About Us

History of the Society

The Orlando Russian Culture Society was founded in September 2004 by Jef Gray and Elena Malkova. They discovered there was no central place or established organization in Orlando that was simply dedicated to the idea of meeting fellow Russian speakers. Jef took on the role of organizer and began publishing meetings and events through a site called "meetup.com". Within a few months the group began to grow and attract new members. Later the Society became more formalized and established it's own web address as OrlandoRussians.com. Elena became assistant organizer and translated the sites pages and event promotions into Russian. Since then the group has grown to over 250 families and is one of the top 10 Russian meetup groups in the world.

The core purpose of the Society is simply this; offer a place for people to meet fellow Russian speakers, from any FIS country, and help others interested in learning the Russian language. This society of friends and families meets monthly at various locations and events throughout Central Florida.

Meetings

The meetings are very informal with a focus on conversation and an exchange of experiences on immigration, travel to Russia and adapting to life in the United States. The group is usually half American and half Russian. This allows everyone to mingle with each other and practice our language skills. A typical meeting lasts for 2 hours and we often end up talking outside the restaurant as well. Times goes by quickly and plans for the next meeting or event are eagerly awaited for.

The group is very open to new comers as we all have been in that situation recently. You may feel awkward attending a meeting, but that will be forgotten within minutes of your arrival. If you are considering joining the group, you are always welcome to attend a meeting first, then you can decide if this is the right group for you.

The Orlando Russian Culture Society meets each month at various locations throughout Central Florida. The group director can be contacted through this website via email at director@orlandorussians.com

Membership

New members are always invited to join the Orlando Russian Culture Society. Membership is open to anyone interested in meeting local Russians or learning the Russian language. Membership dues are $30.00 per year to cover administrative and communication costs.