Interview with a International student Mariona Sero

There is a student mobility programme in HSE - St.Petersburg that allows students from different countries study in Russia. Nowadays, students from Spain Mariona Sero and Berta Valles have courses with russian students of programme History. Mariona Sero gave the interview on how she experience students’ life in Higher School of Economics – Saint-Petersburg.

– Where are you from? Which university are you at and what do you study there?  
– I'm from Spain and I study at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain. At UPF I'm currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Global Studies.

– How long you been in Russia?
– I have been in Russia since January. In particular, I will be here until June (1 semester).

– What can you say about Saint-Petersburg and what places do you like here? 
– I consider is quite a big city compared to what I am used to and it has a very interesting vibe. My favourite area of the city is Nevsky Prospekt and its surroundings like Hermitage, Fontanka Embankment, St. Isaac's Cathedral and so on.

 

– Why did you choose to study in HSE SPb?   
– I chose to study in HSE St. Petersburg because I wanted to improve my Russian. 

 

– What are the main differences between studying in the Russian university and university in your country?  
– The main difference I have found between both universities is the size of the classes. In HSE there are less students per class, so it's easier to have a closer relationship with the professors and to participate more during class time. However, I consider the knowledge provided in the classes in HSE is not as deep as in my university in Spain. 

 

– What can you say about professors of Department of History?   
– I consider professors of the Department of History quite engaged to their subjects and very willing to help international students. Nevertheless, sometimes their knowledge of English is not very high. 

 

– What courses do you study and what are the main skills do you get while you’re studying here?  
– During this semester I have taken several subjects from the Department of History: History of the Arctic and Baltic regions, US History, and History and culture of the Jewish identity in eastern Europe. In addition, I have also taken a subject from the Department of Political Science: Ethnicity and Nationalism, as well as Russian Language for Foreign Students. 

 

– What advices can you give to the students of Programme "History"?  
– I would really recommend History students to go and study a semester abroad. I believe it a great way to be more open-minded and to learn new things from other countries and cultures. Furthermore, it is also great way to meet people from around the world.

Author – first-year student of Programme "History" Alexey Lukinsky