10. Why not? Pochemu net?! Every little kid in Russia knows it.

9. It is one of the 3 most spoken languages in the world.

8. American companies eager to do business with the new Russian market will be eager to give you a job.

7. You can say "May I come in? (Mozhno voiti?)" when your space ship docks at a Russian space station.

6. The true genius and artistry of Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhev are revealed when their works are read in the original Russian.

5. Russian language skills enhance careers in law, science, engineering, the military, and federal service.

4. You can spend summers in cool, refreshing Siberia on the shores of Lake Baikal, the largest body of fresh water on earth.

3. You will know the difference between voda (water) and vodka when ordering in a Moscow restaurant.

2. You will know what to name your borzoi, samoyed, and Russian blue.

1. Russian Olympic medalists will offer you ice skating lessons at reduced rates.