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Regular version of the site

Interview with participants of academic mobility: “The most important thing is not to be afraid. The difficulties will be solved and forgotten but the impressions of the trip will remain.”

Several students from EP "Sociology" went on exchange program to Moscow campus. This program allows students to live and study in Moscow. Third year students Leontieva Diana and Lyubenova Arina shared their impressions of the trip. 

What prompted you?

Diana: The guys who traveled last year wrote great reviews. We were taken by that idea immediately.

Arina: I always knew about this opportunity but I never thought that I would take part in it. However, when I found out that my friends wanted to go to Moscow, it became more real and I seriously thought about it.

Impressions of living in Moscow

Arina: Very positive, I would say. We all loved it and had a lot of new impressions. Everything was suddenly changed: new people, new place. Groupmates took us well, it had become a habitual practice for them.

About difficulties

Arina: We were preparing for difficulties with documents and with differences in programs. It would be boring, if everything went like clockwork, there would be no such impressions.

Diana: Yes, and after the first semester, we knew that we were moving to Dubki. We lived in a hotel at first, and later we moved to a dormitory. However, I noticed that troubles or difficulties were interesting to solve. We challenged ourselves, and this brought us together.

About life in a hotel and dormitory

Diana: As soon as we arrived, we were settled in a hotel in Tsaritsino, it was great there and was not crowded. There were spacious rooms with balcony and everything that was needed.

Arina: It became a big surprise that we were placed in a hotel, because we were preparing ourselves for living in Dubki. This is probably also formed a good impression of the trip. We lived in clover! And we run over to Odintsovo in the second module, as Diana said. At first, we joked about Dubki as a legend of university life. Then it turned out to be serious, and we moved there. The advantage of Dubki is that everyone can find a favorable atmosphere for themselves. You can find a quiet place to study or to do some work, while others gather in companies.

About study

Diana: I did not notice the differences: the intensity and complexity of the programs are almost the same. In Moscow, there was more independent tasks, individual written works. We almost did not work in groups at seminars, which was the usual thing in St. Petersburg.

Arina: Yes, everyone in Moscow is responsible just for himself. There are more written works, but here we work more verbally, answering at the seminars. There are courses in programs that have coincided, other subjects were similar in themes. I remember the course "Institutional Economics". Its main idea was why different societies develop differently and how should social institutions work. Professor was the author of the book that we studied. It was very interesting.

Free time, favorite places

Diana: We had enough free time. When it was warm and studying was not so intensive, we explored Moscow, visit all significant places. We have favorite ones, for example, Chistiye Prudy, Novy Arbat, where we used to walk almost every evening, Tverskaya, VDNH and Red Square, of course.

Arina: And, unquestionably, Tsaritsino, where was located our hotel. It was very spectacular there.

About the events at the university

Diana: Once we went to a discussion seminar on the films "Nelubov’" and "Pro lubov’", which was conducted by Radaev (doctor of economic sciences, professor, first pro-rector of the Higher School of Economics - note). We sorted out these films in parts and it was very interesting. Also in the framework of the minor Urbanistics, we were invited to a master-class and a documentary on Paris in the urban laboratory Shukhov Lab.

Arina: There was a huge bunch of lectures and events, so if you have a desire and something fits on the topics, it is easy to find how to spend time.

Diana: The marketing research company "Kantar" came to us once. They suggested to work in their company as intern doing quality researches. We noticed that most of our Moscow groupmates have already finished internship, so they already have work experience, it's great.

Tips for those who want to travel by exchange program

Arina: The first and most important thing is not to be afraid. If we talk about difficulties, whether documents, accommodation, differences in programs, re-passing of courses, and this all will be solved and forgotten and the impressions of the trip will remain exactly.

Diana: If someone discourages you, do not listen to them. While there is such an opportunity, it is necessary to use it. As people say, the attempt is not torture. By the way, Muscovites, come to us for an exchange program because no one has visited us yet!

Arina: The second tip. It is important to talk about with those who have already taken part in mobility program, to find as much information as possible. Every difficulty will be easily overcome if you know about it. Be sure to invite your friends! It is much easier with them, you will get more emotions and impressions. However, it is very important (if you are traveling with someone) to force yourself to leave the comfort zone and communicate with new people, because you may spend all your time in your company and have underutilized all possibilities of this program. This is very cool, we advise everyone to go to Moscow. 
                                                                                                                                                  Anna Vaseva