VK remains the most popular social network in Russia, as well as in a few other post-Soviet countries. Its format is similar to Facebook – users can manage their personal profile and easily search for and add friends, and then follow their status updates, photos and videos.
One of VK’s best features is a wide range of online communities. Think of it as a Facebook group where users or admins create posts based on different topics. There are millions of communities on VK, and I’ve selected a few that I think are useful to foreigners living in Russia.
1. Learning Russian with Russians
Here you can find a local to teach you Russian while you teach him/her English, or any other language that you might know. The group is very active and members post daily requests for language exchange. If you’re looking to find a partner who can teach you Russian, I highly advise joining this group.
2. Moscow: Poster of Free Events
Here you can find a list of free events in Moscow, from soft skills training to vocal classes.
3. Russia Travel
If you’re thinking of traveling around Russia but not sure which region to visit then I advise checking out this group. Think of it as National Geographic for Russia. The admins of the group post pictures and videos, as well as interesting facts about interesting places in Russia.
4. RT in Russian
RT in Russian is the Russian-language version of the popular international news channel. Here you can read Russian and world news to keep yourself up to date with current events.
5. Dance, Fitness and Other Sports Events in Moscow
Want to stay fit, or looking for a sporting event in Moscow? Then it’s worth checking out this group where admins post about different sporting events; some are free while others are not.
As I mentioned earlier, there are many other excellent groups on VK. I truly believe VK is a great place to socialize with Russians because most use the website.
What about you? Have you joined VK yet? If yes, then let me know in the comment section which groups/communities you are following. If not, I strongly advise you to join today.
Isken writes at RULEXPAT, an expat information hub for people who plan to live and work in Russia.