FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You would need to let us know relatively early on so that your visa and plane ticket will be for the correct dates. Also keep in mind that there may be additional costs from the airline for traveling on a different date. Just let us know when you would like to return and we will do our best to make the necessary arrangements. We also try to apply for double entry visas for those that want to travel outside of Russia after the program but return to Moscow to fly home. This is not guaranteed so please advise us if this is something you are interested in.

The application deadline is April 1st.

You can indicate where you would like to work in Russia and we will try our best to honor your request, however, there are no guarantees.

No. The most important thing is that you love children, and have some experience working with them. You will also need to be flexible, out-going and willing to pitch in and experience a culture, which is completely different from your own.

It is not a requirement of this program that you speak Russian, and we will always place you in a camp with an English speaking Russian counselor, or a fellow international counselor who speaks Russian. However, you will not have a personal translator with you at all times, and so you will need to pitch in and communicate with others using whatever methods you can - sign language, other languages you speak, hand gestures or even face pulling. It's all part of the fun of camp - learning to communicate.

Russian food is absolutely DELICIOUS, but don't necessarily expect it to taste like the food you have at home. Be prepared to try a bit of everything - and don't just look for the closest alternative to your regular diet.

Vegetarians be warned! Vegetarian diets are virtually unknown in Russia. While the camp will do their best to accommodate you, your diet for the summer is likely to be repetitive and involve a lot of potatoes and cucumbers.

Accommodations are not luxurious and could, perhaps, even be called primitive. Adaptability is essential for this program!

Visas are valid until September 1st and cannot be extended beyond this date.

Yes. You need a business visa. CCUSA will arrange this for you - you will be asked to provide a photocopy of your passport at your interview.

The camps are all over! Generally, camps will not be in cities or towns, but in a more rural location.

Either by car, bus, train or airplane. For some locations you may be on a train for up to 36 hours. If you are taking an overnight train, you will be sharing a sleeping compartment with at least one other CCUSA participant.

Some of the kids will speak a few words of English, but the majority of them won't. In some cases we make placements at language camps, where the kids actually go there to improve their English - this would be the exception.

We try to make placements based on your skills; matching you to the best-suited camp. This option is definitely possible but we would not be able to guarantee it.

Russia's communication infrastructure is quite poor with mail and telegram being the most reliable mode of communications in some areas. International calls are best placed from international calling centers (post offices), which are available in most cities. We urge counselors to make this trip a few times during their stay. Camp Directors are most helpful in arranging transportation to suitable telephone facilities. Our offices in the home country and Moscow are ready for any urgent communications.

Volunteers are placed with between one and three other native English speakers; the rest of the camp community is entirely Russian.