Student Spotlight: Ramiro Gabriel Halfon, Argentina

Good to see you, Ramiro. How are you doing?

All good. Really excited for today’s interview.

Let's begin with a brief introduction about yourself. 

My name is Ramiro Gabriel Halfon. I am from Argentina, more specifically from the city of Buenos Aires. I arrived in Russia a year ago and now I am pursuing a Master’s degree in biotechnology at ITMO University. I consider myself a person who follows his interests and tries to do everything he can on his own. In my first year in Russia, I made new friends and participated in a congress focused on sustainable energy, which was very cool. I was also able to join an organization for the integration of Latin America and Russia. 

We'll definitely get back to those experiences – but first, I'd like to ask more about your childhood and youth in Buenos Aires. 

As a child, I was advised not to walk on the streets often, so I ended up using most of my time at home and doing something useful, like enrolling in online courses or solving a crossword puzzle. Now that I have grown up, I still like to do those, but I also spend some time on walks and enjoying nature. I always make an effort to find new activities and meet new people. I have always been interested in how things work and I love to play around with them.

I studied electromechanical engineering in my Bachelor's and then went into biotechnology because I found an interest in playing around with the rules and functions of living things. I always tried to play around with the rules, be it in life or in games. In this case, I also used this in my career; I always tried to find the rules and how they work in detail.

That’s quite interesting. How did you get interested in Russia?

It all happened by chance. I decided to continue studying because I wanted to either join the industry or do cutting-edge research later in my career. I felt that a simple Bachelor's degree wouldn't be enough. I started thinking about places where I could study and advance my career, and Russia emerged as a top choice.

I started researching more about Russia and found a lot of interesting facts about how research works in Russia. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, we got all the vaccines from Russia, thanks to international diplomacy.

Additionally, I wanted to live in a country that is similar to mine in terms of livelihood. Russia was one of them. 

What do you think of Russia now?

I think we Latin Americans have to learn a lot from Russia. For example, BRICS is now one of the most attractive prospects in Latin America. Unfortunately, we didn't join them yet, but I think it must be considered in the near future. Our biggest markets are in Brazil and China and most of our sales are in Russia. Also, I think Russia is very important because it is connected to Africa. In my opinion, Africa and Latin America could have a lot of success if they try to communicate more with each other and indulge in bilateral trade. 

Did you win a scholarship? 

Yeah, I am a recipient of the Russian government scholarship.

Did you study the Russian language in your first year? 

Yes I did. But, unfortunately, due to several problems, my travel date was pushed back and I could reach here only in December. 

The weather must have been very harsh on you!

Yes, indeed. It was very draining both physically and mentally. I was about 3 months behind others. Catching up was very difficult for me. However, in the end, I got a very good professor who helped me and met a lot of foreign friends who helped me feel at home. One of them ended up becoming my  best friend too. 

Tell us more about your program. 

My program is in food technology. Food production and biotechnology have a lot in common. During my Bachelor's, I studied how liver diseases are related to microbiotics. So, I had a lot of knowledge about how these things work. But in this program, I've to focus more on how food is produced.

I would say that I have found some great professors so far. So many experiences that have mostly been very positive. In fact, I was lucky to meet an Iranian teacher, Dr. Amin Mousavi Khaneghah, who speaks Portuguese. In Argentina, we have to study in Portuguese as well as English, so the two of us can converse in Portuguese.

What are your expectations from this program?

I want to have more opportunities to expand on this subject. I feel like I know a lot, but I also need to learn a lot, especially in Russian. I have a lot of experience knowing what my country wants and even what Latin Americans want. But if I want to bring that knowledge home and make it useful, and do what I want to do, to spread to Africa, to India, to other places, I need to go and learn how people who are not like me think.

It is quite amazing that you are so clear in your thoughts. At this point, I would also like to know more about this congress that you attended. 

I joined the YeaBRICS summit this year as a delegate. This event involved a number of activities that we did together. Of the things that happened here, my favorite was that we split ourselves into three different teams that were thinking about different solutions or proposals for the next year. One of the things that we discussed was a specific organization that deals with changes in world around us and how information is disseminated.

It was interesting to see that many young people had so many bright ideas. I worked with participants who were from Brazil and China. I also had a lot of good experiences with my peers from India. This way of communication and networking is very important professionally. It was a really amazing experience for me. 

Your views and ideas are amazing! How are you feeling at ITMO? 

I won't say it's all easy for everyone, especially if you are from Latin America or Africa. When you come here and so far away from home, you do not just make friends, you create a second family here. It is important because you need to find someone you can relax with. I made a lot of friends at the Foundation Program. We helped each other learn the Russian language. Also among Latin Americans, we started to build a connection with each other. We realized that this was something new.

I have a friend who is very smart, who decided to create a channel to help Latin Americans in St. Petersburg. We started to build our community and tried to help each other. I think helping each other is so important. 

Are you accommodated in an ITMO dormitory?

Yes, I live in a dormitory located on Vyazemsky Lane 5-7. I share my room with a guy from Vietnam. He is a very good guy. However, I'm looking for places to rent myself. I want to live alone and focus on my studies and work completely. 

I see. Well, did you travel to other cities in Russia?

I already went to Moscow to attend the YeaBRICS summit. In November, I am looking forward to joining the BRICS Youth Summit in Sochi. 

That's so cool. I wish you luck with that. What are your hobbies? 

I don't get a lot of free time but when I do, I like to play soccer. 

Since you are an Argentinian, is it safe to say that you are a Messi fan?

Yes, for sure. Why wouldn't I? Everyone in Argentina is a Messi fan! I still remember the night Argentina won the world cup. Everyone was out on the streets. It was a celebration. One like never before. It was bigger than the best carnivals around the world!

Wow. That's so wonderful. Finally, do you have any advice for our readers?

Don't limit yourselves to attending classes and writing exams. The world is too big out there. There are challenges to be solved every single day. Get involved and contribute to the world for the better good.