Shanghai postgraduate student Shawuya Jigeer: “Rain in winter is unexpected!”

The winner of the Open Doors International Olympiad, Shawuya Jigeer, shared her experience of studying at Polytechnic University.

— Shawuya, how did your studies in Russia begin?

— I received my Bachelor’s degree in Shanghai and decided to come to Russia in 2019 to continue my master’s degree. First, I enrolled in the preparatory faculty for international students at Polytechnic University. I chose the international program «Quantitative Finance», because in China I also studied economics and finance, and now in the master’s degree program I could consolidate my knowledge.

— But you didn’t stop there and continued your studies?

— Yes, after graduating from the master’s degree program I decided to participate in the Open Doors International Olympiad. And thanks to this I was able to continue my postgraduate studies at IIMEiT Polytechnic University.

— Why did you choose to pursue postgraduate studies at Polytechnic University?

— The main reason is that I had a pleasant experience of working in the master’s degree program with my supervisor. The academic atmosphere in our institute is really good, and that’s why I decided to stay with my supervisor in graduate school.

— Was it difficult for you to learn Russian?

— To be honest, yes. Yet during my undergraduate studies, I was interested in foreign languages. I even attended Russian language classes in China several times to have at least a basic knowledge. And when I came here, to study in the sub-faculty, we started with the alphabet. It was quite difficult, but we had a very good teacher. She explained everything so clearly, tried to give us a basic understanding of the Russian language, for which I thank her very much. I even have publications in Russian. Although I am still learning the language, I already feel more confident when I communicate.

— Why did you decide to come to Russia?

— It is rather due to geography. I live near the Russian border, so I decided that learning Russian would be a big plus for my future work. And also because Russia is a pretty big country with international influence.

— Shawuya, have you been abroad before? And why did you choose St. Petersburg?

— No, this is my first such experience. In general, I was choosing between Moscow and St. Petersburg. I was advised to choose St. Petersburg because it is a city with a rich cultural and historical heritage. And this is exactly what I wanted. When I arrived and started studying at the sub-faculty, I realized that the master’s degree program suits me perfectly and I don’t want to leave.

— Tell us about your impressions.

— My first impression was quite pleasant. I remember arriving here at night, and I had heavy luggage, and a completely unfamiliar Russian guy helped me with it. I didn’t understand him, but I was very grateful for his help.

— How do you like the weather in Russia?

— I didn’t like it at first. The cold is okay, it’s like the northern regions in China, but the fact that it rains here in winter is quite unexpected. But I like summer, fall and spring.

— How do you spend your free time?

— I like to read. Or I do sports to stretch myself a bit because I sit so much. And, of course, going out with friends. It’s also an opportunity for me to improve my Russian speech, to practice with native speakers.

— Do you already have a plan for the future?

— I still have time to make up my mind. And besides, I have an opportunity to work as a teaching assistant at our university. I teach finance-related subjects in English. It’s a good experience because maybe in the future I can stay at the university as a teacher.