On 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way, Steven Johnston gets a lot of criticism, but one thing he gets praise for is his fluency in Russian, his fiancée’s native language. Many 90 Day Fiancé stars don’t put in the effort to learn their partner’s language, and it can have a negative impact on their ability to communicate. Though Steven and Alina are a very divisive couple, Steven at least has taken the time to learn Russian, which is more than a lot of cast members can say, and according to him, it took a while.
Alina and Steven’s relationship has been full of ups and downs over the course of the season, and many viewers have hoped the two would break up. Steven has been called hypocritical for the way he plays fast and loose with the rule of his Mormon religion while imposing guidelines on Alina that he hasn’t followed himself. For a time, it seemed like Alina might break up with Steven over his flirting with other girls on social media and his reluctance to delete his accounts. But after much apologizing and an elaborate proposal, Steven and Alina got engaged and are on track for marriage.
On Instagram, a fan asked Steven how long it took him to learn Russian, and he revealed just how much work went into becoming fluent in the language. “It took me about a year to be able to understand,” he said, "And another six months to be able to...explain my thoughts fluently.” Steven added he has been studying Russian for the past seven years and it’s an ongoing process. However, for fans who are dismayed by how long it takes to learn the language, Steven assured them they could be “decently fluent” in three years.
Though he has definitely made some problematic decisions, Steven is sometimes shaded by fans when he shouldn’t be. As much as Steven is slammed by fans for his questionable behavior, viewers have a begrudging respect for him learning Russian when so many other 90 Day Fiancé cast members don’t bother. Many of the franchise’s cast members give up full lives to move to be with their partners, and a lot of them end up relying on faulty translator apps. Steven, at least, is fluent in Russian, which allows him to better communicate with Alina and her family.
Steven’s journey on 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way hasn’t been well-received by many viewers who have sided with Alina. But at least Steven speaks the same language as his fiancée, which is more than most cast members can say. Steven and Alina are likely still together, and it could be due in large part to how well they’re able to communicate. Steven also plans to move to Russia, so the least he could do is learn the language. There’s a lot to criticize about Steven, but his fluency in Russian and desire to communicate well with Alina and her family is surprisingly admirable.
90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on TLC.
Source: Steven Johnston/Instagram