Starting an adventure abroad
Ekaterina Sharonova
Russian student blogs about her study in St. PöltenHi everyone! My name is Ekaterina Sharonova and I am an International student from Russia! Though I am 21 years old, it is my first experience in studying abroad. Everything is new for me. Being alone in a foreign country is a real challenge. But I've already taken a few steps in this adventure. If it is interesting for you as much as for me, let's discover Austria together!
Step #1 Leaving
"...I am stuck at the airport alone – can't call anyone, don't know what to do..." - that's what I thought would be with me upon arrival at the airport in Austria when only three days were left before my flight. To be honest, would you be happy under these circumstances? I wouldn't…and I really wasn't. But what could I change at that moment? Of course, nothing. And while I was wrapped in all these deep thoughts, I continued packing my stuff.
Suddenly I got an email "Hi! I'm Iris – your buddy from Austria". At first I didn’t believe my own eyes. Is it real? I've never heard about any "buddy-system". But now I can say for sure that it's the best thing that a university could do for international students! Of course, after that message I calmed down a little bit and in three days I was carrying my bags together with my buddy to the dormitory…
Step #2 Arriving
"Phew, everything is not so bad; there is nothing to be afraid of… I am finally home" - that's all what I could think of while I were unpacking my suitcase in Wihast. And it would be really fine, if I wasn’t that exited and worried. "What if I don’t make any friends here? Is there somebody else?". Sure, there were. A lot of international students were coming everyday. Some of them also looked confused like me; some were more confident and helped others. But anyway we were all together! Then the Orientation Week took place… a lot of new people, events, teambuilding, talking till morning dawn. No time to be bored!
No time to be bored! Copyright: Ekaterina Sharonova
Now thinking about my first day here, I smile :) I was always afraid to leave my family for such a long time and stay alone in a foreign country… Like they say “Do what you fear and fear disappears”... and I took a risk, left my home for studying in Austria! I can bet I will never regret that I’ve made this decision! The right word for describing my life now - Adventure! Being here is the best life experience that I could ever have.
Being international student is not only about studying. It is traveling, making new friends, trying new things... It’s a culture exchange that can change your life and make it absolutely different!
Go international!
P.S.
I would like to say thank you to my buddy Iris (I hope you are reading this :D), who picked me up from the train station, brought some coffee and even cooked Schnitzel for me!
About this legendary dish and my cooking experience in Austria you can read in my next post!
Tschüß!