Write the adress on the bottom right-hand corner just as you would with a normal letter back home. Don’t forget to add “USA” as the last line.

In Russia it is normal to write the address “backwards”, that is country first, then city on the next line, street on the next and name on the last line, but you don’t have to do this. In the space for the adressee, simply write “USA” on the first line, then the name, street etc. and USA at the bottom again. Don’t worry about cyrillic letters.

Definitely do write “Air Mail / Luftpost” on the envelopes. Otherwise they will go surface mail and take two or more months to arrive.

Perhaps one last thing that is different than the US — at a lot of post offices you will need to take a number instead of line up at a counter. You could learn the respective words for “Letters” before you go to the post office so you’ll know which button to push, although I am sure someone will help you if you point to your letters and look inquisitive enough.

As to delivery, again, Russia … I was never a big fan of their postal system … but your letters should arrive if you send them from the post office. I wonder what the lines look like these days. Well, it will be an experience. There should not be much of a delivery problem with the other countries, and letters will arrive in anywhere from a week to ten days (more for Russia).

Have fun!