The Kremlin
For those of us who grew up on the other side of the iron curtain, hearing someone say « The Kremlin » might inspire thoughts of communism, the cold war, and the Soviet Union. Walking down the streets...
View ArticleTEA, LIMP BIZKIT, AND LUXURY CARS
Fun fact: 98% of Russians drink tea, and nearly half of their liquid consumption is composed of tea. Water comes in a distant 2nd at 11%. What’s my point you wonder? Yesterday we met with the executive...
View ArticleI know, I’m lucky!
Priviet! I’m one of the lucky few who were able to participate in two campuses abroad during my MBA program. This is one of the advantages of doing the program part-time over the course of 3 years. I...
View ArticleAller au Bolshoi, comme il se doit!
Le Bolshoi, véritable institution culturelle de la Russie, a une histoire plus que fascinante. Fondé en 1776 par Pierre Ouroussov et Mihaïl Medok, il est un des premiers ballets à accueillir sa propre...
View ArticleAn old country with a soul
I’ve finally arrived in St-Petersburg after a 4-hour high speed train ride from Moscow. First impression: this town is completely different than Moscow. Moscow was a wild beast. Fifteen million people...
View ArticleRussian or European?
We’ve been in St-Petersburg for a few days now, and I can’t help but see how different the city is from Moscow. Colourful buildings, beautiful European architecture, friendly people; this city is...
View ArticleClash des générations
C’est notre deuxième jour en Russie. Nous avons jusqu’à présent entendu cinq présentateurs. Le clash des générations est immanquable. Jusqu’à présent, nos présentateurs plus jeunes ont tous donné plus...
View ArticleLost in Translation
I think so far the most interesting experience has been when I try to communicate with the locals without the help of one of the resident student translators (Aram or Mathieu Renou). Sometimes it can...
View ArticleMoscow Experience
Four days have elapsed since I landed in Moscow and since then the city didn’t stop amazing me. Starting with the cultural aspect, the Slavic architecture is very impressive with its reliance on large...
View ArticleRussia, a land of hope
Being in Moscow for the past couple of days has so far been an unforgettable life experience. With very little knowledge about Russians’ lifestyle, I have been delighted to observe their every...
View ArticleQuick Observations
Navigating through Moscow can be a fairly intimidating experience. The language is foreign, English is rarely spoken, and the alphabet itself is difficult to decipher. However, the limits in using...
View ArticleSmile Russia… Smile! :)
After having lived in the Western part of the world for the past 10 years, I have grown accustomed to and have taken good customer service for-granted. While we all learn that a smile is an integral...
View ArticleControversial Moscow
While I have been to Moscow several times before on business trips and for pleasure, I was intrigued to visit the city after few years break and observe its business development trends; I was also...
View ArticleBlack & White Russia
When I first decided to apply for the campus abroad Russia, I felt that my main objective was to discover Saint Petersburg as a tourist and not as a professional through business trips in this city....
View ArticleKing of the Banana
After having experienced everything Moscow has to offer (its landmarks, citizens, language and businesses) we have moved on to St. Petersburg which has been an incredible culture shock. Previous to...
View ArticleSt. Petersburg – heart of culture
St.-Petersburg has greatly impressed me with its unique architecture and design, and one-of-a-kind landmarks and showplaces that, in essence, allow to visualize the pattern of Russian history from the...
View ArticleBottom-Up Russia!!
Yes the title seems to be have two meanings. It does! But I’ll come back to this later. While in Moscow, we went to the Embassy of Canada where we had the privilege of meeting to the Ambassador to...
View ArticleL’attente en Russie
Il est difficile de parler de la Russie sans parler des temps d’attentes. Mettons qu’il ne faut pas être énervé pressé en Russie parce que tu perds la tête. Si une New York minute est une fraction de...
View ArticleThe St. Petersburg Experience
The big differences between Moscow and St. Petersburg highlight the big contradictions that shape the current Russia. Life in Moscow is hectic where everybody is in a rush and stressed due to the...
View ArticleFinal Thoughts on Russia
The other day someone asked me if I would visit Russia again. « Moscow: no, St-Petersburg: yes, » I answered almost immediately. My answer and its bluntness surprised me, although I believe this little...
View ArticleSt Petersburg!
The living organism that is St Petersburg Moscow is stunning, but St Petersburg is a whole other story. Moscow, the capital city, with its big buildings and hustle and bustle imposes its beauty and...
View ArticleA very happy birthday!
Yesterday was my birthday. For me, the best way to celebrate my birthday has always been to spend the it with great friends in a cool place. I can say now after almost two weeks that the people I met...
View ArticleUne PME pour découvrir St-Petersbourg
Depuis le début du voyage nous avons visité surtout de grandes multinationales. Puis, à St-Petersbourg, nous avons pu tomber sous le charme du sympathique Piter, un russe qui a démarré sa PME de...
View ArticleThis is the end Komrade !!!
Here we are, in the train back to Moscow. In some hours our group will slip on its way back to Montreal. Maybe it is time to sum up the learning and experiences we all lived during these 2 and half...
View ArticleAuthentic Russian Beverages
During our farewell dinner yesterday night, I had the distinct pleasure of tasting two traditional Russian drinks. The first, Kvas, is a beverage that can be found in varying forms across the slavic...
View ArticleGloom and Glam in Moscow: The hopes and aspirations of a new generation
Much as been wrote, and remains to be written about Russia… First, let me share the early days of my journey: upon one’s arrival at the airport of Moscow, the notorious Russian gloom is evident . The...
View ArticleSo Much Change in So Little Time!
The first contact with Moscow and Russia did not really strike me in terms of lifestyle and general urban landscape. At first glance, I personally got the feeling of entering a large western city,...
View ArticleGoodbye from Amsterdam!
That’s it, the Russian Campus is over… – sad depressing music – After more than two weeks spent with all the team in Moscow and St Petersburg, it sounds like time for wrapping up the experience and...
View ArticleSuperstitious Much?
We’ve all heard of those common superstitions that have become integrated into our daily lives. The typical ‘find a penny, pick it up’, black cats crossing our path, breaking a mirror, knocking on wood...
View ArticleSt-Petersburg; love at first sight
We arrived in St-Petersburg after a very comfortable and smooth ride across Russia’s country side in a high speed train. During the first hours in St-Petersburg (affectionally called « St-Peters » by a...
View ArticleA Masterpiece: The Moscow Metro System
The Moscow Metro is quite extraordinary and quite frankly, a work of art. Every station is like visiting a small museum. The Metro opened in 1935 with one 11-km line with 13 stations. Today, the...
View ArticleThe next engine of Russian economic growth
The Russian economy has long been dependent on oil and gas, but as the Russian leaders realised it was necessary to develop other sectors of their economy, and choose to invest in emerging technologies...
View ArticleBeing in Moscow
Being in Moscow for the past couple of days has so far been an unforgettable life experience. With very little knowledge about Russians’ lifestyle, I have been delighted to observe their every...
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