Polotsk University takes care of its foreign students and helps them to adapt here. Specially for them during winter holidays the events were organized. These events improved the mood, reduced the stress and helped to overcome the language barrier.
On February 13, students of the Preparatory Department welcomed winter holidays with sportive enthusiasm and in good a mood. Some of the foreign students were skiing first time in life. A teacher of the Department of Physical Training and Sports Anton Novichenko held a master class. After getting on skis, some guys doubted the possibility of going skiing, however, the desire to learn how to ski won out. No one left the race: all together, helping each other, came to the finish line. Over a cup of hot tea, the students shared unforgettable impressions and expressed a desire to go skiing again, claiming that they were not afraid of the cold.
International students on the ski run
On February 14, the relay of active recreation was supported by the evening ‘Traditions of the Chinese New Year’. At the evening, the students introduced friends from the Congo, Sri Lanka, the Union of the Comoros and Belarus to the symbols of the Chinese New Year, told about the traditions. The evening was held in a warm, festive atmosphere, communication with new friends became a gift for each participant of the New Year's holiday.
Evening ‘Traditions of the Chinese New Year’
On February 15, the foreign students visited Novopolotsk Centre of Crafts and Traditional Culture, where they got acquainted with exhibition halls: dowsing, pottery and ceramics, patchwork and soft toys, straw weaving, decorative painting on linen fabric. With the help of master teachers, a master class was held on making a soft toy ‘Avocado’ and a souvenir ‘Igolnitsa’.
Novopolotsk Centre of Crafts and Traditional Culture
At the end of the week, on February 16 and 17, the foreign students visited Polotsk Nature and Ecology Museum. During the excursion they got acquainted with numerous Belarusian habitants of forests, meadows and reservoirs. The museum's exposition features a large number of birds: from the smallest in the Northern Hemisphere, the yellow headed kinglet, to one of the largest – the hissing swan. For the first time, students saw such animals as elk, deer, wild boar, wolf, lynx, ferret, weasel and others.
After visiting the Ekaterina Fedotova’s exhibition organized at the museum, foreign students of the Preparatory Department plunged into the world of watercolor botanical painting. The artist's works, executed with extraordinary skill, amaze with the accuracy of rendering the color and shape of plants. In the book of reviews, the students left their impressions in Chinese, French, English and Arabic.
Polotsk Nature and Ecology Museum
Nasrati Ahamada Mohamed from the Union of Comoros: ‘Everything was great. It was my first time at the Nature and Ecology Museum and it was great! Magnificent, interesting exhibits, so many beautiful birds and animals. Wow! Thank you for the interesting mater class on a soft toy, it will remain as a souvenir.’
Assadillahi Daruesh from the Union of Comoros: ‘It was very interesting and fun for all of us. Moreover, it was the first time we had a master class on skis. We saw a lot of new objects, birds and animals in the museum. We were very impressed by what we saw, thank you all.’
Viktoriya Blazhevich, Head of the Sports Club: ‘Physical education and sports are important for foreign students to overcome the language barrier, adapt to learning and living in a foreign cultural environment. We always try to attract our foreign students to participate in sports, mass sports events that are held at the university, and we are glad to see them as participants.’
Novopolotsk Centre of Crafts and Traditional Culture
Elena Konovalova, teacher-organizer of work with foreign students: ‘An important educational task is the successful adaptation of foreign students to a new educational and cultural environment, holding events aimed not only at adapting to the peculiarities of living in a hostel, but also to life in another country: its culture, traditions, the existing generally accepted system of norms and values.’
Elena Kolesova, teacher of the Preparatory Department: ‘The coordinated interaction of the departments of our university: sports club, educational department, preparatory department, allows newly arrived foreign citizens to more comfortably undergo social adaptation to the new conditions of stay in Belarus. It helps them feel like a part of a friendly student family.’
Polotsk Nature and Ecology Museum
Meeting with like-minded people, participating in interesting events and exploring new places help you feel like a part of the university community and establish long-term friendships. This is especially important for maintaining psychological comfort and self-confidence in a new environment.