Gantugs Mandakh, Mongolia

Rostov-on-Don is where I managed to become a "person a knowledge".

Have you ever learnt a language that is completely unknown to you? Perhaps your answer will be "yes, surely". But have you ever learnt a foreign language in a totally unknown country where the traditions and mentality are completely different from what you are used to?

I am absolutely sure that it is easy to learn a foreign language in a foreign country, but it is not easy to get used to living there. When I came to Russia, my major goal was to learn Russian and to get a good education. Thats why I worked very hard from dawn till dusk. I woke up before the sunrise to learn Russian words. In the morning, I talked to old ladies in the streets. At night, I read Pushkins and Chekhovs novels and short stories. I attended all the university classes, never missing any of them. However, while I was living in Russia, I realized that succeeding in learning the language was not the only task. I also had to get used to Russian culture, traditions, and mentality. I tried to make friends with people and to stop feeling like a stranger.

Now I can speak Russian fairly well, although my Russian is not absolutely fluent. But, what is more importnant for me, a lot of Russians have told me that I have become almost a native Russian. One more important thing is that Southern Federal University has made me a "person of knowledge".

Juan Inan, China

Hello! Always when somebody asks me where I studied I answer proudly that I graduated from Rostov State University (now Southern Federal University) and that my student life, years of my work in SFedU were the best in my life. The fact that in my biography there will always be these perfect words - SFedU - is a great honor for me.

After my SFedU period I went to Moscow. Since 2007 I worked in RIA News in Chinese editors office. During 18 months of my work I wrote more than 700 news items, articles and interviews. In 2008 I started working in the Management Board and our main task was to develop our interaction with Chinese partners. Now I am going to move to Chinese RIA News.

Say the least of it Rostov has become my native city. And even now when I am working in RIA News my colleagues speak about me as "a chap from Rostov" and every time when I want to go to Rostov they absolutely seriously ask me if I am going to my motherland.

Nazagdorg Bayarsayakhan, Mongolia

It was extremely pleasant to get a letter-invitation from you to participate in the alumni reunion of our University. Unfortunately I don't have an opportunity to come due to the fact that I live in Canada, but Im very glad that today I can virtually participate in life of the University.

As I have already told you I live in Canada, in a lovely town Monreal, not in Mongolia. I dont work here on my specialization yet, because all people here speak French and English and I have to learn them as well. But still I will never speak these languages as well as Russian.

Here in Monreal and in many other places where I occur to be I can hear people speaking Russian. Of course I understand that my Russian is far from being perfect especially comparing myself with people who studied at the faculty of philology and journalism but still Russian has always served hand and foot for me and without your help my Russian wouldnt be as good as now.

Here I have many friends from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and from all remote places of the former Soviet Union as well as from Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, etc. What would we all do without Russian?! Frankly speaking I miss Rostov badly and especially our dormitory, this is where real students life goes on.