A night out to the Moscow Circus in Tsvetnol bulva,
left to right: Mr Brett Dvorak, Mr Ryan Little, Mr Jeremy Tomb,
Ms Maria Priezzheva, Mr Marek Adamo
and Ms Katie Woodcock - Russia 2004 **
PASSPORTS:
You must have a passport valid through at least November 20, 2008 or beyond. If you do not have one or you need to renew your current one, do it now. You must also have 4 extra blank pages in your passport (per the Russian Consulate). If not, please send it back to have extra pages put in (this is free to do).
During the summer time, it can take up to 6-8 weeks to get your passport to you. If you plan to leave the U.S. before May 12, contact USD immediately. Early departure may cause serious problems if your Visa has not been returned back to USD from the Russian Consulate before you leave so you may not be able to attend and there would be no refund of any monies already paid.
VISA: What about my Visa?
We will apply for your Russian Visa's, if you are a U.S. citizen. We will apply for a double-entry, 90-day visa for May 20 - August 20. This Visa will permit you to re-enter Russia if you leave, but only once after your initial entry.. Complete the Visa Application form that will be sent to you once you have signed up, and send it back to us ASAP with 2 passport photos (size 2" x 2" only) and your original passport. Please sign your passport, the back of all photos, and the Visa application all in the same way. If this is not done, it will delay your Visa Application Process and extra fees will be charged. There will be an extra $150 service charge imposed on persons who have not provided us with all the original and correctly signed documents and information between April 2-15; April 16-30 add $200 for expedited service; after April 30, add $500 for ecpedited service (Note: Your Visa might not be obtained in time for you to attend our program if you wait this long).
If you hold a non-US passport, USD cannot obtain your Visa for you, as different requirements exist depending on your citizenship and the place from which you apply. You should contact the Russian Consulate nearest your home or where you are staying for information on how to obtain a Russian Visa. Most consulates now have web sites with fairly complete information. Please go to Visa Instructions and Requirements for more information. If your Visa requires an invitation from Russia, USD might be able to obtain this for you, provided that we are given at least 6 weeks notice. So check your Visa Requirements EARLY and let us know what you need as soon as possible.
Russian emigres should be aware that Russian citizens who maintain dual US/Russian citizenship are not currently allowed to visit Russia on US passports. If you are in this situation, you may have to renew your Russian passport, and, if you are male, you should be sure that you have fulfilled or have been exempted from any Russian military service requirements before you re-enter the country.
Arrival: How will I get from the airport to my housing and/or classes at the Hotel?
We will pick you up if you arrive at Moscow's Sheremetyevo 2 airport only, on Saturday, May 26th (anytime within reason), also on Sunday, May 27th, but before 3pm, Otherwise, cab fare to the Tsentralnaya Hotel, where classes are held, is around U.S. $60.
With a bit of Russian (and not too much luggage), it is possible to take a city bus to the metro for around $5. Go to the Moscow Metro Map.
We do not provide pickup for students flying into St Petersburg or to any other Moscow airports other than Sheremetyevo 2. Also, we do not provide airport delivery back to any of Russia's airports at the end of the program. Students arrange this themselves.
Please notify USD San Diego no later than March 12th if you wish to arrive early or stay late, so that we can get the appropriate visa request letters done. If you notify us after March 12th, then there is no guarantee that this request can be done. It can take 6+ weeks for Visa Invitation Letters to be processed in Moscow. Also the entire department of the Minstry of the Interior (which issues Visa's) closes totally down for 2 weeks in May.
HOUSING: What about my housing?
First of all, students need to be aware that housing in a foreign country is NOT like living in the U.S.
With that said, you have 2 choices: You can find an apartment in Moscow or stay at the Hotel where the classes will be held. The Hotel will provide some regular hotel rooms with private baths and dormitory type housing with facilities down the hall. The Hotel has a dry cleaner and a cafe. The Moscow Director will be sending all enrolled students an e-mail a few weeks prior to the start of the program to find out who wants a room in the hotel. Prices for the Hotel will not be available until April. You must provide USD San Diego with your e-mail address. The Moscow Institute can book the room for you, but you will be responsible for your own payment when you arrive in Moscow. The Tsentralnaya Hotel has a money Exchange Window directly inside on the right. Former students have told us that Euros were better to exchange for Rubles than U.S. dollars. So if you are traveling in Europe before you arrive in Moscow, save your Euros. Also, do not exchange money at the Hotel Europa, the exchange rate was much lower than at the Tsentralnaya Hotel's Exchange Window. There are plenty of places around the Tsentralnaya Hotel and the side streets close to the Tsentralnaya Hotel to exchange money, you just need to find one with the best rate while you are out and about. Should you have a problem with your Tsentralnaya Hotel room when you arrive, contact the Moscow Director or the Moscow Administrative Assistant to see what can be done to help you.
Students who wish to secure housing on their own, may do so on their own. Unfortunately, neither USD San Diego nor Moscow will be able to help students in this endeavor. However, apartments for the summer are fairly easy to find as Moscovites like to go to the country in the summer, and the Moscow Expatriot web site each year lists several places/apartments that expats and English speaking Russians wish to sublet apartments. Or Way to Russia - Apartments. For more budget information, go to Russia Budget
HOUSING COSTS: What is the total cost of my housing in Moscow and St. Petersburg?
Since USD-San Diego will not be providing housing in Moscow, the cost is up to you.
Last summer, some students sublet apartments at a cost of $1500+ depending on location and quality, and others stayed in the Tsentralnaya Hotel, (where classes are held) either alone or with roommates, paying from a high of approximately $90 per night, per room for a double room with toilet and bath, to approximately $50 a night, per room for a double room with dormitory style toilet and shower facilities. However, as in any developing economy, dollar prices can differ dramatically from year to year. The hotel's summer prices are not set until mid-April, and other available sublet prices become clear about the same time in most cases. Professor Dent, our director in Moscow, will send you more information via e-mail only as she receives it. You must provide an e-mail address to USD San Diego for this purpose.
For the St Petersburg trip, the extra cost of $650 includes your transportation to and from St Petersburg and housing there. If you secure your own housing in St Petersburg, you will still have to pay the entire $650 cost, no exceptions. The St. Petersburg trip is mandatory, since you will be taking classes in St Petersburg for (one) 1 week as well. Please contact Marian Dent at mdent@pericles.ru should you have more housing questions in St Petersburg or Moscow.
Apartment Deposits: Will I have to pay a deposit for housing? If so, how much?
Yes. Security deposits are likely for private apartments, but it would be up to the landlord to decide how much. Sometimes it can be as much as the rent. Most apartment rentals include utilities and base rental for telephone, if there is one. Double check with your landlord regarding this.
The landlord you rent from in Russia may require the 1st month's rent as a deposit and/or a security deposit for utilities. Check with the landlord regarding this.
There is NO guarantee that the landlord will speak English. However, Dean Marian Dent our Russia program Director speaks Russian and should be able to help you if you run into any problems.
Also, check out the entire apartment for any damage, before you pay your money. Make sure that all the appliances work as well. Then have any damage or non-working appliances noted on any agreement that you sign so you are not charged for any replacements or repairs when you leave.
Do I have to bring linens?
No, everything is usually provided if you stay at the Tsentralnaya Hotel, but an extra towel and washcloth wouldn't hurt, they do sometimes run small (the size of a hand towel for a regular towel).
Do I have to bring pots, pans, silverware?
Not if you stay at a Hotel. Apartment housing may be a different story. However, anything that is not provided by your landlord is probably available in local shops. But always double check with your landlord first.
If I withdraw from the program, will I receive a housing refund?
If you have secured your own apartment, you will have to negotiate any refund with your landlord yourself.
Living with a Family: If I choose to live with a family, how much will it cost me?
There are many factors involved, such as location, meals, whether you share a bedroom. Prices run from $300 to $1900+ per person. USD would not be able to help you with locating a family to live with. You would have to do this on your own. See the Moscow Expatriot web site. Each year they list several places that expats and English speaking Russians wish to sublet apartments & sometimes living with a family. Or Way to Russia - Apartments.
If I live with a family, are meals included?
This will be up to the family you select, but in most cases you will eat with the family and pay them for your meals. You would have to talk to them about meals. Special meals, such as vegetarian, no salt used, etc. can be difficult in Russia, if available at all, and might cost more. The extra cost will be added to the rent. Ask about this before you rent.
Telephone: Will there be a telephone in my apartment? Will I be able to use it?
There may or may not be. If there is, you may only be able to receive phone calls or make outgoing phone calls with a prepaid phone card. Or if you wanted to make an outgoing call, you would have to find a public phone. If you have both an outgoing line and a receiving line in your apartment, the landlord may charge you a deposit to take care of the phone bill when you leave, so be prepared! What that deposit is, will be determined by the landlord.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU STAY
The hot or cold water will probably be turned off for repairs. There is no way to avoid this. Even in the best of Hotels, they have the same problem - no water. It could be down a day or longer, it just depends. They shut down the water by areas not all at the same time. So you may not have water but your friend(s) may, depending on where they live. If you are in real difficulty talk with either the Moscow Director or Administrator.
RUSSIAN CONDITIONS:
Although Moscow, with its world-class restaurants, busy night life, and 12 million plus population, looks very Western on its surface these days, please be aware that in some respects, you leave the developed world when you enter Russia. In April or early May, expect to receive a booklet directly from your Russian host organization, Pericles ABLE or from USD San Diego. This booklet will give you the latest information on surviving a summer as a student in Moscow. Outside the major cities, Western brands of foods and medicines are hard to obtain, and Westerners are sometimes treated like alien beings. Even in Moscow and St Petersburg, international phone calls can be difficult to connect, electrical current can surge unpredictably, and when the communal hot water heater in your neighborhood is cleaned, you will have no hot water, and this is true even if you stay in the fanciest hotel.
Several years ago our students visited a law school in a small Russian town and stayed in the homes of Russian law students. Their stay involved a first hand feel of Russian food, family life, and hospitality, but lacked the amenities of home. In short, be prepared for adventures. Like Dorothy, you are not in Kansas any more!
Drinking the water:
Forget it! DO NOT drink from the tap or have ice in any form, otherwise you will have a bad time of it. Drink bottled everything. It is very important that you bring over the counter medicine for your stomach (Imodine, Pepto Bismo, etc.) just in case you forget and drink the water or have ice cubes in your drink.
CLASSROOMS: Where will the classrooms be located?
Our Russia program is based at Pericles American Business and Legal Education (ABLE) Project, a continuing education center for Russian lawyers and business people. Pericles is located at 1st Miusskaya Ulitsa, #22, bldg 3, Moscow 1025009 Russia; METRO: behind Mendeleevskaya metro and near Lessnaya Ul. phone number office: (7-495) 649-2273; Dean Dent mobile/cell - in Russia 8-916-600-3747; calling from outside Russia - 7-916-600-3747; e-mail: mdent@pericles.ru AND pericles_moscow@yahoo.com The staff at Pericles ABLE all speak English.
Books: When will I receive my books or class materials for my classes?
For U.S. students: Generally books are mailed around May 1st to the temporary address you listed on your application. Should you change address, you will need to notify us of your new address ASAP. If you leave the U.S. before you receive your books, you, the student, would have to pay USD to Fed Ex it to you in Europe/Russia. Fed Ex can cost anywhere from $50-$200 depending on your classes. Casebooks are heavy! If you attend school in San Diego, you will need to pick-up your books and/or photocopied materials at our office, Law School (Warren Hall), Room 310 no later than May 1st. If you fail to pick up your class materials, we will Fed Ex them to your site and bill you. This can take up to 2 weeks as it must go through Customs in Moscow and even though Fed Ex is fast, Custom's officer's are not!
For students coming from outside the United States: (attending one program) - your books and/or photocopied materials will be sent to you at your temporarry address around May 1st.
For students coming from outside the United States: (attending two programs) - your books and/or photocopied materials for your second program, will be sent to you, around mid-April or around May 1st.
FOR ALL STUDENTS:
Please DO NOT leave without your class materials. If your class materials are not received by May 12 or May 19th, please e-mail cking@sandiego.edu right away and if possible, we will resend to you.
You will receive the first set of information sheets with your acceptance letter about 1 week after we have received your initial non-refundable amount(s). The Final Information Booklet (2008 Moscow Survival Guide) will be sent to you from Russia or from USD San Diego and you should have it around sometime before you leave. Names of other students attending will be sent to students around April 1st. Sometimes it can take 2-3 weeks for air mail to arrive in various countries around the world, so please be patient.
Language Classes: Can I add or drop in Moscow?
Yes, if you add a language class while in Moscow, you will need to pay $85 per person for Survival or Intermediate Russian or $150 per person for Legal Russian through USD's E-Pay system via e-check or credit card only. (see your Acceptance Letter for the correct link). If you drop the language class once in Russia, there will be no refund of any monies paid.
Exams: What time do the exams start and finish?
Your class exams usually start at 9am on Thursday, June 26th and at 9am on Friday, June 27th and they usually take 2-4 hours. DO NOT plan to leave from Moscow before 3pm Friday, June 27th if you have an exam on this day, but plan to leave on Saturday, June 28th, if you don't want to miss the closing party on the night of June 27th. Your International Negotiations class exam will be the evening of August 1. REMEMBER: You will usually have to check in at the airport for your flight back to the U.S. 3 hours ahead of time. So do not schedule your departure until at least 3:00pm (6/28/08 or 7/2/08). It is easier on your nerves, and permits you to do some things in Russia that you wanted to, but lacked the time and to attend the final closing party on the night of June 27th. (Booking an 8am departure will mean leaving for the airport at 4am, when public transport is closed and cabs can be hard to catch.)
EXAMS ARE NEVER GIVEN IN ADVANCE!
Course Changes: What if I want to change classes once I have initially signed up?
No problem and no charge if you do this BEFORE April 1st. If you change ON or AFTER April 1st, but before you leave for Russia, and we have time to send you your new class materials, then there is a fee of $50 for each course change, plus any shipping charges to send you your new class materials. You may change only if we have the class materials/books for your new classes and can get the new class materials shipped to you before you arrive in Russia. It is very difficult to ship books to Russia as it can take 2-3 weeks or more for them to arrive and go through Customs in Moscow.
Thomas Cooley and Indiana Univ-Bloomington students must obtain permission to change or drop classes from either Prof Bill Weiner or Dean Len Fromm. Then Prof Weiner or Dean Fromm will alert USD-San Diego to the approved change.
Class Additions: Can I add a class once I am in Russia?
Yes, but you will be charged for the new materials, the add fee and possibly the extra credits fee. If it is only photocopied materials, and the materials have to be photocopied at your site(s), you will have to pay these charges as well. If books are not on site, you will have to pay for USD-San Diego to Fed Ex the new book(s) to you. You would pay for all extra costs via USD's on-line E-Pay system only by either an e-check or via credit card only. (Visa credit cards are not accepted) No payments are to be made on-site to anyone. It is very difficult to ship books to Russia as it can take 2-3 weeks or more for them to arrive and go through Customs in Moscow. Payment for adding a class must be made through USD's E-Pay system only and immediately.
Thomas Cooley students must obtain permission to add classes from either Prof Bill Weiner or Dean Len Fromm. Then Prof Weiner will alert USD-San Diego to the approved change. If you increase your class load, you will be charged accordingly.
For more information see Add, Drop, Wait Info.
Class Drop: Can I drop a class once I am in Moscow?
Yes, however, there will be no refund of any monies paid. Be aware that if you took out loans, you may have to repay monies back to your lender. Contact the Financial Aid Office at your home school for further information.
Thomas Cooley students must obtain permission to drop classes after they have signed up from either Prof Bill Weiner or Dean Len Fromm. Then Prof Weiner will alert USD-San Diego to the approved change. If you increase your class load, you will be charged accordingly.
For more information see Add, Drop, Wait Info.
Payments: If my school and USD sign a Consortium/Visiting Student Agreement, do I still have to make the scheduled payments?
Yes, payments must be kept up. Once you have paid the USD Study Abroad Program a total of $800, which is due at USD by April 21st, then your final payment of the balance due must be received at USD no later than May 12th. This includes; tuition balance, any language fees (if chosen) and the St Petersburg trip. If any of the scheduled payments are missed then you will not be able to take advantage of the early pay discount. See Early Payment Discounts and Payment Due Dates for more information.
If you are going to 2 sites, Russia and then either Dublin, London, Oxford, or Paris then an initial payment amount of $400 is due with your application or $450 is due with your application, if you wish USD to provide you housing in either Dublin or Oxford only. Then follow the payment schedule. Payment in full for both sites for tuition, housing and any language courses for Barcelona, Florence, or Russia, must be received at USD no later than May 12th. (we do not provide housing in Barcelona, Florence, London, Paris or Russia (except for St Petersburg housing).
If any of the scheduled payments are missed then you will not be able to take advantage of the early pay discount.
Credit Cards accepted:
USD accepts Mastercard, Discover, and American Express credit cards only to pay your costs for tuition, housing, language class, and/or the internship (if taken) in Russia after your initial payment to register. Please go to Credit Card information
Sorry, but Visa credit cards are not accepted for any payments.
Also, your first initally payments must come through our office and NOT through USD's Student Accounts or Cashier's office or USD's e-pay system.
After your initial non-refundable payment to sign you up and you are then enrolled, have received your Acceptance Letter and have been assigned a USD ID number, you may either pay through USD's E-Pay system, paying via e-check or credit card only (Visa credit cards are not accepted) OR you may mail in a U.S. dollar personal check or U.S. dollar money order: Ms Cindy King, USD Law School, 5998 Alcala Pk LS 310, San Diego CA 92110-2492; , or come to our office to pay: Law School 310 and pay either Darlene or Cindy. Cash will not be accepted after 2pm.
Discounts:
Will I be able to receive a discount if I pay early?
Yes, see Early Payment Discounts and Payment Due Dates
Discounts:
Will I receive 2 discounts if I am taking 2 programs?
No, only one discount applies.
Refunds:
If I withdraw from the program, what type of refund will I receive?
What if I am Academically Disqualified and I decide not to attend the Russia program, will I receive a full refund of both Tuition and any housing amount I have already paid?
Please go to Russia Refund Policy for more information.
Returned Checks: What about returned personal checks?
Should a U.S. dollar personal check bounce and it is returned back to USD, there is a chance of you being withdrawn from the program for non-payment. USD puts returned checks back through two (2) times before the Study Abroad office is notified of a bad check. USD will not resubmit this check after two (2) tries. Re-payment must then be made immediately and arrive at our office within 2 business days by either a U.S. Money Order, U.S. Cashier's Check, or a Wire Transfer only.
If your check is returned back to us for any reason, there will be a $40 bank/administrative fee charged to your account.
Exchanging Money: What about exchanging money in Moscow?
The best ways of getting cash you need: Credit Cards and ATM's.
First, estimate how much cash you will need for the program. Then add $500 in case of an emergency. This is the amount of cash you will need at your disposal.
There are three principle ways of getting the cash you need: traveler's checks (although not recommended), Automated Teller Machine cards (ATMs), and credit cards.
Traveler's checks in U.S. dollars are always accepted, even when traveler's checks in the local currency are not. However, many of the smaller stores and resturants do not accept traveler's checks, so ask before you go. There is a money exchange window at the Hotel where classes will be held as well as many other money exchange offices all around the Hotel. You should do a search for the best rate. DO NOT exchange money at the Hotel Europa, very high exchange rate fee!
While the standard charge for traveler's checks is 1% of face value, it is often possible to obtain them free. AAA does this for its members, and many banks provide them free for significant account-holders. When cashing them in Europe, a better rate is often provided than when changing cash.
ATM cards are a good way to receive cash. In addition to your card, you need a PIN number valid in Europe/Russia. Check with your bank to be sure that you have one. You are limited to the same withdrawal as at home, and it can sometimes involve major math to figure out how much you will be allowed. The major problems with the ATM solution are fees and cash. There may be two fees involved, one from your bank, and another from the bank that owns the ATM machine. The fees can easily total more than $10, so it makes no sense to withdraw less than the maximum allowed each day, as fees are imposed on each transaction by each bank and/or machine. In addition, you can only withdraw money if you have it in your account.
One should probably charge as much as possible on a credit card. Visa and MasterCharge are universally accepted; American Express and Diners less so; Discover not at all. The exchange rate is pretty good, there are no transaction fees, and the bill need not be paid for at least a month. Using your credit card to take a cash advance will also work if you have a correct PIN number, but interest begins accruing immediately, and there is usually a fee for the loan. So this is the more expensive alternative.
Normally, the best rates for changing money are not found at the airport, because banks there have a monopoly. However, it is usually better to change at the airport than to buy large amounts of foreign money before leaving the U.S. You should however, buy at least $50-$200 (in small bills) worth of currency before you leave for "landing money" that you can use immediately for drinks, toilet, cab fare, bus fare, porters, etc.. Once settled, students then exchange information about good places to change money. It is usually disadvantageous to change money at night or on weekends because the number of places open then limits the competition. Two factors determined how advantageous the exchange might be: the rate, and the commission. Many places offer exchange with no commission, but usually give less favorable rates.
There is an exchange office directly on the right hand side when you enter the Tsentralnaya Hotel, where classes are held. There are also numerous exchange places all around the Tsentralnaya Hotel. You just need to find one that has a good rate. Also, DO NOT exchange any money in the Hotel Europa, as they charge a very large commission and the exchange rates are terrible!
If you have cash, your best bet is at any bank where the rates are usually more favorable. Remember, you will also be able to use your ATM Cards and credit cards in Russia.
We have been told that there are ATM machines around, but sometimes they work and and sometimes they do not. Word of advice: bring all your ATM cards and credit cards, this way if your ATM card does not work one day when you need money, you can use a credit card for a cash advance. You should also bring your money in travelers checks or cash. If you bring cash, be advised that when you go to exchange U.S. money, Russians will not accept, faded, torn, crumpled or any type of damaged money. Bring CRISP money straight from the bank. Purchase a money belt to keep your money on you if you are carrying a large amount!
Local transport: Tell me about transportation within Moscow.
You have buses, trolleys, and trams that run every 10-15 minutes during the day and down to about once every half hour at night. They might even stop running at various times. So check you schedules before you head out.
You would purchase tickets for buses, trolleys, and trams at special ticket kiosks around the city and from the bus drivers. They are sold in a strip of 10 for about 5-8 rubles (there are about 25 rubles to $1.00 U.S.) You may also purchase a monthly pass for under $40, which is more advisable.
You also have the Metro. The metro runs every 2 minutes from about 5:30am to about 1:00am and cost about 6-8 rubles (or about .25 - .35 cents). You can purchase single entry or multiple entry tickets. If you purchase the multiple entry tickets, it can save you about .08 - .15 cents. The metro lines are all color coded to help you get around. Tickets can be purchased inside the metro station. If you don't pay, there is a nasty bar that shoots out about crotch level and can perhaps damage your family plans.
Do not purchase any of these types of tickets from a street vendor, they may be fake. Keep to the official kiosks!
Students who have enrolled in the Russia program will receive 30-page booklet, sometime in early May, called "2008 Russian Survival Guide..." that will answer many of your other questions you might have.
Health Insurance: What about health insurance?
U.S. STUDENTS ONLY: All U.S. students should provide to our office evidence of medical insurance valid in Russia by sending us a photocopy of your insurance card showing the dates you are covered. We recommend the International Student ID Card. It costs about $25.00. It provides some medical and travel insurance and student discounts. International Student ID cards can be obtained from STA Travel or call 1-858-544-9632 or 1-800-226-8624 or at the USD UC Box Office. You should bring a passport size photo when purchasing this card. If you choose this option, please mail/bring only a readable copy of the International Student ID Card to our office. Mail us a copy of your proof of insurance to: USD Law School, Attn: Ms Darlene Smith, 5998 Alcala Pk LS 310, San Diego, CA 92110-2492 or scan it as an attachment to an e-mail (no faxes) to Ms Darlene Smith darlenes@sandiego.edu. We strongly suggest that you keep any health insurance you have current.
If you do not have health insurance, the International Students I.D. Card, which provides you with some discount entrance fees and air fares to many sights, comes with some health insurance. Cost: $25. (USD students can buy these cards at the UC box office). Bring a passport-sized photo to avoid extra cost. The USD Campus Card Services office in the Bookstore (Loma Hall) now offers passport pictures - $10 for 2 pictures. Otherwise you can purchase your health insurance coverage commercially, through your parents insurance, through AAA (if you, your spouse or your parents are a member). You should double check that it covers you during your summer trip. For more general travel info contact: STA Travel or call 1-858-544-9632, or 1-800-226-8624.
Check to ensure that your current insurance covers you while you are in Europe/Russia. Ask if they will reimburse your out-of-pocket expense for doctor, prescriptions, etc. when you return to the U.S., if you provide them with receipts. A doctor's visit alone can cost $50 plus whatever medications in case you run into problems. Our USD-Russia office will have the names of English speaking doctors.
Medications/Glasses: What about my medications/glasses?
We strongly suggest that you bring at least an extra months supply of whatever medications you take along with an extra pair of glasses or a prescription for your glasses. You also should bring a letter and a prescription from your doctor giving facts about your medications.
Does the program organize legal events?
Yes, past students have visited - A two-day student conference held by Mari State University Law Faculty in Yoshkar Ola was a presentation and a discussion between Russian and US students and Lecturers on a particular topic of Russian, American and European law.
Had a guest speaker, Dr Bachtiar Touzmohommedov, Chief of the Department of International Law, who spoke about the structure of the court and various legal issues and cases that the court had decided. This event took place in the main courtroom of the Constitutional Court.
Had a guest speaker, Art Franczek, CPA, Dean and Professor to Taxation, American Institute of Business and Economics explained the Russian tax code, and discussed tax reform efforts in Russia.
Had a guest speaker, Ms Lyubov M Levtchenko, Trial Attorney and Managing Partner, BIEL law firm discussed several cases in which she had litigated contract disputes between American and Russian parties. She also discussed the Russian arbitration court system and forum selection in Russian/American contracts.
Had a guest speaker, Mr James Hitch, Managing Partner, Baker and McKenzie, St Petersburg, discussed investment into Russian and particularly into the St Petersburg region, the role of foreign investment and the laws relating to the same. He also talked about draft legislation on land ownership and other issues related to private investment. He speculated on the future of foreign investment, on opportunities for law firms and law graduates and on Russia's joining the WTO.
Students have gone to the Russian Jessup International Moot Court Competition and reception with the Russian law student participants;
Students have gone to the Moscow Oblast Court and had a discussion with Chief Judge Marasanova and attended the beginning of a Russian jury trial and spoke to the trial judge during recess;
Students have also visited the State Duma and spoke for an hour with a lawyer for the Duma's Committee on Legislation, Olga Schwartz. Past students also sat for a lecture by Olg Rumyantsev, (one of the authors of the Russian Constitution, who is now one of President Yeltsin's more vehement opponents and is a proponent of reuniting Russia with Byelorus) Assistant Secretary to the State Duma Committee on the Russian/Byelorus Union, former Chairman of the Constitutional Commission of the Russian Federation;
Dinner and discussion on the work of Russian lawyers;
Students have also sat in on lectures given by Colonel Dubagin (a specialist in serial murder investigations) Russian Ministry of the Interior, on Criminal Investigations in Russia; and a lecture on the changing Russian tax system;
Students have also visited the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and had a discussion with Dr. Kudriavtsev, Head of the Secretariat of the Court, and Dr. Pyrickov, Head of the International Department of the Court. Lectures were also on Russian issuance of American depository receipts and eurobonds given by a Russian attorney and author from Freshfields (a British law firm-Moscow), and a lecture on International Commercial Arbitration in the Russian Federation given by the Vice President of the International Commercial Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
In St. Petersburg students visited Citizens' Watch (a Russian human rights organization) and held a discussion with Boris Pustintsev (chairman of the Citizens' Watch) about the Nikitin state secrets trial. There was also a speaker from Coudert Brothers who talked about work in a Western law firm in Russia. Students also went to a trial and were able to talk with the chief judge on arbitration procedure;
Students were able to talk with Yuri Schmidt who is a very famous trial attorney defending the Nikitin case. Mr Nikitan is Amnesty International's first post-Soviet Russian prisoner of Conscience. He is a former submarine commander who wrote a report on Russian nuclear submarine safety for an environmental group and was accused of disseminating state secrets, treason, and spying. Mr Nikitin also showed up to talk with students! Which was quite a coup!
If participants agree, the program director will try to arrange a two or three day trip to a Russian law school in a small town so that everyone can see some of the real, outside the tourist track Russia. This extra side trip should not cost additional money for participants.
There is no guarantee that these same events will happen in 2008. Each year it is different due to the availability of lawyers, judges and courts.
What about program organized tourist events?
Yes, in previous years there were various cultural tours to the Kremlin and its Armory, the priceless art treasures of the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Peter the Great's Summer Palace, Kolomenskoe Estate (boyhood home of Peter the Great), Baltica Beer Factory, Moscow City Tour by Metro, Porcelin factory, and the Moscow Circus and shopping trips to Ismailovo Park Souvenir Market. You will find out more information about all this once you have attended the Orientation in Moscow. Costs are determined by how many students sign up.
Contacting Home:
It can be more difficult to phone back to the US than you might expect, but Internet access and WIFI is quite freely available in Moscow in various Internet cafes. Go to Russia Conputer and E-Mail Information. We suggest that you establish a free, Internet based e-mail account (Hotmail.com, Yahoo.com, Netscape.net, etc.) and have your usual e-mail account forwarded to it before you leave. (FYI- DO NOT use your same e-mail as the one you use at home! But set up a different one to avoid Junk Mail being forwarded to you to your regular e-mail account. Hotmail and Netscape deletes your account if it is inactive after 30 days)
During the week that the program is in St Petersburg, and during any other time that the program may spend outside of Moscow, e-mail, as well as international phones, will be more difficult to use. You should warn your friends and family not to expect to hear from you during those times, unless you can find an Internet Cafe.
STATE DEPT TRAVEL INFO:
The U.S. Department of State periodically publishes travel information for all foreign countries. You can view the current info for Russia at State Department Or to: register with an Embassy. The U.S. Embassy knows we are here, so you do not have to individually sign up, unless you wish to.
OFFICE CONTACT INFO:
In Russia: Please direct all questions to Dean Marian Dent, our 2008 Russia Director. Phone number in Russia, if dialing from the U.S., is (011)-7-495-649-2273 (the staff all speak English.); e-mail mdent@pericles.ru
In Moscow, the Pericles Training Center, your Russian host organization, is open from 10am to 9pm, Moscow time, Monday through Friday, and from 10am to 5pm on Saturdays (except on June 12th and June 14th which are national holidays).
In San Diego: University of San Diego, Attn: Ms Cindy King or Ms Darlene Smith, 5998 Alcala Park, LS 310, San Diego, CA 92110-2492; fax - 619-260-2230; phone - 619-260-4597. Regular office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:15pm, except for weekends and holidays when USD is closed. cking@sandiego.edu or darlenes@sandiego.edu
References: Names and addresses of former students.
If you would like names, addresses and phone numbers of previous students, please send to either Ms Cindy King or Ms Darlene Smith an e-mail message to: cking@sandiego.edu or darlenes@sandiego.edu with your name, your e-mail address and your school and one of them will get back to you with the information.
Questions:
Send Cindy or Darlene an e-mail should you have more questions that were not answered in these FAQ's or in the Russia Tips - General section to: Ms Cindy King cking@sandiego.edu or to Ms Darlene Smith darlenes@sandiego.edu.
If you find an error, please let Cindy or Darlene know by providing the exact web site address location (http://www.sandiego.edu/lawabroad/..............) where the problem is located by cutting and pasting it into your e-mail, so that it can be corrected right away. Thank you!
** Compliments of Maria Priezzheva R2004