Every summer international students of South Ural State University go to Olimp Sports and Recreation Camp. For them it is not only a way to recharge their battery after the year of studies, but also a chance to practice their Russian.
An interesting entertainment program has been prepared: participation in sports competitions, creativity performances, flash mobs and escape rooms. Many of the students will be coming to Olimp for the third time in a row. This is proof that foreigners like this type of recreation. Head of the Sociocultural Adaptation Centre Dina Valeeva shared on what SUSU’s international students do during the camp sessions.
«Students change a lot after a session at Olimp. They overcome their language barriers and find new friends. Many foreigners know Russian grammar well but have trouble with speaking, as they’re afraid of making a mistake while saying something. Here they have to communicate, whether they like it or not, so eventually they begin to speak much better. They learn many new words, and their speech becomes more fluent. Many student have demonstrated their hidden talents during the session: they were singing or dancing really well».
According to Dina Valeeva, this kind of recreation is also helpful in a way that students learn a lot of new things about Russia and the traditions of the Russian people.
A 4th-year student of the Institute of Linguistics and International Communications Polina Vlasova has been working in the Sociocultural Adaptation Centre for the third year now. It is her fist time at Olimp working as a volunteer.
«For me, this is the first stage of working with our students beyond the university. Our task is to help our international students adapt, communicate with other Russian students, participate in events; to guide them in what and how they should be doing; and simply help them enjoy summer. There’s nothing difficult in it. I will definitely come here once again to work as volunteer and to spend 2 weeks together with our students».
This season, the international students, together with the staff of the Sociocultural Adaptation Centre of the Institute of Linguistics and International Communications have come to the creativity session called Tretyakovka 2.0. This helped the students unlock their potential. A student of the Institute of Linguistics and International Communications Elsharawi Ibrahim Youssef was actively attending dancing and master class practices.
«I like it that it’s possible to swim in a lake at Olimp, I like to do sports here, and especially I like to dance! Russian weather in summer is like our winter weather in Egypt, but despite this, I like it here very much!».
A students of the School of Medical Biology Fidel Benimana came to study at SUSU from Rwanda, and he not once missed a chance to go for recreation to Olimp student camp.
«I like it here, in this camp, very much. That’s why I decided to come here again. I find interesting all the events, which are organized for us, especially the sporting ones. I enjoy playing football, volleyball and basketball. The atmosphere at Olimp is wonderful! I come to keep coming here over and over again».
On August 10th, the current camp session will wrap up for these students, but they are already planning to come for recreation here again.