"My goal is to enter the master's program at St Petersburg University"

Xie Bolin is studying in an advanced group at the Center of Additional Educational Programs in the field of Russian as a Foreign Language at St Petersburg University. In his interview, Bolin talks about studying in Russia, being a member of the SPbU basketball team, and shares his personal experience of learning the Russian language.

I started learning Russian in school in China. Currently, the relationship between Russia and China is quite warm. I believe that those who speak Russian well have good career prospects and many opportunities.

I studied journalism at St Petersburg University for my bachelor's degree. Although I successfully defended my thesis, I found classes difficult. I often had to use a translator because the teachers used vocabulary that I didn't understand right away. Answering questions was also hard for the same reason. The teachers wanted to help, but there were many students, and I couldn't ask for assistance every time. I plan to continue my studies in the master's program at St Petersburg University, so I decided to improve my Russian through the "Russian as a Foreign Language. General Course".

The hardest for me is the grammar and pronunciation. I still have an accent, and I'm working on that. Russian has very long words, which can be challenging.

Of course, studying in the Program helps me. We focus a lot on grammar and practice spoken Russian, which is exactly what I need.

I'm very interested in studying here. The teachers know how to explain the material clearly and in an engaging way. The communication in classes is less formal than in the main programs, and I like that. We can discuss topics that interest everyone.

I've been playing basketball since I was 12, and I'm very happy to have the opportunity to continue at St Petersburg University. All my teammates are Russian. At first, this was challenging. I didn't know sports vocabulary well and didn't always understand what I was supposed to do on the court. My friends were aware of this and helped me. We used a translator and body language, as I speak almost no English. I looked up basketball-related words online and gradually started remembering them. Now it's much easier for me. I really love basketball and will definitely continue to play in the master's program.

My goal is to enroll in the master's program at St Petersburg University this year. I think that after studying in the Program, I will no longer have difficulties with the Russian language. I'm still undecided on my specialization. I'm considering the Faculty of Journalism and the Faculty of Philology.

I'm attracted to several career paths. My dad is a businessman, and I would like to be like him. It would also be nice to use my knowledge of the Russian language and become a professional translator. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a professional athlete, but now I realize that will remain a hobby.

You should do things you find interesting with Russians and in Russian. Watch movies, listen to music, go for walks, socialize, play sports… The more you listen to spoken Russian, the more words you learn that aren't in textbooks. This makes the language feel more alive and natural.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM ›

• Next