In my experience, Russian is one of the most impenetrable languages to learn. Very complicated grammar, very idiomatic and Russian speaker don't understand the concept of grading their language for non Russian speakers. will you be able to have a basic command by the time you get to Odessa? yes. will you be able to take part in family conversation around the dinner table? i doubt it. Ask you teacher for some interesting idioms. Also, you'll be expected to give a toast (or 8) - so ask for help forming one - it'll be massively appreciated.

In Odessa, yes! speak Russian. But Russian of Odessa citiziens isn't the academic Russian, not all. And by sound, and by grammer it's different. I like it very very much, although it's difficult even for native Russians. And the second, does your host-family speak Russian or (may be) Ukraine?

You are doing great efforts, well done! I think with this speed you can achieve A1 or even upper within 3,5 months. However there is a huge difference between the "academic level" and the level of what is used in the real life. Don't be upset if you discover that you don't understand anything when you arrive - this is normal even if your language is good! Don't pay much attention to the grammar at the moment, you can say "how me to go museaum" and everybody will understand (however you should be prepared to understand the answer :) ) Unfortunately Russian lanugage is indeed very complicated (I am now teaching Russian to Estonian students who have Russian all around them and they still progress very slowly), but you seem to be studying hard and I am sure you will be able to achieve a good level by the time of the trip.

I've been studying Russian for roughly 12 weeks now on average an hour and a half to two hours a day. I started with iTalki lessons about 2 months ago and have had 15 lessons in that time. I think the progress I have made has been good but Russian is not an easy language to learn. I feel that the progress I've made has mostly come from speaking to native speakers over skype video call. My advice would be to start doing that as soon as possible, every day. New Penguin book does a good job of explaining the grammar but you won't be able to assimilate the rules through grammar exercises and I think that if your goal is to speak the language in 14 weeks you should not focus on grammar much at all as it is a much slower process than speaking. In my experience knowledge of vocabulary allows me to express more and to converse than perfect grammar does. sure, I make many mistakes but my Russian and Ukrainian friends still get what I'm trying to say. Feel free to message me and we can chat some more about it. I think what I've learnt on this journey so far could be of help to you.

Hello, my friend) Odessa is a Ukrainian city, but in the princess the majority of them speak Russian. I will try to help you learn this language if I can, but I have the same problem and I have to learn English for 3.5 months, how do you think we will manage it? We can help each other😊