So today I went with my son to the languages centre at St Petersburg university to sign up for our respective exams (mine being the A2 Basic Level) It was an interesting experience for me. We went up some stairs into a general entrance hall – didn’t see any obvious signs, so my son asked the receptionist and we were directed up another flight of stairs to a room with three people just quietly getting on with stuff… the young woman at the desk nearest the door looked up, didn’t smile or say anything so my son explained we wanted to sign up for exams. She then continued doing what she was doing and then after a while asked for our passports, asked when we wanted to take the exam, printed off some papers for us to sign and told us we had to go and pay at a bank – it couldn’t be done there. Efficient, minimal bureacracy, but no smiles, no encouragement. But that’s fine -different cultures.
So we turn up for 10 am on the Wednesday for the grammar, reading and writing tests and then at a different set time on the Thursday for the speaking and writing tests.
So that’s it! Booked and paid for! No turning back!