What do the students think?

Ana: Have you ever been a volunteer?

Vasili: I volunteered in our local University organisation during my first few years as a student. After that I left because I had a busy schedule with classes and I was a very active student, I went to a lot of events, art shows, dances. While working with them, we organised a party for the children from a local hospital and a boarding school.

A: What kind of activities did you do with the kids?

V: It was New Year’s Eve so we brought them gifts and played with them.

A: Was this organisation a local one?

V: Yes! It was the University society.

A: Did you have the opportunity to interact with foreign volunteers, besides us?

V: No, you’re the first foreigners I met.

A: Do you know anything about volunteering in Russia or abroad?

V: I honestly don’t know anything about volunteering abroad. Regarding local volunteering, I know there are associations that offer different services. One that I know is Pobeda, they help veterans - they visit them, help them with shopping, bring them cards at holidays, that sort of thing.

A: What about volunteering abroad? Do you know anything about it?

V: No, I don’t! I’m sure information is out there, available, but I haven’t managed to access it so far, since it’s not well promoted here.

A: What determined you to study foreign languages?

V: I’ve always liked them, even during school, I felt like foreign languages are a field that would suit me. But, of course, the first push was represented by YouTube videos. In fifth grade I started watching ‘But what am I talking about’. The first video I saw was ‘Shembels’, I watched it in English with subtitles and I thought it’d be cool to understand. I always listened to them speak, then I liked their culture and their way of interacting and I thought it’s really nice when you can socialise, not only in your mother tongue, and have a connection with the outside world. Since then I decided to go to English lessons becase Russian is not as known as English, which is the international language in many countries. I started studying French thinking more about the financial part. At our university, this specialty offered scholarships. At first I wanted to study English and German, but I transfered to English-French.

A: Do you regret having to study French instead of German?

V: No, I realised that German is a very common language in Russia and that it’s studied in many schools and French.. Knowing French, I feel special. Not everyone can speak it and I find the language and the culture more interesting.

A: If you had the possibility to go abroad, would you? And where?

V: Yes, I would like to go abroad, somewhere in Europe. One condition is that I would be on my own. I understand that even the program you are here with is free, but we live in a country where you can’t get anything for free.

A: We could offer you more information about Erasmus projects to which you can apply aswell and are free.

V: It’s just this mentality, it’s what we were thaught, that you can’t get anything for free. I am interested in the Erasmus+ program you told me about and I’d like to learn more about it. But because I am very active, I don’t have time to take part in other projects, but when I finish university I’d like to go on one.

A: What was the most important lesson you received while studying foreign languages?

V: Probably my most important lesson is that there are always synonyms, that’s the easiest way of explaining something to someone. Here, many teachers are set on the idea that you have to have a certain vocabulary in a subject, but I think that you shouldn’t be afraid to try to explain something in sentences, with simple words. If someone wants to understand you, they will. You don’t have to show off and try to use complicated sentences, using ‘le subjonctif’ in French. I could say the same thing in ‘présent’ and I would be understood. So, the first thing is that if someone wants to understand you, they will, and the second is that you shouldn’t be afraid, you just have to try to speak your mind. Now I’m speaking Russian with you and I feel comfortable, with English I feel like I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and we only spoke three sentences in French and I understood everything you said, but it’s difficult to find my words because I haven’t practiced. By the way, another lesson is that you should practice with native speakers, as it is very different than what you study in University.

A: If you won a project abroad, would you participate?

V: If it’s not during school, yes, I would, but if it’s during my studies, I wouldn’t risk going. I only have one year left so I would like to finish my degree and afterwards I can think about going on a long term project. If it were a two week project, like you told me about, then yes, I would go during my studies. After I finish my schooling, I would take part in a long term project.

A: If you were to choose a country to live in, would it be Russia or another one?

V: I would go.. I think everyone wants to travel and know new places. The only countries I visisted were Ukraine and Belarus, so you see I haven’t been very far! I would go in a heart beat.

A: You said you were a volunteer, why did you choose to do this?

V: I am generally an active person, I wanted to do everything, to help people. I sing and dance so I tried to get involved in both societies, there was a Polish Club - I went there too, but because I was very busy, I gave up some things and now I’m not volunteering and I gave up on the Polish lessons too.

A: So even with thing going well, you gave up because of the busy schedule at your university?

V: Our university doesn’t offer many opportunities for volunteers, there are some scholarships, but those are only available after three years of work and if you were a very active member. There are some volunteering registers you can sign up in, but it doesn’t matter for your studies, professors don’t take them into account. For example, if yesterday you were at an event, or at that orphanage and you were playing with kids, it won’t make a difference for the professors.

A: You said you have foreign students in your university, is there an organisation that takes care of them?

V: Yes, there are Chineese students attending classes here and there are Italians coming too. The isn’t a specific organisation for them, but the people at international relations work with them, give them information about registering, organise trips.

A:And what language is used?

V: They come to Russia to study in Russian, so they understand the explanations and if not, they can be given explanations in English.