FAQ

What kind of weather can one expect to find in St. Petersburg in June-July?

St. Petersburg is a Northwestern-European seaport. Think Scandinavia: Helsinki, Stockholm. Generally, the afternoon temperatures are unlikely to fall below the mid-sixty or rise above the low-seventy degrees. But there is a good deal of variance, too; some days could be quite hot and muggy, some nights--pretty chilly. Bring light clothes, but don't forget a sweater.

Is the water in St. Petersburg really as bad as they say for your stomach?

The tap water contains the bacteria Giardia. Don't drink tap water. But there's no need to bring bottled water with you: it can be found in any grocery store in town, including the one in the main lobby of the Herzen Inn.

What is this business about a visa and how does it work?

A visa is required to travel to Russia. Getting the visa involves two steps, getting the Russian host-issued visa invitation and then applying for the visa itself through the Russian consulate.
We take care of the first part. When you're admitted to the SLS program you'll be asked for information from your passport. With that we'll have the Herzen Inn generate a visa invitation for you through the Russian bureaucracy in Petersburg. You'll find companies on the web who can do the process much quicker than us, but that is because they are private companies and not educational institutions like the Herzen Inn. Usually the visa invitations show up a month to two months before the beginning of the program at which time we send them to you immediately.

Once you have the visa invitation you can apply for the visa using the instructions on the Program Documents section of the website.

Other Visa Questions?

Yes, you must send your actual passport to the Russian Embassy to get your visa.

And my passport? Any special requirements?

Your passport must be valid for at least a period of six months from your date of departure from Russia. If it will expire in that time, please apply for a renewal now:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get_renew.html .

Mosquitos?

If the weather is hot, and there's rain, it can rival Florida. You may want to consider bringing a small tube of mosquito repellent for nighttime use.

I am bringing a fairly expensive laptop; how safe is the hotel where we're staying?

Like in any other hotel in any other city, there are certain precautions participants should take to insure their belongings are safe. The Herzen Inn is a university hotel and is therefore populated much of the year by tourists and other foreign travelers some of whom may well be theives. Each year students bring laptops, video cameras, and many other expensive items.

How safe is the city?

St. Petersburg is a city of five million. It is one of the most populous cities in Russia and harbors all the elements you'd expect in any country's most populous cities. Our location in the downtown area is a fairly bustling one with lots of tourists. It's therefore targeted by pickpockets. By and large, it's safe unless you engage in an unsafe kind of conduct, such as wandering alone idly through the city late at night or getting into a heated political discussion with a visibly inebriated, military fatigues-clad local skinhead.

How much money should I expect to spend? Do I bring cash or traveler's cheques?

While the costs of dining and staying in the center of the city have skyrocketed in recent years, those looking to get by on a budget can easily do so. Unless you are a person of extravagant tastes, $20-25 per day should take you a long way in St. Petersburg. Bring a certain amount of cash. You can change your dollars into rubles at any currency-exchange outlet, which are to be found within every five hundred feet or so from each other on Nevsky Prospekt and elsewhere in the downtown area. ATM machines are numerous and easily accessible; they disburse money in rubles, and with many you don't have to pay the currency-exchange fees--only the standard ATM charges. Traveler's cheques are converted into dollars (or rubles, if that's your preference) at several bank outlets along Nevsky Prospekt. Most banks take 3-4% commission for the transaction. You can also use your credit cards to make purchases or pay for your dinner in many centrally-located stores and upscale restaurants in St. Petersburg, usually the ones frequented by foreigners. Most cafes and restaurants and pubs, however, do not take credit cards.

Still more questions?

Check out the SLS collection of Russian links or contact us.

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