My Life in Russia

Ever since I decided to come to Russia, I have heard the same question every day: why? The answer is quite simple: ever since I was little, when I was a gymnast and fell in love with the sport, I wanted to learn more about this enormous country, and I had also always wanted to live outside Brazil. These two dreams have come together right now, during my stay in Tomsk, a city in the middle of Siberia that makes you fall in love with it every time you discover a new street or building.

30 hours of travel

Before telling you about my past month here in Tomsk, I need to talk about the journey to get here. It was 30h of travel in total, passing through Lisbon, Frankfurt, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and finally arriving in Tomsk. Believe it or not, this was the ticket with the shortest travel time.

Siberia welcomed me with open arms and an outside temperature of 5ºC. I admit I was not expecting that; I had only brought a sweatshirt because it was still the end of summer. But the cold did not last: that same afternoon the temperature reached 25ºC. I was also welcomed by my buddy, Natalia, who is part of the BBC (Buddy Building Club), a group whose role is to help exchange students from the various universities here settle in. She helped me a lot with getting to know the city and facing my first challenges here.

Life in Tomsk

This is my first time in Eurasia, and I am simply in love. The city of Tomsk combines many features of classical architecture, Soviet influence, and modern elements, making it unique. With 550 thousand inhabitants, the city is known for its several state universities and its wooden houses, which make up a large part of the city.

TSPU ( Tomsk State Pedagogical University (https://www.tspu.edu.ru/en/) ) is quite different from my university in Brazil, mainly because it does not have a campus but rather buildings scattered throughout the city, including libraries, study rooms, and sports buildings. Each one has classrooms and different departments. Given my initial difficulty with the language, I decided to take three practical classes in addition to Russian classes. That way I can gradually get used to the technical terms and try attending more specialized classes next semester. The teachers are very attentive and patient, because they know the language is not easy to learn right off the bat.

In my very first week, I met several other BBC members: Russians, French, Poles, and Austrians. The locals took us to a traditional start-of-term gathering organized by students in a wooded area on the bank of the Tom River, which gives the city its name. Siberia's landscapes are wonderful.

The welcome from the Russians and the other Europeans was fantastic. Everyone was very curious about Brazil, and of course they had questions about football, samba, and Carnival. Contrary to what we are always told, Russians are not cold. Everyone I met was very lively and welcoming, always smiling and more than willing to help you with the language and whatever else you need.

I admit it is not easy to get by with English alone here, especially because classes are in Russian. Within the BBC, all the members speak English, so everything is easy, but that is not the case in academic life. Since the city is full of foreigners, shopkeepers understand a little English, the basic words, but you cannot rely on English alone. I studied Russian for two years, and even so, my first encounter with the language was awful. But with classes and spending time with my Russian friends, I have already improved a lot.

The university dormitory is a typical Soviet building: no luxuries, but practical and with everything you need. I pay 3850 rubles (R$212) per month for the room, plus 300 rubles (R$16) for internet. I live alone in the room, and the bathroom is shared.

Life in Russia, apart from Moscow and Saint Petersburg, is very cheap, mainly because of the economic crisis that has been affecting the country in recent years. With 20 thousand rubles a month (around R$ 1,1 thousand), you can live very comfortably, going out every weekend and buying treats, for example. Many students live on around 10 thousand rubles a month (R$ 550) without major difficulties. To compare prices, a bus ticket costs 18 rubles, around R$1. For 70 rubles (R$3,80), you can buy a box of eight Kinder chocolates. That should give you an idea of how much chocolate I am eating here in Russia.

Speaking of food, Russians eat a lot of soup. The most traditional is Borsch (Борщ), made with beetroot and beef and served with a kind of sour cream (Сметана). It is surprisingly delicious. The proximity to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China makes another dish very popular: Lagman (Лагман). This soup is made with homemade noodles, beef, and vegetables. It is an everyday dish and costs 75 rubles (less than R$5).

A bucket of cold water

On 6 August, at the BBC's invitation, we went to a small village called Talovskiye Chasi, where we were able to take a walk through a real taiga forest. There we made campfires and prepared soup and tea, a common Russian custom. There was also a dip in freezing water, in the 8ºC cold (take a look at the video). The local culture says it improves your health. I did not want to feel any colder than I already did, so I chose to stay dry.

Video from the original post

Watch the original video

On 9 and 10 August, Tomsk Citizen's Day (День Томича) was celebrated, bringing the city to a standstill with musical, sporting, and cultural attractions, as well as a traditional university parade. The city's residents really look forward to this date. Next weekend, I will visit Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia.

Keep up with my incredible experience in Russia:

Facebook (www.facebook.com/henrique.ayres.3)

Instagram (@henripster).