Bill: Hi Peggy! How’s it going?

Peggy: Hi Bill! I’m doing great! Guess what, I’m going to Moscow for my study abroad program next year. This is my first trip to Russia!

Bill: That’s fantastic, Peggy! I was there during my gap year. I can give you some advice about what to see and do there if you like.

Peggy: That would be great! I was hoping you’d be able to help me out.

Bill: Well, the nice thing about Moscow is that you won’t need a car. The public transportation system is one of the best in the world and the metro stations are very efficient and also beautiful. Tourists come from all over the world to see them.

Peggy: Oh! That’s good to hear. I was thinking about buying a bicycle to travel around Moscow. But I guess, it’s not necessary.

Bill: It’s true that Moscow is becoming more bicycle-⁠friendly. There are special lanes for bikes and you can even rent them around the city for a small fee, but there’s still a lot of traffic and pedestrians to navigate through and it’s too cold and slippery in the winter for biking.

Peggy: Right! What about food? You know, I’m a vegetarian.

Bill: Well, being a vegetarian is not as common in Russia as it is in America, but it’s becoming more and more popular in Moscow, and you can find specialty stores that sell things like tofu and other products for vegetarians, as well as vegetarian cafes. In addition, there are a lot of great dairy products like kefir and cottage cheese that you will love that you can find in any supermarket.

Peggy: Cool! Another thing I was wondering about is where I can go to watch movies. I’m a really avid film-⁠goer and I don’t like missing new releases. The problem is, my Russian isn’t so good and I heard that in Russia all foreign films are dubbed into Russian.

Bill: That’s true. Sometimes it’s really hard to find films shown in English. There are a few places though that show films in English with Russian subtitles. These are often artsy intellectual places for Russians who know English, and they don’t often sell popcorn there. You won’t be able to find blockbuster films there, either.

Peggy: That’s ok. I prefer watching more artistic films anyway. I also don’t care much for popcorn, so it’s not a big deal. What about places to see? I know about all the major attractions. But I’m sure there must be some less well-⁠known sights that I shouldn’t miss.

Bill: Since you are into movies, you should check out Mosfilm studio. They have excursions there where you can see Russian film sets and props for classic Soviet films. It’s extremely fascinating. There are also a large number of lesser known museums that were actually the homes of famous Russian writers and artists that show how they really lived. I especially loved Tolstoy’s and Dostoyevsky's museums.

Peggy: That sounds wonderful! Thank you, Bill for giving me such great advice! I’m really looking forward to my year abroad!

Bill: I’m sure you’re going to have an unforgettable experience. Please keep in touch and let me know how it goes.

Peggy: Sure! See you later!

Bill: Bye!