Rob Lee is a third year English and Modern Languages student at Oxford University, and is embarking on a year abroad in Russia. Here he passes on his advice and tips to help other students based on his experiences.

"This blog is as much for me as it is for you, being a record of every stage of my trip, starting with the planning through to the write-up in a year's time. Expect news updates, photos, perhaps the odd video, anecdotes and general musings on one of the world's most interesting and important countries as it inflicts itself on me and I inflict myself on it."