June 4, 2012
When I returned in 2012 to Kazan for holidays, it was certainly because it was in best memories from the EUSPB-Kazan Module. The Kazan-Module was the highlight of the IMARES-spring-semester I have studied in.
Kazan is "the better Russia". It is the Tatar-Muslim culture which makes the capital of this republic extraordinary; Mosques and churches in the same city. The Russian and the more Arabic embossed Tatar-way-of-life makes the daily living in Kazan interesting. The melting-point is following you... less drinking, more open people, better business habits carves a comfortable Westerners approach out.
Kazan lies quite in the South and you will luckily enjoy a sunny may. The Kazan Riviera is waiting for you, visit the Raifa Monastery, or enjoy the nearby Kazanka or Volga on a boat tour. Maybe you even visit the historical site of Sviyazhsk.
Kazan is a must for all who want to improve their Russian. People like to speak to foreigners and are less suspicious than the busy crowd in St.Petersburg. The smaller city contains less geographic pitfalls and public transport can easily be overviewed in a short time. - Visit the university in the footstep of the young "great leader of the peoples of all nations".