Mail from Moscow
Roel Jansen (22), HAN-student International Business Studies, studies half a year at the Plekhanov International Business School in Moscow. Until the beginning of 2011 he will inform us about his experiences in the Russian capital.
Russia's economical growth
Minor or study abroad? That was the question I had to answer for myself in February this year. I decided to go for a study abroad, but where was I to go? I didn’t want to go United States anyway. After all, the possible places to study in the United States would have been occupied already. Although I made a final decision quite late, many countries were left to choose, fortunately. I questioned the International Office about available places. I received an e-mail: Sweden, Norway, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania all had a place for one HAN-student. There was also one place left in Russia, Moscow, at the Plekhanov International Business School. I found it very interesting, since I am a economy-student and the Russian economy is very up-coming. Other economy-students should have heard about it: the BRIC-countries, or Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Wodka and cold
But of course this was not the first thing I thought about when I saw Moscow as opportunity. Besides Wodka and the terrible cold which I will face during my stay abroad (from September till January 2011), I also thought about the communism and the authority of the government. You receive a certain (negative) picture of Moscow by seeing James-Bond films or any other western film about Russia. It was about time to see it with my own eyes. I decided to go for it!
Ready to go
While I was doing a traineeship at that moment, I had to fill in and hand in lots and lots of forms. After that, a conversation with a ‘study abroad coordinator’ followed, in which I had to explain my choice for Moscow. It went well, and after a official ‘yes’ from my supervisor I was ready to go. I expect it to be alright. My ‘buddy’ in Moscow contacted me and promised to familiarize me with Moscow and its university. In a city with 16 million inhabitants, it is no unnecessary luxury, I guess. You are starting with school again, but I enjoy my holidays. And then, I go into the cold… I’m ready for it!
