Russia survival by Catherine Lee (MSMU)
Mother Russia – The land
know is able to see eye to eye and stand equal to the glorious United States of
America. Also in my opinion well know for biological warfare, toxin etc. It has
extensive research medically and is loaded with a pool of intelligent people
with many among them being Nobel Prize winners and researchers. Medical
breakthroughs and physics are among its strong fields. Amazingly, Russia does
things a different way and yet still managed to succeed in an unfathomable
manner. I’m lucky enough that my parents are able to send me here to FMSMU to
pursue my dreams. There are other 4 universities but the one I’m in is
obviously the one I pride most, being the fact it’s located in Moscow with a
few buildings located right next to Red Square and you can even google the
names of my professors and there is a long list of pages instead of just a
person on a regular facebook page. Awards and acknowledgement have been given
to them and I have the utmost respect for them.
The weather here is
beyond comprehension as the gap between summer and winter is like massive. I’m
sure everyone knows in summer 2010, there was this global issue about quick
fires everywhere in Russia’s forest and that year’s winter in the same year was
the coldest winter of a few decades being at -40 degrees. I’ve been to many
places, and Moscow’s public transport is the best and state of the art.
Millions of people go through the Moscow metro everyday and therefore the same
treatment as to Malaysian students who study here. The weather is no issue for
students’ methods of getting to class and with heuristic guidance by seniors,
all should be fine. During the brutal snowy seasons, students’ don’t need to
spend much time on the streets as metro stations are abundant and it is
surprisingly warm underground. As much as I hate the fact of waking up at 730
heading out for a 830 morning class, I don’t see any reason to play truant of
to be late as the professors are always on time and so will be your course-mates.
Needless to say for those who travel, summer is beautiful and yet so does
winter. Moscow has its own mesmerizing facts and nice places to go. A Saturday
night in a warm cozy pub/café with friends is a good experience. As for girls,
the one thing during winter to look forward to is the wonders of winter sales.
That’s when a stock clearance of change in new line of fashion where the old
one’s are dirt cheap up to 80% discount on various huge brands.
Inflation is an issue
here but luckily it doesn’t hit foreigners who are not working much. Typical
one that students might complain is the prices of certain groceries and
especially the prices of food in the menu of the well-known Macdonald’s. This
cheeky happy fast food chain has taken loads from Malaysian students. You will
understand what I mean when you get here. Many students here especially girls,
not the boys prepare their own lunch boxes and cook their own food. Unlike the
girls, boys are normally the spoil lot who eats out; dine in fancy restaurants
and drink. To those coming to Moscow in the near future, in terms of the
economy and currency rate, all is good for you people compared to few years
back. When I was first here, the ratio it’s like 1:6.8 and now its 1:10. If you
don’t understand the gravity of those figures stated, you should surf internet
and check.
Food here can be both
exciting and dreadful depending on your way of life, tolerance and how much you
are willing to spend. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer apply to
every nation nowadays and thus the range of restaurants here is unbelievable.
The most common that you find in the streets are “Shaurma” a.k.a kebabs,
breads, buns, etc. Typical food you get to find as well in the streets of
Europe. Russian also has its own delicacies like “Borsh”, ”Kvas”, ”Pelmini”,
”Vinegrat” and one in English Vodka. Well, I’m not sure vodka is a delicacy of
not, but fun fact here, vodka was founded/created by the man who discovered the
Periodic Table, Mendelev which is one of the wonder’s of science that Russians
has contributed. Meals can cost as cheap as 150-200rbs per meal up to
4000-5000rbs per meal per person. Students here generally spend I would give a
decent figure of 10k rbs which is equivalent to RM1k a month for a normal, not
starving life. I’d like to quote this friend of mine, let’s just call her A.
When it was her first time in Moscow at the beginning, she survived a month
with RM300. Therefore you might hear people saying it is okay to survive in
Moscow with RM300. Trust me, parents if you are reading this, please use some
common sense. Russia is one of the top living cost places in the world as
compared to London and Tokyo, and you’d think you child will be okay here with
RM300, its either the world is crazy or your child is starving. Well, a decent
monthly spending for a student in Moscow is about RM800-RM1200 where a student
can once in a while go to good restaurants, not high end ones, like TGI
Fridays, Chili’s etc.
Geographically, Russia
is situated between east and west. Well, not directly in the middle but it’s
connected to both. Travelling to both isn’t expensive from here and it is one
of the reasons why Malaysian students get to open their eyes and widen their
perspectives about life during the holidays. I’ve been to many places, and seen
many things knowing many people. For a student, being a student is the best
period for you to explore and do things as adulthood in so many ways is cruel
and restricted. I mean this in the most polite way and the responsibility you
have to hold on to as an adult. I thank my parents sincerely and fervently for
all life experience I get to learn while being a student in Moscow.
Despite classes being conducted in English, the
comprehension of the local's mother tongue is a necessity. Yes, the younger
generation that you may encounter on the street may tell you the time or the
weather, but that's about it. In the land of the Russians, do as the Russians
do and speak as the Russians speak. People here are generous and open minded
when it comes to sharing knowledge and giving corrections when it comes to
language or culture exchange. True that the beginning it might seem like a
Herculean task, but as time goes, it is a cinch. In order to get things done,
Russian language is still no doubt a 1000% must. There is no such thing as
coming and study in English and going home without knowing Russian. I would not
deny that there are students here who are lazy, without backbones and leeching
on friends like annoying parasites to communicate, but what's the point of
doing that if you were to study in overseas? University is a new way of life
and learning a new language for free and experiencing a new culture directly is
the best means for a student to gain more experience and perspective in life.
As for those who are lazy and think that Russian is not a must, you are the
frogs in wells. There is no such thing as full English in Russia. I will bet
you anything that you must learn how to speak Russian here in order for a
full-fletched exciting student life. Teachers are humans as well. Try being in
the shoes of the teachers for once and don't just think you paid for this and
that. You aren't that rich. The teachers are professors, and have a range of
30+ to 70+ years old. Imagine a professor being at the age 60 and suddenly for
his/her 60 years of life, the administration says that it's time to speak
English. Try learning a new language when you are 60 and master it. I'm not
saying you can't but it isn't easy. There are teacher who speaks perfect
American or British and even French accent of English, and on the other hand
there is also those who speak English clumsily. Live and let live. Come on, you
are on the path of being a doctor, and if you are going to complain so much and
being wussing and chickening out about learning a new language, what’s the
point of going overseas? Might as well just get a home-tutor and just sit for
some medical entrance exam. If you want to whine and complain, I suggest you go
back to mommy and get a pacifier and sit there doing nothing until your parents
money run dry feeding their spineless child. It’s time to grow up. People pay
loads to learn a language and now you are getting a free pass. For once in your
life, put on your own thinking cap and think about it.
English, Russian, German, Italian, French etc
I don’t care. The concept and principles of medicine and medical studies have a
same goal no matter the language. During the first 3 years of medical studies,
you can say that everything in terms of education is in English except for
Russian Language classes and other minors which won’t affect your career as
part of doctor’s knowledge. I’ve heard from seniors that the years ahead are
controversial as not all professors can converse well in English and some of
them conduct classes in Russian language as well. I like the fact that here,
oral based is implied instead of written based. I believe in every university
in this contemporary be it the best such as Cambridge or Harvard all the way to
some small university in some small town of West Virginia, there are cheaters
everywhere. The professors here literally don’t care about a students’ written
performance, but rather on punctuality, class performance, practical skills and
even presentation skills. I think that Russia has its own system and it is
wonderful and a huge wonderful influence for a student who is going to be a
doctor and a decent human being with complete sense and social savvy instead of
ending up being like a chicken trying to cross the road. All main subjects are
in the course and there are even after class work that you could request to
stay back for projects and extra time with the professors. However, like I
said, classes in general are conducted in English, if you wish for anything
extra, at your own will, then I suggest you pick up Russian language as much as
you can, and excel more than others.
Parents are normally paranoid of putting
their kids somewhere far away say 11 hours of flight time away far – Moscow.
Now regarding accommodation, you will hear people saying this and that giving
you plenty of bullshits and promises of so and so. Like I said, firstly, to
parents, you are sending your child who is already at the end of their teenage
life setting foot into adulthood. It doesn’t matter what is the name of place
they stay in, yes a name might be assuring so here’s this. There is Pushkin,
Yugo, Prospeckt and a list. Again, Moscow is a city as equivalent to
well-developed countries, not some small village with any food or electricity.
Yes, there are pro and cons of every hostel so when there is a down point in
the hostel in which your son/daughter is staying in, it’s not the end of the
world and please have faith in them, especially rich parent’s, get a life and
believe in you kids. You know what I mean. Next is for the students. You young
people nowadays sure know how to complain and whine. I will bet you the first
time among your batch mates when you arrive the first minute, the first call
you make home is going to be full with bucket loads of complains about this and
that. Well, life is just this, so grow up or stay a baby and sink into the
depths of failing group of people in the society. You are going to be a doctor
one day, and at the starting point, you are telling your parents that there is
no table, no lights and stuff? Go get one. Simple. If you can’t find it, give
me a call and I would gladly bring you to IKEA. Yes mum and dad who are worried
sick about their little babies at home being so far away, Moscow has IKEA! Not
to mention many malls and groceries etc. Whatever your child says to you, it’s
out of fear and definitely being exaggerated. I’M TYPING THIS NOW AND I’M VERY
FINE WITH MOSCOW. Again you might hear this and that, lies, corruptions, false
promises, please people, there is no one pointing a gun at you asking you to
pay anything to anyone, so don’t say you get cheated or scammed or whatsoever,
it’s just you not using your straight common sense to cogitate before doing
anything.
Yes,
some might find my choice of words aggressive or sharp, but I don’t care what
you think. I’m going to be a doctor one day and facts are facts. You can’t face
it, grow up or sink. Students, before making your decision, I strongly suggest you
to do your own research about Russia’s education, lifestyle and so on and not
your parents. I cannot understand why during education fairs and talking to
mentors for advice, the parents are the ones doing the talking. What nonsense
is this? Parents are doing their part very well supporting you financially and
giving moral support. Rest is up to you. Whoever comes to Russia or even enters
university life and then when things go wrong blame their parents for deciding
for them are the worst kids. It is time to grow up and time to step up and make
a decision. For you and yourself only. May you choose the right path of your career
in life.
