| Let's face it, traveling overseas is a drag. First, if you | | | | writing, and the lack of slang and idiomatic language.) |
| don't have a passport, you need to get one, which | | | | At the very least, linger somewhere - in a café, |
| takes time and money. Then, depending on your | | | | perhaps - and just listen. Russian is one of the great |
| destination, you may well need to get a visa, which | | | | languages of the world, and certainly one of the most |
| takes - you guessed it -- more time and more money. | | | | beautiful. |
| Russia, which is one such visa-requiring country, also | | | | After exploring the numerous offerings of Brighton |
| demands that all visitors register their visa within three | | | | Beach's main drag, head over to the beach itself. Even |
| days of arrival. Add that hassle to the tiresome list of | | | | if you know no Russian, you can still approach locals |
| dealing with jet-lag, struggling with language barriers | | | | and ask them for the best Russian restaurant on the |
| and coping with culture shock, and it's clear: Traveling | | | | boardwalk, or the hippest Russian nightclub. Brighton |
| overseas, especially to Russia, can be a major | | | | Beach offers perhaps the best chance to interact with |
| headache. | | | | Russian people in the convenience of your own |
| But don't despair. Turns out, you can visit Russia | | | | country. |
| without ever leaving the U.S. How is this possible? By | | | | But it's not the only Russian community in America. If |
| visiting one of the various Russian communities across | | | | you live in a western state, consider a trip to |
| the United States. Whether it's a few shops at the | | | | Sacramento. California's capital city is also the Russian |
| intersection of 19th Avenue and Northern in Phoenix, or | | | | capital of America, with more than 100,000 |
| the entirety of the Brighton Beach district in Brooklyn, | | | | Russian-speaking residents. While not as compact as |
| you can get a taste of Russian food, Russian | | | | Brighton Beach, Sacramento is still studded with |
| language and Russian culture right in your own time | | | | Russian bars, clubs, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. |
| zone. | | | | Since businesses come and go, I will refrain from |
| Brighton Beach, often called Little Odessa, is located on | | | | making any particular recommendations for where to |
| the Lower New York Bay in Brooklyn, New York. | | | | go. Instead, visit the website for Sacramento's Russian |
| From Manhattan, take the Q line on the subway | | | | Yellow Pages for a current list of Russian businesses. |
| headed "Downtown / Coney Island." From there it's 26 | | | | Farther to the north you can find plenty of Russian |
| stops until your destination, so make yourself | | | | stores and restaurants in Seattle. Just visit for |
| comfortable. During the hour-long ride, notice how the | | | | up-to-date information. And down in Los Angeles, you |
| passengers become more and more Slavic looking. | | | | can find Russian grocery stores in West Hollywood |
| And that interesting language you hear? That's bound | | | | and Russian Restaurants on Fairfax. These are all |
| to be Russian. Exiting at the Brighton Beach stop, head | | | | excellent places to get a taste of Russian food, and |
| down the steps to Brighton Beach Ave. Faster than | | | | they offer a great opportunity to practice whatever |
| you can say Zdravstvuite!, you find yourself in the | | | | Russian words you know on a native speaker. |
| heart of New York's Russian expat community. Signs | | | | These are just a few of the Russian communities |
| in Cyrillic (the Russian alphabet) surround you. The | | | | across America. There are others in most major cities, |
| smells of borscht and blini and sashlik entice the | | | | including Phoenix, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta and Boston. |
| olfactory, and all you hear is the Russian chatter of | | | | And in the Norfolk and Virginia Beach area of Virginia, |
| merchants and customers and locals on cellphones. | | | | at least during the summer, you're bound to meet lots |
| The money is still American, but the culture is all | | | | of young Russians, visiting here on temporary J-1 |
| Russian. | | | | Work & Travel visas. So hop on a search engine |
| Pop into any of the shops along the strip for a chance | | | | and research your nearest major city for Russian |
| to practice your Russian...you're bound to find a willing | | | | communities, or head to one of the cities mentioned in |
| partner for conversation. If the written word is more | | | | this article and explore for yourself on foot. The |
| your style, visit one of the Russian bookstores. (If | | | | faraway land of Russia awaits you just outside your |
| you're relatively new to the Russian language, children's | | | | door. |
| books can be particularly helpful due to the simplicity of | | | | |