Sabrina is currently a student here at Liden & Denz, let’s find out some of her thoughts and experiences so far in Moscow.
Can tell us a little bit about yourself?
Well, my name is Sabrina and I’m from Baden-Baden in Southwestern Germany. I’m 21 and studying Art History and Education.
Why have you decided to learn Russian? Have you found it difficult?
It’s a good question. My family is actually Russian, so I grew up with the language and the culture. To be honest, I wanted to better my grammar and my writing, since I never learned the rules as a child. The language comes to me a lot more naturally than perhaps some others, but of course I still have difficulties!
What did you expect before coming to Moscow and have things lived up to your expectations?
I thought that many people would be caught up in their own world and that I would it would be difficult to find down to earth locals. You could say arrogant? But I was surprised to find many down to earth and open people.
Why did you chose Moscow as your Russian city of choice?
I chose Moscow because I used to spend every summer at my grandmothers house in a small Belorussian town named Shklou (Шклов). The houses were self made out of wood and it was almost as if everybody was involved in farming. So this made me wonder more about big cities, and to be honest I’ve always preferred city living over country living. Moscow is one of the most progressive cities in Russia and it’s a large city, so it felt right for me to come here.
How would you describe Moscow and its people?
I’d say Moscow is full of life, and you can always find something to do. People also tend to value everyday of the week here, whereas in Europe people tend to live for the weekends and keep week days for work. Here it seems as if there’s always something to do in each day of the week.
Have you got any memorable experiences of your time in Russia that you’d like to share?
It feels like something is happening every time I go out in Moscow, so I’m always collecting memories. If I had to pick one occasion then I’d say when I was interviewed on tv during a party event.
How will the Russian language be incorporated into your future? What are your plans?
I’d say that I hope to build up better knowledge of the language to that I can at least visit Russia on a regular basis.