New adventure in Russia? Welcome on board!
How to adapt to the culture smoothly and enjoy the process. If studying abroad, beginning a new life project in a different country or starting over has always been on your mind, listen up! because if you are already planning to move to a different location, this topic might be useful for you. When you start daydreaming about how things are on the other side of the world, or if you wonder if the grass is greener on the other side, everything seems to be fantastic in your mind, and quickly expectations begin to rise. You imagine yourself walking freely in a new city and having fun with new friends. Things are not always as easy as we imagine them to be, so today I want to share a couple of tips to speed up the process of adaptation and make it less scary.
Before jumping into it, I will introduce myself. My name is Elena, I am currently living in Saint Petersburg, the northern capital of Russia and the most populated northern city there is. I am Half Russian from my Mother's side and Costarican from my father's side. I was born and raised in Costa Rica, located in Latin America. I always wondered how it would be to live in my mom's country, and I had the idea that Russia was this huge and beautiful place, where the people were extra smart and the city was properly built. As I grew up, this curiosity began to turn into a life goal and surprisingly, many things I had idealized as a child were slightly different once I decided to make the move. So, right now I am a student at ITMO University and I learn Russian amongst other things. Six months in I have come to realize that the adaptation process was and still is an emotional rollercoaster. So here are my tips and tricks for not just surviving in Russia but to actually enjoy it.
2. Be proactive. Find out if Russia is the place for you.
If you are still home and you haven't made up your mind about coming to Russia, or you have and your scholarship has been approved congratulations! This experience will change your life forever and you are about to begin an amazing adventure. I regret to announce to you though, that your vacations are over because it is time to be proactive. It is a typical mistake of foreign students to layback and trust that you will find everything ready and served once you arrive to the university. As I assure you it will be completely the opposite, save yourself the unnecessary stress and prepare in advance. Start learning some Russian if possible months before coming, by yourself or with a teacher if you have the possibility. This, even if you will study the preparation Russian course before your bachelor's or master's degree. As you might have heard, not so many people speak English in Russia, especially if you need to take a taxi, order some food, or buy something at the grocery store. No one will care if you don't understand the language and they could treat you rudely. On the other hand, if you know how to ask for what you need people will treat you with respect and simple things will go smoothly. Read some history and general facts about the city you will be calling home, look at the map and locate your university, see which are the closest bus stops and subway stations, that way you will have at least an abstract idea of how to move around once you get there. In the last two months I have heard some students say, "I am here to study, not to make friends, because I can't stand Russian people or their culture" If you think this could be your case, I suggest you to think twice if this is the place for you, because the university years are supposed to be the best of your life, so, go to a place you actually like or feel curious about.
2. Ask, ask and keep asking.
I remember the day I received that email confirming that my scholarship was approved to study in Russia, I was tremendously excited but at the same time the number of questions I had, begun to add up like an avalanche. Where will I live? How much money will I need to survive? Does the scholarship offer food and transportation too? Where should I go and who should I look for when I arrive…etc. Before freaking out, reach out to the foreign students department at the university through their website. Find out who is the boss and send as many emails as you want. I believe emails are better than calls because they will reply to you calmly when they get the chance to. And to be honest, their English is better written than spoken. Don't be afraid to bother anyone with your questions, make a list and shoot. It is their job to help you. After all, ITMO university sells itself as "the most international university". The asking process applies also regarding everything you might need. In the streets asking for an address, asking other students where to get you Dorm ID, or how to get a better room…asking around will help you make new friends and survive in a place where there are no clear directions and everything is a puzzle. Think of it as a video game where the only way to get to the next phase is asking everything. Politeness and a smile on your face will get you extra points even if you don't get the same back.
3. Open your mind and your eyes.
The first two things that are in your face once you step out of the airport are weather and history. There is no way you will be able to come around and avoid these two elements. These are the two most popular topics people like to address, and if you observe you will see them manifest in the smallest details. As a popular saying goes, "open minds have their mouths closed and small minds always have their mouths open". What I mean by this is, keep your eyes wide open, read everything around you (that will be in Russian), walk with your head up and observe how people around you behave, that will give you a lot of information about how this society works. Learn the fact that now you are in a different culture, and things are not "weird" as I hear students say every day, we are the "weird" ones, and we should never try to compare or somehow force our customs or beliefs into this new environment. You will always be you, with your habits and personality. Sure! Those might change a little as you adapt and grow, but don’t worry about losing yourself. If anything, you will only get culturally richer and smarter. If you ask yourself why people look so serious, think about the historical background behind those tired eyes. They are used to surviving, and had to go through a lot of difficult things, from extreme weather (every year) to losing a great or grandparent in the war. If you wonder why are there are more women than men in this country, the answer will be found also around those topics, in fact the answer to almost everything can relate to these, either a hard political past, wars, their current situation with America and Europe (sanctions) and the weather, which they love to hate. Russians take pride in their survival skills so, knowing where their behavior comes from will help you understand and it will prevent you from judging or asking in a stupid way "why?" every 5 minutes. Bottom line, inform yourself and observe.
4. Your smartphone is a tool, it doesn't replace your brain.
A while back, I went to have lunch with a new friend, also an ITMO student, we met here in Russia and we had just arrived two weeks before. We decided to try some local food. So, we went, we had a great time, the food was fine but when we left the restaurant my friend noticed that she didn't have her phone with her anymore. She started panicking and crying, shaking desperately. She didn't know a single word of Russian and was relying on her phone 100% to do everything. One thing is to be a tech-savvy person and another very different is to forget how to use your brain. To this friend, I said, breathe, go back and get your phone. It was still on the table where she had left it. I realized that if that phone would have been lost, it would be unbearable for my friend to adapt because she wasn't adapting, she was hiding behind her comfort zone provided by her phone. Sure, losing your phone sucks, you have a bunch of cool photos, contacts, notes and even music, those things are not cheap either. So, back up your content, and be careful, but also be aware of the reality that surrounds you and don't rely so much on that gadget. You would be missing out on a lot of things anyway because in Russia not everything is online. Sometimes you find great places just by walking and again…asking. Have you ever heard the saying "the best party is the one that wasn't planned"? Well, moving to a new country and exploring around is a little like this, don't be afraid to get lost, walk without a plan, you never know which great person you will meet or which awesome park you will discover. After that, you will know more and the limits of your known territory will be wider.
5. Networking and making friends.
If you are the type of person that makes a friend as easy as blinking, you have a fair and square advantage. Some people like me, find it a little more challenging to be social. Naturally, I am an introvert, which means I don't mind being by myself a lot. But making friends and knowing some people is key to become a part of a society. As soon as you settle at the university dorm or wherever you decide to live, make at least one friend. Someone who can help you discover this new world and guide you. Eventually, you will become like partners in crime solving mysteries and having fun. I have a theory that goes like this: "we always come across with angels that life puts in our path, they appear so we can overcome some challenges and in return, we become an angel for someone else in need". When I came I was lucky enough to make friends with a Greek girl, we decided to share the room at the dorm as well as some basic expenses, such as kitchen appliances, soap and cleaning products. We go out sometimes and discuss several topics when we don't know how to respond to certain situations. Social networks are also useful, such as VK and an App called International I discovered recently, where you can meet people doing projects and business in the city. That is in case you are ready to start moving according to your future profession. Be aware that adapting to a culture doesn't mean floating around doing what everybody else is doing. Respect your values and avoid falling in erratic behaviors such as drinking and partying too much. It can be fun, but remember that all your fellow students will also become your colleagues and future competition when the time to search for a job comes. Take care of your professional reputation from the very beginning. You don't want comments in the futures such as "that guy spent the entire university partying and never went to class" not good. Last but not least, avoid staying home too much, go out where the Russians are and try to mix up a little with them, talking only to people from your own nationality won't get you very far.
6. Don't be afraid to look/be different.
Be proud of your differences such as your skin color or your accent, those are things that you will never be able to change and we gotta learn how to love them. Find the beauty of what makes you different as you will for sure standout, no matter what. The key is to stand out for the right reasons like the ones I just mentioned and not for the wrong ones. Dress appropriately, meaning that you don't have to freeze just because you don't like to wear winter clothes. You will not only look dumb but you could also get very sick. Find something that suits you and get used to it. This aspect was a tough one for me, since back home I wore only summer clothes, and when I came to survive my first winter season here, I was feeling like a panda bear with so many layers of clothes. But it's necessary and you end up liking it. Dressing according to the season is also a part of adapting and blending in.
I have seen African ladies in the middle of the street here in Saint Petersburg, wearing their traditional clothes, those are beautiful indeed. But end up attracting too much attention. One thing most Russians (especially the older generation) don't cope well with is, the unknown. Abrupt changes are hard for them. That is why when most Russians migrate to a different country they stay among Russians and rarely learn the local language or adapt. Again the answer of the why of this can be explained with the limited communist days where having contact with the foreign was forbidden.
I hope my thoughts on how to adapt to this vast and deep culture were helpful. I say goodbye for now. Stay positive and enjoy the process!
Photo credits: www.
