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Anna Morozova from Russia has been in Germany since 2001
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You just have to want to
It is said of the Russians that they are spontaneous and unpredictable. And perhaps there’s some truth in this, because it came so suddenly and unexpectedly, very much out of the blue, that I wanted to study, and to study in Germany. As the days went by this idea became very much more a decision, and so it began...
Second thoughts?
Saxony Anhalt, Halle an der Saale, and me right in the middle. You wouldn’t credit it, but everywhere I went there was German (!), of which I understood only about 50%, if at all. And I’d actually been learning this language for seven years. I began to feel a bit uncertain about my decision: was it the right thing to do? was I ready? did I really want to do this? Yes? Yes.... Yes! Of course I wanted to do it! A new country, a new challenge - - yep, I was in!
People say that the Germans are cold, rather reserved and generally keep their distance from foreigners at first. Right from the very beginning my experience was the very opposite. Most of the Germans I met were friendly and more than willing to help. And instead of being reserved, they were open and very hospitable.
A sense of history
I started to study, well, to prepare myself for studying – it called itself a ‚study college’ and it involved two to three semesters on information about German history, literature and social studies. After that, the real university study began.
Let’s start with the history – it’s a well-known fact that for centuries German history and Russian history have gone hand in hand. It started with the German Tsars on the Russian throne, right up to the last century and the war between the two countries. It’s been the case that the twentieth century in particular has often been variously interpreted – and also variously taught. It really depends on which country you’re in. And to be quite honest, this rather surprised me in the courses. All of a sudden it was no longer ‚the evil Germans’ but ‚the evil Russians’.... but history should be history because we are living in the here and now and not the then and there.
Stereotypes or just a lifestyle choice?
Whenever you go to a new country you always go with your own preconceptions and ideas about it. These are often called ‚stereotypes’. These are things we would rather do without, but that isn’t as easy as it sounds, and time and time again we come back to them. More Russian stereotypes about the Germans? They are always punctual and love being organised. Oh yes, and they really enjoying planning for their future. These really aren’t bad characteristics at all! We Russians could indeed learn something from them. But are the differences really as extreme as people make out? I had arranged to meet a friend, a German girl: 3pm in front of the main university building. Turn up on time! So, there I was at dead on 3pm. And where was she? Hmmmm..... at any rate, not there. She did come, but ten minutes late. And this wasn’t the only time this happened to me, and I now believe that I am actually far more punctual than the Germans!
Or what about the other stereotype: planning? It was here in Germany that I had to get used to carrying a diary around with me so that I could jot down dates and times of meetings and such like. I always used to be able to remember such things without needing a diary, but now I don’t go out the house without my diary. Recently when I told my German boyfriend that I was going to visit him the following week, he replied that he’d made a note in his diary. I was quite taken aback – what? made a note of it? I had an appointment with him? That’s just going way too far.
And what about the German stereotypes of the Russians? The commonest thing you hear is ‚The Russians drink too much!’ That may be true every now and again, but it really isn’t nice to have to listen to such generalisations. After all, not everything in Russia revolves around vodka!
On the whole, Germany really is a beautiful country, a country I’ve fallen in love with. What I like most about being here is that there are lots of opportunities even for overseas students to realise their personal goals. I just feel happy here – despite or perhaps because of these little differences. I can only advise anyone who is unsure about whether they want to study in Germany or not that they should just go ahead and do it. You’ll enjoy it! You just have to want to do it!
Anna Morozova
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