'I’ve Got the Tools to Make Friends with Russians'
Juan Sota is from Madrid. He finished school in Spain and came to Russia to study at the Pre-University Training Faculty hoping to progress to a degree course at the School of History at HSE.
The HSE Preparatory Year for Bachelor’s programmes includes courses in four subjects according to the chosen profile and helps students prepare for entrance exams at HSE. The programme begins with Russian language training courses and gradually students begin to study in Russian in their specific subject areas.
A week ago Juan found out that he’d been offered a grant to study at the School of History at HSE. Now he’s preparing all the documents he needs for enrollment.
HSE English News asked Juan to talk about his experience of the Preparatory Year programme.
— What is your impression of the programme?
— It’s has been a great experience to study this year in the Higher School of Economics! After finishing my course I feel very grateful firstly to my teachers, that have made my objectives possible this year: to acquire a high enough level of Russian to enter a Russian taught degree and to make an approach to Russian culture. Recently I’ve been admitted by the Higher School of Economics to the School of History in Russian language and I’ve been selected to receive a scholarship for my studies with the quota programme. Thanks to the Preparatory Faculty I've spent a nice first year in Russia, in company of other students on the programme, from many different countries: another richness of this course.
— What was the reason you've decided to choose it?
— I decided to take that programme because a friend of mine recommended the Higher School of Economics to me as a serious university, and after the programme I wanted to enter it. So, I thought that the same university will be the best option to prepare me for my future education with them...
— Did it meet your expectations?
— As I’ve already said, the programme fulfilled my expectations giving me what I consider a complete preparation, when speaking about Russian language. In addition, the teachers were always kind and correct with me and I could always ask them for help no matter what the subject: Russian or just bureaucracy, or even cultural or tourist’s questions.
The teachers were always kind and correct with me and I could always ask them for help no matter what the subject: Russian or just bureaucracy, or even cultural or tourist’s questions.
— What was the most challenging thing in your studies?
— Of course I have met some difficulties on my way to admission into university: to acquire the enough Russian in 8 months was a big challenge. Nevertheless, I really like the Russian language and it made me work harder having a clear objective. It’s obvious that some days you really think you don’t know anything, and that you will never learn the language... How can I pronounce correctly sounds such as 'Ы', 'Щ', 'Ж', 'Ш'?! Or, how can I realise the difference between adding 'Ь' or not adding it?! Now I cannot say that all that has completely passed (I still have to work on it), but on the other hand I can manage by myself in Russian.
— How do you feel in the streets of Moscow after the Russian courses?
— How I feel walking on the streets of Moscow? It’s something that has really changed during this time. At first I really found myself out of context if someone asked me how to go to some place, or what time it is... Now I feel that I’m in some way one more person, walking around on the streets of Moscow and not just a common tourist... Now I feel Moscow more as 'my city', and not only as the city of the Russians, and I can look at them knowing something about how they really are, and not just painting them with stereotypes. And the most important, I’ve got the tools to make friends with them, sharing the same language and, at least a small part of their culture. This fact makes me feel closer to the people I see every day in street around me.
Anna Chernyakhovskaya, specially for HSE News service
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