‘People Here Want to Help You When You Are in Need’
David Kuku, from Makurdi (Benue State, Nigeria), is currently studying on the Master’s in Cognitive Sciences and Technologies: From Neuron to Cognition at HSE University in Moscow. In this latest instalment of a series on students’ experiences over the last year and their plans for the future, David told the HSE News Service about coming to the university on a scholarship, the busy life of an international student, and why the most interesting thing about Moscow is the people.
How I Ended up at HSE
I got to know about HSE through the university’s website. This was sent to me by Open Doors, the scholarship I won to study here. Before joining, I knew the university was located in Moscow and has the course I was interested in. Those were enough for me to take my decision.
As an international student, I wanted to be in the city where there can be opportunities for me to work and support my stay for the duration of my studies
The admission process was entirely online. Of course, the entrance exams were tough and I am grateful I made it here. All communications were carried out online through email and the application portal. I can say the process of enrolment was very fast and was done early compared to other schools. I did have to wait longer for a visa invitation number, which was handled by the Ministry of Science and Education.
My Programme
So far, we have taken seven courses: Introduction to Cognitive Science , Neuroscience , Theory and Methodology of Modern Psychology, Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in Psychology, Linear Algebra, Calculus.
I found the Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods course particularly interesting because I love the research. Introduction to Cognitive Science has also been great for me
The teachers have been great to be honest. What seems to be the challenge here is time. With bulky course materials, little time to digest them, and a tight lecture schedule, I have to struggle to cope with it. And as an international student, another variable is the need to work to sustain myself.
I communicate with my classmates but I mostly just see students clustered around reading rooms. There is not much time to meet and chat, so the feeling of community is not there as much as a result.
The management of the school and the students create a good environment and the people here want to help you when you are in need. I don’t regret choosing to study here. Our programme manager and other staff are so kind and supportive.
When I first arrived, I did not know my supervisor’s office and was looking for her. Someone in another office took me a long distance to help me locate her
Life in Moscow
I am living in Dormitory 9. To a large extent this dormitory is good, but needs improvement. There is a drinking water supply—so we don’t buy water like some of the others—but our toilet system is not one of the best. I think we need more from this area.
Moscow is a smart city with a good rail network, which seems to be the cheapest means of transportation. But the most interesting thing about the city for me is its people. I have had good experiences with Russians when trying to complete my registration processes.
Though there is a language barrier, I can say 95% of the people I needed assistance from went out of their way to give it to me
People can change their direction in response to your need for direction. In most of the offices in the town I went to for registration, I got assistance from the locals (men and women alike).
I have been telling my family about my experiences with the locals and the society since I came here. I would like to work in Moscow for a while before returning to my country, but the language barrier is there so I don’t know at the moment. I might have to return home after my studies.
What I Do Outside of Class
In my free time, I like watching sport and visiting new areas for sightseeing. If I have more free time in the future, I would like to travel to see other cities outside Moscow, such as St Petersburg, Kazan, etc.
Cyrillic is difficult, but I would like to learn it. I can manage to pronounce Metro stations because they are written in English. For now, I can use words like ‘спасибо’
Academic activities are still busy. We are about to enter the examination period and are currently doing a lot of assignments, so I’m not really thinking about anything else.
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