Why Study Russian: A Studentπs Perspective

By Adam ≥Sputnik≤ Grode

Each new day brings the world closer to the inevitable showdown between the United States and China. However, this classic confrontation of the East versus the West is subject to an extreme amount of influences. Theoretically, the Chinese economy and military could surpass the United States in shear numbers alone. Nevertheless, none of these political predictions will ever occur without the control of natural resources, namely that of petroleum oil. Presently, the power of OPEC is being tested by the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other regions surrounding the Caspian Oil Pipeline. Concurrently, the Chinese are making plans of their own, such as the Shanghai 5: a multilateral attempt to prevent the continuation of Western hegemony in Central Asia. Hanging in the balance between these two super powers is one country. Attached to China by physical boundaries and dependent upon the US for economic aid, Mother Russia rests at the crossroads of this developing predicament.

Stretching from Finland to Alaska and spanning across 11 time zones, Russiaπs central location coupled with their amount of natural resources automatically makes them key global players. Since the Soviet collapse, Russia has gradually ameliorated Western relationships, most recently with a 2002 NATO membership bid. Additionally, in regards to the United Nations, Russia holds a permanent seat on the Security Council and Russian is one of the six accepted diplomatic languages. Still at the same time, Russia has not forgotten about their role in Central Asia. I strongly believe that Russia will remain internationally important in the upcoming years but whether or not this will favor the US sadly remains unknown.

After a decade since the end of the Cold War, Americans, pending visa approval, are free to travel and study in Russia. To the same degree, American corporations can now openly conduct business with this newly- capitalistic nation. A vast amount of opportunities now are found where, 20 years ago, were never expected. However, the initial step towards realizing these possibilities rests in first learning the Russian language. Concurrently, there is a myriad of countries besides Russia that speak Russian. They comprise the 15 ex- Soviet countries called NISs (Newly Independent State). Among a handful of the hardest languages in the world including Arabic and Chinese, Russiaπs similar alphabet and grammatical structure provides English- speaking students higher chances for fluency than the other foreign tongues. With extensive course offerings and term abroad opportunities, the Union College Eastern European and Russian Program is certainly a faculty worth exploring.