully immersing themselves in the society and culture of their temporary home. Students in the two-block program are living with Russian-speaking host families, exploring Kyrgyzstan, and participating in Kyrgyz traditions.
Both courses in the program, Block 7 Intermediate Russian Language I: Language through Film, and Block 8 Intermediate Russian Language II: Language through Film, are divided into two parts: the language portion, which takes place in the mornings, and the film and culture portion, which takes place in the afternoons. Visiting Assistant Professor of Russian and Eurasian Studies Dr. Natalia Khan serves as the Associate Director of the CC Program in Bishkek and teaches the language portion of the class for both blocks. Associate Professor of Russian and Eurasian Studies and Director of the Bishkek Program Dr. Alexei Pavlenko teaches the film and culture portion of the class for Block 7. Over Block Break, Pavlenko returned to campus and was replaced by Visiting Professor of Russian and Eurasian Studies Dr. Tatiana Nikolskaya, who is serving as the Director during Block 8.
The CC Program in Bishkek is organized in conjunction with the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The classes are taught in Russian and take place at AUCA. Khan, Pavlenko, and Nikolskaya are the course’s primary instructors, but local faculty assist with instruction.
“We teach Russian as part of a broader cultural code where communication is more than the knowledge of grammar—it’s an ability to enter another’s perspective which is inextricably linked with one’s positionality in the historical and cultural contexts.”
Dr. Alexei Pavlenko
While each day is different, the Bishkek Program generally follows the Block Plan, where students attend class from morning until the early afternoon, and then depart to explore the city together. Classes are not held on Wednesdays or Saturdays so that students can go on cultural excursions together, which have included visiting museums, parks, and historical landmarks, and attending musical performances and other cultural activities.
The program’s primary objective is for students to achieve an intermediate level of proficiency in Russian, which is the level when learners begin to generate their own meanings instead of relying on rote memorization.
“Our approach to teaching language is contextual and is based on principles of cultural literacy,” says Pavlenko, who plans many of the cultural excursions and was most excited about visiting the Historical Museum and the National Museum of Fine Arts named after Gapar Aitiev. “We teach Russian as part of a broader cultural code where communication is more than the knowledge of grammar—it’s an ability to enter another’s perspective which is inextricably linked with one’s positionality in the historical and cultural contexts. The specific objective is the language proficiency but with the caveat that proficiency is achievable through the cultivation of different competencies, such as sensitivities to cultural differences, tolerance of ambiguities, withholding judgements, and openness to the other.”
Pavlenko ran CC’s Russia Program from 1996 through 2019, when the program was paused due to COVID and the war in Ukraine. After deciding to permanently relocate the program and meeting with school representatives in several Russian-speaking countries, Pavlenko was most impressed with AUCA and was pleased that students would continue getting a full-immersion language experience, as Bishkek is a Russian-speaking city with one of the largest Russian communities outside of Russia. Kyrgyzstan was also a good match for the new location because of its history and wide use of the Russian language. Until 1991, Kyrgyzstan was one of 15 former USSR republics, and though each republic had its own national language, Russian dominated as the language of the country’s political center. Pavlenko has led the Bishkek Program since its establishment in 2022, when seven students participated.
Some of the students’ activities so far this year include participating in a masterclass on cooking manti (a traditional dumpling dish) under the guidance of an experienced chef, a four-day trip to Uzbekistan, a night out to see Ballet Giselle at the Bishkek Opera and Ballet Theater, and a trip to Issyk-Kul, one of the largest mountain lakes in the world.
Throughout the program, CC students are paired with students from AUCA, who serve as language partners. The students meet during the week to practice Russian, explore the city, and get to know each other.
Students arrived in Bishkek on March 23 and are having an incredible time so far, growing both as people and as scholars. Students say their Russian language skills have increased tremendously, and they’ve already learned so much.
“I can say that when I came to Bishkek at first, I really doubted my Russian skills and had trouble speaking in Russian,” says Maggie Davis ’27, a Mathematics major who plans to also complete a Russian minor. “However, I’ve been able to practice my Russian both in the classroom and with my host family and language partner. I can see improvement everyday in my communication skills.”
Davis really enjoys getting to experience the customs and traditions in Bishkek. Because the program takes place during Ramadan, Davis got to attend different Iftar celebrations with her host family. Davis enrolled in this program because she wanted to continue her language studies in an immersive experience.
“It is important to show the students that the language they learn at CC is a living means of communication, thanks to which they can discover new environments and cultures.”
Dr. Tatiana Nikolskaya
Students are graded on homework, quizzes, and chapter tests for both the language and cultural portions of the classes. Additionally, while in Bishkek, students are working on a two-block research project. Half the class is working on a project about the Soviet system of education and the other half is working on a project about religions in Kyrgyzstan. Students were required to submit their research topic and why they picked their topic prior to departing for Bishkek and are expected the work on the project together every day and submit notes and new vocabulary words each week. As part of the project, students conduct four interviews in Russian, which they record and then transcribe. The final project consists of a 12-page research paper and a presentation.
Davis, Sangwa Ikuzwe ’25, and Will Shuflit ’27 are researching how the education system in Kyrgyzstan has changed since the fall of the Soviet Union, specifically through the view of Soviet nostalgia.
“Many people here feel nostalgic about Soviet times because they see education as better then and they saw more equality between urban and rural schools,” Davis says. “We have been interviewing different people at the university about their experience in school and how they feel about the contemporary education system compared to the Soviet system.”
The program meets CC’s all-college Critical Perspectives: Global Cultures and language requirements, and provides the same core curriculum that these classes do when taught on campus. However, in addition to the core language curriculum, students in the Bishkek Program also receive a richer, more diverse cultural experience.
“It is important to show the students that the language they learn at CC is a living means of communication, thanks to which they can discover new environments and cultures, and get to know people outside their country,” says Nikolskaya, who arrived in Bishkek right before departing for the group’s four-day trip to Tashkent and Samarkand. “Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in the world, so we got to plunge into the deepest historical layers. In addition, the Russian language in Uzbekistan serves as a means of interethnic communication, so students saw that their Russian language skills can be useful in many countries around the world. I hope it motivated them to expand their knowledge of the language and Russian and Soviet culture and history.”
Nikolskaya has taught in the Russia Program for over ten years and the Bishkek Program since it was created. One of her favorite parts of teaching in these programs are the trips during Block Break. “In past years, this was a trip to the beautiful lake Issyk-Kul – the most famous lake in Central Asia,” she says. “On the way, we stopped in the petroglyph park, visited the ruins of an ancient city that stood on the Great Silk Road, and walked in the most beautiful national parks.”
Students in the program have also participated in guided tours of Bishkek, which include visiting churches, mosques, and trips to Ala-Archa Canyon and National Park and Kyrgyz Ala-Too Range. In addition, Block Breaks have included cooking customary Russian dishes and participating in traditional activities, such as felting and pottery.
“We have learned a lot about how to comply with the general customs of our host country and lots of language skills that are being developed through both the class and interacting with people in the city on a day-to-day basis,” says Shuflit, who took this class to become better at Russian. “There is no better way to improve your language learning skills than to go somewhere where you are forced to speak it.”
So far, Shuflit’s favorite part of the program was when he and his host family hiked Ala-Archa National Park. He also really enjoyed visiting the Kyrgyz State History Museum with his class.
During the last week of the program, students will visit the Osh Bazaar, which is one of the largest bazaars in Bishkek. Visitors can purchase a huge variety of items at the bazaar, including food, clothes, souvenirs, household goods, and musical instruments.
Students will conclude the program with a closing ceremony on May 15, and return to campus the following day.