Talking Russian on Skype?

[bhv.livejournal.com]

I'm interested in finding people to talk Russian to on Skype to try to improve my Russian skills. I can now carry on a very simple conversation but there is much that I don't know and I would like to practise.

If you do everything right, calls on Skype http://www.skype.com will often be language lesson quality. Here's what you need to have to make it work well.

1. A good fast internet connection. Don't even bother to try this on dailup.
2. A good computer with a good sound card. Many computers have cheap sound cards that aren't good enough to be fun to talk on.
3. A headset microphone, preferably one with a noise cancelling one with a USB connection.
4. Video cameras are fun but not essential. Sometimes a Skype connection will work well without video and not work at all with video.
5. Of course Skype. http://www.skype.com Skype does support the Russian alphabet so chats plus talking can be fun too.

I am in New Zealand right now so I think I am 8 hours or so ahead of Moscow time, and right now I think we are the same time as places like Vladivostok.

You should be able to e-mail me from my Live journal page and I will e-mail you my Skype User name. If that doesn't work, make a post here and I will figure out a different plan.

bhv

Comments

[tuda-i-obratno.livejournal.com]

Skype name: ivanhoe, Pacific Time Zone. I live in Vancouver, Canada. Native Russian speaker.

[bhv.livejournal.com]

Sorry I couldn't find you using a search on "ivanhoe". Is there a number with it like Ivanhoe123 or something similar?

bhv

[tuda-i-obratno.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I made a mistake... ivangoe!

[bhv.livejournal.com]

Great. You should now be able to see me in your contacts list. Hopefully we can talk soon.

[faustin.livejournal.com]

I have been unable to install Skype since I came to Siberia a year ago. All downloads go through heavily controlled proxy servers, and I suspect telecoms doesn't like the threat Skype poses. (Russian telecoms are the most expensive on the planet, through combinations of government regulations, price-fixing and collusion with federal police.)

I used Skype regularly in the US but have been unable to use it since I came here. Download of the software from the Skype web site always yields a corrupted, inoperable install file, and downloads of the software from the Russian servers (where one can find almost anything) also yield non-working versions.

[faustin.livejournal.com]

But I think they should be able to download it successfully in Moscow --- I'm just not sure.

[bhv.livejournal.com]

Hi Faustin,

Didn't I see you last time in La Jolla? How is Siberia? What do you like the most about it?

I can't help you with this, but someone could probably send you Skype on a CD from here.

bhv

[faustin.livejournal.com]

Brett?! I didn't recognize you at first.

Yes, we met by accident in La Jolla when you were heading into the restaurant for your Russian language group!

What I like most about Siberia: kefir.

[bhv.livejournal.com]

Kefir is great stuff! Fortunately it is catching on in the United States.

Are you pretty fluent in Russian by now?

I know that some times when you visit Russia, you end up around people who want to talk English and that can make it hard to learn Russian.

[sorokinvj.livejournal.com]

kefir=))))))))))) you make me laugh guys. thanx=) by the way you may call me any time you want. Skype - sorokinvj

[bhv.livejournal.com]

Don't laugh. I never had it before I started learning Russian. (smile). I added you to my contacts list. Hopefully we can talk soon.

[vicnaum.livejournal.com]

hi. my scype name is like my lj-name. i live in Belarus and i am native-russian speaker.

[glorfindeil.livejournal.com]

My Skype username is "Glorfindeil".

Vladivostok GMT+11

[andandopornubes.livejournal.com]

Hello, still fancy to have some new acquaintaces from Russia? Feel free to contact: erizito (Skype username), a native speaker from Moscow interested in talking to people in general and foreigners especially. More info available in profile. You're welcome ;)

[bhv.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I added you to my contact list. Hopefully we can talk soon.

cool

[coolguy43]

I hope we can contact each other. I'm learning russian skype at http://preply.com/en/russian-by-skype right now and I need all the help I can get.