Instructional materials for use in the U.S. Foreign Service Institute's Russian language training program are based on the diary of a fictional foreign service officer stationed in Moscow. The materials, written in both English and Russian, are organized as chapters in the diary. A quiz accompanies each chapter and focuses on the influence of culture and genre on language use. The chapters include information from both before and after the beginning of perestroika. Chapter topics focus on the following areas: (1) meetings and greetings; (2) shopping and money; (3) family; (4) the theater; (5) Moscow; (6) restaurants; (7) travel; (8) education; (9) medical care; (10) the Soviet press; (11) attitudes toward the Soviet government; (12) foreign relations; and (13) perestroika. The diary relates conversations between one American and his Soviet friend who emigrates. Early diary entries are entirely in English, but their Russian content increases until they are entirely in Russian. English translations of all Russian passages are included. (DJD)