Discovering Russia: A Korean Exchange Student’s Inspiring Story
We are excited to share an insightful conversation with Minseok Kang, a Korean exchange student at HSE University in Saint Petersburg. In this interview, Minseok reflects on his unique experiences, cultural discoveries, and personal growth during his time in Russia. His story offers a fresh perspective on studying abroad and adapting to a new environment.
I should say that for me and my Korean colleagues, we had no choice but to choose HSE in Saint Petersburg because it was the only option for Korean students among Russian universities for some reason. But in general, I really like this university, and even if I could go back in time and was given multiple choices, I would choose this university again one hundred percent. I hope I can explain why in the following questions and answers.
I studied Economic Theory, Political Theory, Relations between Russia and the European Union, and a Russian language course for beginners. I'm not really sure if this counts as an aspect of the subjects, but I really liked the system of seminars where we can freely talk about what we studied and what we know. This is the most outstanding feature of this exchange program, as it encouraged active participation and critical thinking in a supportive environment.
The most different thing about life in Korea as a student is that I have to move from one campus to another. To be honest, at first, I thought this was really time-consuming and not convenient, but now I think it was actually nice because I had the chance to see all the views and streets of the city. So I really like the multi-campus system and how all the different campuses have their own unique vibes.
My first major is Foreign Language and Literature, so I've read many articles and literature about Saint Petersburg and Russia. To be honest, after reading all this about Russia, I still had the stereotype that it would be really cold, and people would be quite unfriendly somehow, and some of them might be drunk or seem scary and violent. But after arriving, I must say most of my expectations were completely wrong, and people here are really friendly. Honestly, there are more drunk people in Seoul than in Saint Petersburg. I don't know why, but that's the fact. Most stereotypes about Russia were wrong, and I hope people from different countries can discover the reality themselves.
I had a really hard time adapting to Russian culture, or to be precise, to the Russian mentality, because people here like to express themselves and their feelings in a very direct way. In Korea, we don't express ourselves due to cultural reasons, and at first, I was shocked that people can speak in that way. I thought how honest and straightforward Russian people are when sharing their experiences and emotions. But now, I've adapted to this mentality, and I really like that I can express my feelings whenever I want. I think this is quite good for my mental health. The language was also challenging because Russian is a very unique language with its cultural context. In general, I could not express what I wanted in Russian in a proper way of speaking, but after six months, this is no longer a problem for me. As I adapted to the language issues and cultural differences naturally, to someone planning to study in Russia, I'd say they don't have to worry about them. Just be gentle and kind to Russian people, and they will be kind to you in return.
The Russian traditions or customs that surprised or impressed me the most stood out when drinking. You have to say something long, like a toast, wishing for many things—love, health, money, friendship, basically everything, health of my family, health of my pets, and so on. It was really different from Korean culture, where the toast should be short, witty, and funny, but I like the sincerity. I could really feel the sincerity of Russian people when they're drinking. This is a culture of great warmth and deep personal connection that left a lasting impression on me.
The most unforgettable experience was participating in the seminars. At first, I had no idea what to do or say in the beginning, so I just kept quiet and listened to what my colleagues said. But as I got used to it, I wanted to raise my hand freely and speak about what I know and studied. This really helped me understand the subjects deeply. I hope that in Korea, we will have that kind of culture too.
I have built connections not only with Russians but also with other exchange students from Uzbekistan, Mexico, China, and other countries. I hope I can meet them in some official event when I become a diplomat. Overall, it was really amazing, and these friendships enriched my experience abroad significantly. Sharing stories and cultural perspectives with them broadened my worldview immensely.
The time I spent as an exchange student really helped me in general life because in Korea, I had to adapt to a system where I had no chance to grow freely. I lacked toughness, but in Russia, dealing with problems of papers, documents, and bureaucracy, I felt like I was becoming an adult, which was strange to say, but I became able to deal with anything at this point. It made me confident in living life. Studying these subjects will help my career as a diplomat because I learned a lot of what it takes for that role. Moreover, this is going to be a unique standout point for me that makes me distinguishable from my potential competitors to be a specialist on Russia.
Yes, I had time to travel in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. I've been to many places in Saint Petersburg, and I think this was enough, but not too long to enjoy all its aspects. There are the White Nights and that special vibe, which in six months is adequate to experience the seasonal shift of Saint Petersburg and see all its amazing sights. I also visited other cities like Moscow and Velikiy Novgorod, and I enjoyed most of them. Being here is the most effective way to experience Russia, especially Saint Petersburg, where the seasonal shift is most noticeable. I had plenty of chances to travel within Russia, and I really liked it. The architecture and historical landmarks were particularly captivating.
It has been a while since I have had my dream of becoming a diplomat, so this exchange program did not change my choice of future career, but it helped confirm my career path because I liked what I studied here. I think this is a good experience to make my future career a more detailed plan. I'd say this affected my career in a really positive way.
Study in Russia, yes, one hundred percent. You cannot miss the opportunity to interact with Russians or ordinary people and explore the places. Without knowing the language, it is hard to find out what Russian people think. Speaking only English or not knowing Russian seriously makes your life in Russia a bit more boring. I know Russian is a hard, difficult language, but it is worth it to study Russian, even if only for six months to spend time in Russia. Good luck, my future Korean colleagues.
* all photos belong to Minseok Kang.