Little Big Life: SUSU’s International Students on Summer Vacations

When summer is near, students begin preparing for their exams and tests with more zeal, so that after that they were free to go travelling to other cities or countries, tan and swim, walk with their friends, and just relax. South Ural State University’s international students shared their grand plans for the summer.

The students’ preferences vary: some are planning on travelling across Europe, some are going home, but some students are happy to remain in Chelyabinsk to spend an unforgettable summer at Olimp Sports and Recreation Camp.

Olimp student sports and recreation camp continues to broaden its horizons. Since last summer, Olimp has begun accepting international students.

In 2017, Olimp became a place to unite people from various countries: Zimbabwe, Syria, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and Iraq. According to the organizers, this format allowed people from other countries to more quickly adapt to new conditions.

“I really liked my time at Olimp last summer. I don’t know how this summer will be, but if I have the chance, I’ll come here again for sure,” says student from Zimbabwe Lakimore Ngomayezve.

Olimp has become a creative space both for international students and for Russian residents. The campers share their experiences and learn about cultures of other countries.

Trips to Olimp are organized by the Center for Sociocultural Adaptation as part of project M. 3.3.2. “Developing the Infrastructure of a Bilingual Environment, Forming Linguistic and Intercultural Competences of Staff”. The leader of the project is Elena Gennadyevna Doronina.

“I am planning on visiting Olimp with the Center for Sociocultural Adaptation and spend some good time with my friends. Then I want to visit Saint Petersburg and Moscow, since this will be my last year of studying in Russia, and I don’t want to miss anything,” says Beijan Omar from Iraq.

The international students’ daily activities will include sports, music groups, and interactive lessons. The specialists from the SUSU Center for Sociocultural Adaptation note that the students learn Russian faster in these lessons. Speaking freely gives them more chances to use all of their knowledge in practice.

“I am going to Olimp with the Center for Sociocultural Adaptation for the first session. I went last year and I really liked it. Beautiful nature, many new friends, and fun events. We swam in the lake often, played volleyball, and danced,” shares Gilbert Armando from Venezuela.

Relaxing at the Olimp camp facilitates forming a positive international environment, strengthening of friendships and partnerships between students and teachers from all nationalities and nations.

This year, Olimp will become a space for fulfillment of one more important project. The Students’ Friendship Alley will be opened namely on the territory of the sports and recreation camp, which will become a symbol of unity, cooperation, and friendship among students, and an important university tradition.

Students’ Friendship Alleys exist in such Russian cities as Rostov-on-Don, Kursk, Novosibirsk, and Orel. Each one of them has its own unique peculiarities, and is a symbol of friendship and unity of all students and university communities. The common thing for all the existing alleys is that they are located outdoors, in places important namely for students and which have their own history, aura, and its traditions. Each friendship alley provides an opportunity for the initiative groups of universities contribute into its development: plant trees or place art installations there. Such alleys serve as recreation spots for students any time of the year or day.

All students will probably agree that it is hard to find a better place for the SUSU’s Students’ Friendship Alley than Olimp Sports and Recreation Camp.

At the initiative of the Extracurricular Activities Department it is planned to created the future SUSU’s Students’ Friendship Alley namely in Olimp Sports and Recreation Camp. In this context, students, teachers and staff are offered to answer the question on what exactly the Students’ Friendship Alley should feature.

The best ideas will be used while creating the SUSU’s Students’ Friendship Alley, and the participants will receive nice souvenirs.

You can e-mail your suggestions to the Head of Olimp Sports and Recreation Camp Veronika Livonchik at livonchikvv[at]susu[dot]ru; or leave messages on the I Love SUSU official VK web-page.

Looking forward to your ideas!

Olga Vazhenina, Ekaterina Kuznetsova; photo by: Oleg Igoshin
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