In one of my German language clubs, I once presented a selection of German public broadcast documentaries about Siberia to the participants. In particular, we went through the opening themes and paid attention to how Siberia was described by the announcers. Fasten your seatbelt, folks: Continue reading
A couple of weeks ago we were invited by some friends to their dacha over the weekend. There, we had our first banya experience so here’s a little report of how it went: Continue reading
I had imagined that Krasnoyarsk would be really cold but my mind had conveniently blocked any thoughts about the severe reality – that we would easily hit -40°C or below at some point. And if even your colleagues and people in the shops warn you of going outside on Day X, you know that the snow is going to hit the fan. So here’s what actual Siberians recommended to a naïve foreigner like me: Continue reading
My EVS project has reached the finish line. While I look back on these six months, I think there are not enough words to describe the emotions I felt.
It is not my first experience abroad, but it is certainly the first experience in which I find myself for such a long period away from home, from relatives and friends, from everyday life. The EVS project was the perfect opportunity to break the mold, and an experience where you put yourself on the line and you can (re)discover yourself. Continue reading
It’s now been my second time that I searched and found an apartment on the real estate market of a foreign country, and though the database is of course rather small, I think I can already provide some tentative advice for young people like us about how to proceed best in this matter. (INTERRA always offers you accommodation in the form a host family but I chose to have my own place.)
Hey guys!
INTERRA has a new EVS volunteer in Krasnoyarsk! My name’s Erich, I’m 27 and come from the Western part of Germany. I can guarantee you that it’s not as snowy and cold there as it is in Krasnoyarsk, that means only you have the real beauty of winter.
Last week I went to Nizhnij Novgorod for a training course for the EVS project (training which involved several volunteers, where we discussed various issues relating to the project and the volunteer’s integration in the society of the host Country from many points of view).
Coming back from “hot” Nizhnij Novgorod, I found myself again in Krasnoyarsk with an average temperature of -26°. It’s not the only surprise. On the contrary, should not even be. “Federica, you’re in Siberia. What do you expect?”
It has been more than three months that I live in Krasnoyarsk and, in the past time, I have been twice in St. Petersburg and once in Moscow. Take what follows as a personal observation, due to a variety of trips and daily life spent in the greatest Country in the world.
The first question they asked me when arrived in Krasnoyarsk: have you felt any kind of cultural shock? My answer, in general, is no. Maybe because I already lived in Russia, I know the traditions, and I know exactly what to expect and what NOT to expect. However, which are the more tangible differences?
For a week at the beginning of August, Krasnoyarsk was filled with new faces, new ideas and different languages, as Interra hosted two groups of young people from Germany, Bulgaria and Finland. We organised two different projects – PhotoСинтез, a project for school students about photography, art, history and culture, and an International Summer School for German and Russian students, focused on business, social enterprise and the work of NGOs. Continue reading
It is two months I am in Krasnoyarsk, and I am enjoying the city, people and my work so much!
At the beginning of July, I have been with my host Aygul and her family to dacha. That was a great experience! For those who do not know, dacha is not a simple country house. Russian people go there both to escape the city, both to work. The culture of dachas is a kind of compensation to a city dweller for the cramped living conditions… There, in the embrace of nature, people enjoy fishing, swimming, picking mushrooms and growing their own vegetables. That was great for me, because I experienced a real Russian way to live and spent a weekend in a particular way. Continue reading
