Meet Martyna, a passionate language learner from the UK, who came to Riga to study Russian at the Russian Language Academy BORN. In 12 weeks, she immersed herself in the language and culture — and absolutely loved every moment of her learning journey.

Hey, Martyna! Let’s start from the beginning – what inspired you to pack your bags and spend 12 weeks learning Russian at BORN in Riga? 

I came to the Russian Language School BORN as part of my year abroad and when choosing schools, I focused on location and teaching styles. BORN’s teaching structure seemed most appealing to me when looking online and I later found out I was right.

How did you find the teaching methods at BORN? Were they effective for your learning style? 

I thought the teaching methods at born were very effective, I felt progress with every week. I loved how much the school focuses on speaking and conversation and that we did not switch to English during class. What appealed to me most was how the teachers treated the students- we were very much listened to. The course is intense and the teachers tried their best to switch activities or find new learning methods when they saw we grew tired at times.

Could you share a favorite study moment or class experience?

I quite enjoyed all the films/clips we watched in class that we then discussed in Russian. What was interesting to me was how differently people interpreted them. Our ages, genders, and cultures changed our points of view and it was so interesting to see in real time.

After 12 weeks of immersion, what kind of progress have you seen in your Russian? Are you dreaming in Russian yet, or at least arguing with yourself in it?

I am trying to ha ha 🙂 . I’ve definitely moved on from translating English sentences in my head into Russian, which has helped so much with my fluency. I am definitely able to think in Russian a lot more now than a few months ago, but still a lot of work left to do.

Now, a bit of a cultural curveball. How would you compare life in the UK and Latvia? Any particular habits or quirks that stood out to you in daily life?

Specifically coming from London in the UK, Riga felt much more calm and I did not feel the hustle and bustle often associated with bigger cities. Riga is also much quieter no one is yelling and trams are often quieter than the tube. It made the city much more relaxing than home, however I must say I missed the chaos.

What’is your take on Riga as a city? How did it feel living there? Any favorite places, cafés, or unexpected joys (or challenges)?

My favourite part of Riga was probably how accessible eating out was. Not just fast food, but proper healthy meals- there is such a variety in prices. I found one of my favourite Italian restaurants of all time there, actually. It was also lovely to finally experience the culture I have been studying- from Russian food and music to overhearing gossip at beauty salons- it was all very new and fascinating!

Was there anything about life in Riga that reminded you of home – or was it all deliciously different?

Not much, to be completely honest. Everything felt new. I’m not used to the winters being so cold and long or taking trams or trolleybuses around the city. I quite enjoyed unlocking some new modes of transport.

Looking back, how did the overall atmosphere at BORN contribute to your experience? Were the teachers strict, friendly, funny – or a mysterious combination of all three?

Honestly, the school made my experience in Riga. It was quite social and small enough that everyone knew each other. All teachers were very supportive and patient. I felt quite lucky to be taught by several different teachers who were all slightly different, some a little more strict but all with a positive attitude.

If you were to give advice to another student thinking about studying Russian at BORN, what would you tell them?

I would tell them that Russian at BORN has been one of my favourite language study experiences, it was immersive and fun and I felt the progress in real time. Riga is also probably the best city at the moment to go to for Russian.

Finally – the big one – would you recommend BORN to others? And why?

I would definitely recommend BORN to others. I found the structure of the classes so helpful, but also interesting, which I believe can be quite difficult to achieve. You can see that the teachers put effort into every lesson and focus on the students’ needs!