Survival Guide To Moscow, Russia
I am a medical student from Moscow, Russia, and currently in 4th year course at Russian National Research Medical University. The life in Moscow can be colourful or plain depends on how you going to explore it. Although the study timetable is quite packed but I can still manage to have a ride in Moscow during weekends.
Study & Transport
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| Metro Pass |
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| Bus, tram and trolley bus pass |
About my study in Moscow, classes and lectures will be in
university or in different hospitals. But there are no worries when my classes
or lectures are in hospital because the transportation in Moscow is
user-friendly. There have buses, metro, tram, and trolley bus that connected
the whole Moscow places together, what I need to do is just walking in a short
distance after the nearest station.
If I am going to be late in the morning for
my class, I will just take a “mashut” (small van) and just pay 30 rubles
(around RM3.00), this is the faster and easier option to reach the destination
as the “mashut” is more frequent than a bus. The fares for the bus pass and
metro pass for monthly basis was 230 rubles (Around RM23.00) and 350 rubles
(around RM35.00) respectively, and is quite reasonable, and I can reload it in
every station during end of the month.
Examination
The examinations in Moscow will be in the end of each semester (around January and June). Before I can sit for the exam, I need to collect all my “zachut” (credit) from every subjects of learning with all the small tests during class time. And the teacher will sign in my “zachut book”. The grading system at the university, Moscow is divided into two:-
Examination
The examinations in Moscow will be in the end of each semester (around January and June). Before I can sit for the exam, I need to collect all my “zachut” (credit) from every subjects of learning with all the small tests during class time. And the teacher will sign in my “zachut book”. The grading system at the university, Moscow is divided into two:-
a.)
Numeral concrete marks (2 “not satisfactory”, 3 “satisfactory”, 4 “good”, 5
“excellent”). These grades are used in examinations.
b.)
The second type of grade is used for credit tests based on a PASS/FAIL basis.
In practical training only PASS/FAIL status is given.
Most
of the exams here are conducted by orally after the written part and some have
multiple choice questions and essay questions as well, depends on what subject.
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| Cover of "zachut book" |
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| Contents: Left part is exam marks, right part is "zachut" (credit) |
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| Student card that show to the security guard to enter the university |
Hostel
I am living in student hostels which are under control by our university. Most of the Malaysian students are staying in Dorm 35 and Dorm 39 (16 floors flat). The condition of the hostel is not the best but the basic needs and necessaries are provided in hostel. All the water usage and electricity usage are included in our hostel fees. What we need to pay is just the internet access in our room with the cash paying machine at downstairs of our hostel and it cost 250 rubles (around RM25) per month. There is 2 bus stops near to our hostel and 3 station away is a metro station. I have to take 2 stations of bus stop to go university (around 10minutes). Or by walking if the weather is not so cold.
Weather
The weather in Moscow have four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. But the winter last longer compare to other seasons. During winter time, the temperature will be as low as -20 degree Celsius (°C), but my room still remain warm as the heater inside the room is heated. And the snow will be very thick by the side of road. And during summer time, the weather will as hot as Malaysia, but most of the students will go back to Malaysia for their summer holidays.
Culture
The Russian people here usually they only speak in Russian language. And we have language barrier. We must learn Russian language. And the old men and women here is very stubborn, so we must let them to enter the bus or metro first and let them to have a seat before us, and sometimes they will push us when we queue in bus stop. During the travelling of public transports, we have to remain silent as most of the Russian will read newspaper, books, and doing quiz throughout their whole journey, and this make the citizen have high literacy. And you will just follow their culture here.
Safety
The safety in Moscow overall is quite good in day and night time. But we need to prevent some “big day” in Moscow like Hitler day, Skinhead, and some sudden protest day. Just stay in hostel and it will be safe. And a lot of news regarding to the terrorists attack in Moscow and we cannot estimate when will it happen, but the best way to avoid to being a victim is to choose the less crowded pathway for the public transportation and go to less crowded places when travel out during this season.
Living Expenses
About my living expenses, I have receiving 10,000 rubles (around RM1000.00) from my parents every month. And I think is more than enough if you are not go to clubbing, luxurious restaurants, and entertainments. But during some celebration like my friend’s birthday or festival, I will go out to have nice food and celebrate together. Most of the time, I will cook myself in the common kitchen provided in hostel and it save a lot of money compare eating outside food. Here have variety of nice food when you are here to discover, Russian food, Korean food, Japanese food, Chinese food, and Indian food and you can enjoy the cuisine in Moscow in many places with low prices. But I prefer Malaysian food and it was the best in the world.
I am living in student hostels which are under control by our university. Most of the Malaysian students are staying in Dorm 35 and Dorm 39 (16 floors flat). The condition of the hostel is not the best but the basic needs and necessaries are provided in hostel. All the water usage and electricity usage are included in our hostel fees. What we need to pay is just the internet access in our room with the cash paying machine at downstairs of our hostel and it cost 250 rubles (around RM25) per month. There is 2 bus stops near to our hostel and 3 station away is a metro station. I have to take 2 stations of bus stop to go university (around 10minutes). Or by walking if the weather is not so cold.
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| Hostel card that show to the security guard to enter the hostel |
Weather
The weather in Moscow have four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. But the winter last longer compare to other seasons. During winter time, the temperature will be as low as -20 degree Celsius (°C), but my room still remain warm as the heater inside the room is heated. And the snow will be very thick by the side of road. And during summer time, the weather will as hot as Malaysia, but most of the students will go back to Malaysia for their summer holidays.
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| Snow is everywhere during winter |
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| Red Square |
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| Autumn |
The Russian people here usually they only speak in Russian language. And we have language barrier. We must learn Russian language. And the old men and women here is very stubborn, so we must let them to enter the bus or metro first and let them to have a seat before us, and sometimes they will push us when we queue in bus stop. During the travelling of public transports, we have to remain silent as most of the Russian will read newspaper, books, and doing quiz throughout their whole journey, and this make the citizen have high literacy. And you will just follow their culture here.
Safety
The safety in Moscow overall is quite good in day and night time. But we need to prevent some “big day” in Moscow like Hitler day, Skinhead, and some sudden protest day. Just stay in hostel and it will be safe. And a lot of news regarding to the terrorists attack in Moscow and we cannot estimate when will it happen, but the best way to avoid to being a victim is to choose the less crowded pathway for the public transportation and go to less crowded places when travel out during this season.
Living Expenses
About my living expenses, I have receiving 10,000 rubles (around RM1000.00) from my parents every month. And I think is more than enough if you are not go to clubbing, luxurious restaurants, and entertainments. But during some celebration like my friend’s birthday or festival, I will go out to have nice food and celebrate together. Most of the time, I will cook myself in the common kitchen provided in hostel and it save a lot of money compare eating outside food. Here have variety of nice food when you are here to discover, Russian food, Korean food, Japanese food, Chinese food, and Indian food and you can enjoy the cuisine in Moscow in many places with low prices. But I prefer Malaysian food and it was the best in the world.
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| Korean food |
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| Japanese food |
Travel
During my pass three years of my study in Moscow, I have been travelled more than 7 Europe countries during my winter and summer holidays. The reason I have Europe trip not because I am rich, but I just want to explore and see the world around with different culture and people. I will plan my Europe trip in a budget way. The air ticket and train ticket fares to Europe countries from Moscow will as low as 1500 rubles (around RM150.00) for one way ticket. And Russia is near to most of the Europe country so that I can save a lot of money when I travel from Moscow to other Europe country. We should try to discover and explore ourselves more to outside the world during our study year in Moscow and not just study for six years here and go back Malaysia without experience the culture and people around the world.
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| Paris, France |
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| London, UK |
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| Barcelona, Spain |
