>>213613803
I studied Russian specifically for that trip. I wouldn't brag about my Russian skills but I took it pretty seriously. It was tremendously useful because

>i don't think a lot of people understand English in deep Russian countryside

You're correct. I met a whole two people in my thirty days in Russia that were able to communicate in English. One was a cute but not overly friendly receptionist at a hotel in Syktyvkar. The other was a journalist of sorts who invited me to vodka (of course) in a hostel in Pereslavl-Zalessky.