“From a Tropical Paradise to a Winter Wonderland...” These were the first words of Nadhia Azhari, a third-year Indonesian student of the Faculty of History and Political Science at TSU, when we asked her about her experience of moving to Tomsk. It is a common stereotype for foreigners to associate Siberia with winter and cold, and Nadhia is no exception. However, what other connections does she have with Tomsk?
Nadhia Azhari talks about the similarities between Tomsk and the Soviet Union, the unexpected mentality of Siberians, picnics with friends, and her personal video blog in a new segment of our series "Tomsk through the eyes of an international student".
There were several reasons for my decision to move to Russia. I wanted to study at a university abroad, and everything coincided very well. My best friend was already studying at TSU, and she invited me to join her. Without hesitation, I eagerly accepted her invitation and said: “Let's go, let's do it!” After researching Russia and its universities, I realized that TSU was the perfect choice for me as it is one of the top universities in the country. Additionally, the large number of international students studying there gave me confidence in my decision. I knew that we could support each other through any difficulties that may arise, and this proved to be true in the end.
I'm not going to lie, I faced some challenges upon arriving in Tomsk, with the main one being the language barrier. As I had no prior knowledge of Russian, it was quite overwhelming to hear people speaking a different language. At the preparatory courses, everyone speaks slowly, measuredly, pronouncing every single letter but real-life situations were much more challenging. I remember a humorous incident at the store when the cashier asked me: “Do you want to buy plastic?” I was confused, thinking: “Why would I need plastic at a grocery store?” It wasn't until later that I realized he was offering a bag. Fortunately, I was lucky to have friends from Russia, Indonesia, and China who became my support system. We practiced and spoke a lot in Russian, which was very important to me and helped me in the future.
Before arriving in Russia, I had some stereotypes about Russia, such as the extremely cold weather. I must admit that many of these stereotypes have proven to be true. It has been challenging to adapt to the fact that winter is not determined by the calendar, but rather by nature's will. Even though three months have passed, snow still covers the ground. Another common stereotype in Indonesia is that bears roam the streets in Russian cities. While I have yet to encounter any bears, it would certainly be a unique experience. However, I would prefer to observe them from the safety of a car window. The reality is that bears can be quite dangerous. I was also told that people in Russia rarely smile, but it was a surprise to me how rare they smile. In Indonesia, if you smile to a stranger, it is a form of politeness. In Russia, however, this is not common, you will not be understood, you will seem strange. However, it is not a problem, I smile with my friends, and I enjoy it.
I have a video blog, wh ere I like to store memories, moments, and emotions. It has far exceeded my initial expectations. My friends are highly interested in my posts about Russia, Tomsk, and the university. School students often ask me about how to get into TSU, what it takes, and what documents they need to fill out. People just want to know more about life in Russia, so they are interested. I am happy to help and glad that Indonesians are interested in TSU. Perhaps they will become part of the university in the future.
I like walking around Tomsk with friends, recording videos about the city, and having picnics. I like cooking Indonesian dishes and treating my friends to them, and I am particularly good at rendang. It's cool because I'm sharing my culture. Going out with friends is always a special experience. It's a great opportunity for team building, getting to know each other better, and creating lasting memories.
For anyone considering moving to Tomsk from Indonesia, my advice is to be mentally prepared for the cold winters and make sure to pack warm clothes. However, most importantly, be friendly and kind to those around you. Despite the cold weather, this will help you to build warm relationships with people.
The material and photos were made by Igor Kolmakov and Angelika Khomyachenko, from TSU Multimedia Center.