The fifth semester of ATLAS is an exciting opportunity to study in a different part of the world and experience something new. Students have spread far and wide around the globe; immersing themselves in the hustle and bustle of Japan, the exotic island of Madagascar, and the trendy streets of Melbourne.
It’s really a wonderful chance to combine a study of interest with a country or culture that draws you. Olga Nielsen, a third year ATLAS student, is doing just that. I spoke with Olga about her experience so far and her hopes for the semester ahead.
Three weeks in her new flat, she is finding her groove in the modern city of Rostov-on-Don. A city with over 1 million inhabitants, has very little English spoken in it at all. The menus are in Russian, the taxi drivers speak are unlikely to have much more than a friendly hello, and even in the Russian language classes English is not to be found. This doesn’t hinder Olga in the slightest. She’s taking Russian through Spanish instead. She also got herself accustomed with the local history and attractions visiting Anton Chekhov’s house in the neighbouring city of Taganrog (one of the great Russian short fiction writers,) and taking a trip to the Sea of Azov. Rostov-na-Donu as it’s called in Russian, was a host city for the World Cup this year. Olga remarked on the selection of Western foods in the supermarkets and how pleasantly clean the city was, telling me that the local old women kept their streets clean.
Olga’s interest in politics influenced her decision, along with the appeal of the academia in Southern Federal University, to come to Russia to study. As minors for the semester, she is studying Mathematics, Mechanics and Political Science. She is inclined towards the field of sustainable engineering for her future pursuits. She hopes that not only will the interdisciplinarity of her minor choices give her a wide and knowledgeable perspective and approach to tackling the challenges of our times, but also that the immersion into a culture and language quite different to what we know in the West will give her own unique perspectiveand skillset.
Olga said she is excited for what the next semester has to bring her. Jeroen Kamps, a fellow classmate is also doing his semester abroad in Rostov-on-Don. We wish them both well and look forward to catching up in the following months.
University College Twente offers a unique bachelor’s programme, Technology, Liberal, Arts and Sciences, to top students. Visit the University College Twente website for more information about the college and Technology, Liberal, Arts and Sciences website for more information about the bachelor program. Or visit us during the open day, a student-for-a-day or an insight-day.
