The system works pretty well, and after the first two weeks dorm students are free to either cook in their suites or eat out. For those dorm students who decide to cook their own meals, Council has a number of pots, pans and other kitchen utensils that are distributed at the beginning of the semester. Security Issues St. Petersburg is a big city, and as such, is fraught with big-city problems. While foreign students are not usually likely targets for violence and crime, Council s Russian Language Program students are warned at orientation and throughout the course of the program to avoid walking alone late at night and that drinking alcohol always increases any potential risk to their safety. One of our students had her purse taken out of her bag on public transportation and two students were knocked off their feet by an aggressive motorcyclist.
Most students wisely keep their money and documents in a money belt.
Students should never keep valuables in a backpack that they wear on their back. Students are provided with a pocket card with emergency telephone numbers. The Russian police, in stark contrast to U.S. practice, are fond of checking documents, and our students are not immune to this practice. If stopped, students should request proper identification. Regular document checks are nothing to fret about, and there were no reported incidences of even that in this summer.