windinthetrees

Hi there - I'm a lurker, but your post lured me out of the shadows because, while I'm not applying for a Russian ETA, I do have some experience dealing with and helping with nerves like this, and I thought I'd share some things that have helped me in the past. You're free to take or leave any of this, but I thought I'd put it out there in case it will help you (or anyone else): - Mindfulness techniques can be really good for this sort of stuff. (If you're not familiar with the concept, think of it as meditation with the spirituality left out - though if you're spiritual and want to do some straight-up meditating, I encourage that too!) Mindfulness has strong therapeutic benefits and is widely used in a range of therapies (CBT, for example). A basic body scan (http://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-practice/the-body-scan-practice) is a good place to start as a beginner, but there are lots of other techniques as well, and just doing a bit of Internet research for "mindfulness" should turn up lots of great resources. - Secondly, being prepared never hurt anyone in a situation like this! Is there a tutor you can chat with a few times before your interview? A Russian friend or classmate you can grab lunch with? The more in-shape your Russian is, the less daunting this will be, and every little bit helps. - Finally, there's a phrase I was taught some years ago that I've found reassuring in times of stress: "Lean forward." It's the idea of being alert and proactive in difficult moments, because there is a world of difference between lying on your back on a sled and sliding helplessly down a steep, snow-covered slope and sitting upright on a sled on the same slope. You have to go down the slope either way - you might as well do it on your terms and assert the control you do have. Leaning forward is a choice: both in terms of your actions and your attitude. It's the difference between doing something and having something done to you. And I know that maybe sounds simplistic and trite, but I find that when I choose to "lean forward" just in terms of my attitude towards things like interviews, I feel much better.