Four Reasons to Learn Russian and Improve Your Life

Oct 16
16:49

2010

Martin Stellar

Martin Stellar

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Russian is back on the map as a language to reckon with. Find out how learning Russian can radically improve your life.

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Maybe you’ve never given it any thought,Four Reasons to Learn Russian and Improve Your Life Articles but learning Russian could very well be the biggest favor you ever do yourself. Here are four solid reasons to give it some thought.

What used to be a closed and sealed off country is now opening to the West more every day, and for a good reason. Russians are not stupid and they realize very well that if they want to keep up with the rest of the world, they had better take part in global trade and culture.

The result of this is that US and European investors are jumping at every opportunity to leverage the potential of doing business in Russia.

You too can benefit from this new trend if you simply learn Russian.


It’s Fun and Not as Hard as You Think

You may have seen the Russian alphabet before. It’s called Cyrillic Script and it’s actually remarkably similar to our own alphabet. The differences are really easy to learn, and most people learn to read Russian in less than two weeks.

As for pronunciation, that works pretty much the same way as Spanish. Roll your R’s and you’re halfway there.

Choosing the right study method is important though. There are expensive and world-famous packages on the market that don’t actually teach you very much. Others are more effective, and for some people a book and cd’s are the way to go. Either way, choose one that works for you and start learning.


Add More Than Just a Language to Your Portfolio

Have you ever considered the added value you can have to an employer if you speak a foreign language?

Maybe you’re about to graduate; maybe you’re an investor or an entrepreneur. In almost all cases, you will open up a world of opportunities if you speak Russian.

Whether you work for a law firm or a producer of goods, whether you’re a consultant or an English teacher, everyone can land himself a better job if he or she distinguishes himself from the competition.

Speaking Russian is a great way to do just that.

Now, you might be thinking: "I don’t want to live in Russia!” And you don’t have to. Imagine a multinational company with a Russian branch. They sure would be happy to have a US based professional in their team who speaks Russian and can touch base with their foreign offices. And the amount of companies investing in Russia at the moment is simply staggering.

Let’s say a manufacturer decides to offshore their production and they choose Russia. That means they need contracts drawn up. They’ll have to apply for licenses and talk to the tax office. They’ll need to hire staff. They’ll have to go through endless board meetings with their Russian branch.

Pretty much every action in successfully setting up a foreign business, depends on communication skills. So whether you’re a lawyer, consultant, caterer, or you’re in HR, they need you if you first learn Russian.

What if you’re not that kind of expert, but you’d like to live in Russia? Cool. Can you teach English to foreigners? Then you are sure to get a job. Russians are avid learners of the English language, so even if you’re not a highly skilled professional, you can still benefit.


Russian is More Important Than You Might Think

Just consider that Russian is one of only six official languages of the United Nations (UN) and you will understand that it’s no small deal if you can speak it.

Just a short list of the different fields in which Russian will be useful:

  • NGO’s, church organizations, relief agencies
  • Army related
  • Scientific Research
  • Doctors, surgeons, nurses, therapists, consultants
  • Politics
  • Journalism

The list can easily cover a page. I’m pretty sure that your profession could also figure.

Add Some Culture to Your Life

Russian culture is huge. For centuries, the greatest works of literature and music have sprung forth from the land. If you learn Russian, you can access all of that in it’s original beauty.

The wonders of the internet now make all of that available to us. There is just so much to be found. You learn one language, and you’ll be reading for years. Once you get started, you’ll be amazed at how rich and beautiful Russian culture and literature really is.