During his studies at RosNOU, Pavel Demidov was a diligent student with an endless thirst for new experience and knowledge. When he was a sophomore, he took part in the student exchange program and for one semester studied Chinese at Zhejiang International Studies University (Hangzhou, China). Inspired and motivated, Pavel returned to RosNOU and with tripled enthusiasm focused on mastering the chosen language. He began helping RosNOU’s international office in communicating with Chinese students, first as a volunteer and then as an intern. In the fourth year of study, Pavel applied for a Chinese scholarship and his application was approved. Today, he is a holder of a master’s degree awarded by a prestigious Chinese university but it is RosNOU he thinks of as his alma mater. Whenever he comes to Russia, he pays a call to his teachers of Chinese and the international office at the university. Our press office had an opportunity to talk to the graduate about his story.
─ I chose the program in Practice and Theory of Translation at RosNOU, with Chinese as the first foreign language and English as the second, and I never regretted my choice. I studied in a small group that felt cozy and family-like, we had excellent teaching staff, and everything, including the atmosphere of the university, contributed to productive learning from the start. In my second year, thanks to the university’s international office and my good knowledge of Chinese, I went abroad for the first time. The stars aligned. Not only did I get great speaking practice and understood what direction I wanted to develop myself in, but I also met my love there.
After getting a bachelor’s degree, Pavel continued his education at Shanghai International Studies University at the master’s program in International Politics. He himself believes that it became possible due to the good basis built at RosNOU and the support of his girlfriend waiting for him in China.
─ Knowledge, skills, and a great desire to change and develop oneself distinguish a true professional that will always be on demand. I enjoy learning — it’s an important thing. Another important thing is interest. I do what is interesting to me. If one does what they enjoy and find interesting, they are successful. The third important thing is persistence. If I need to tackle a difficult problem, I switch on my wild sweeping-everything-on-its-way Russianness — and it all works out. I had no difficulties with adaptation to a new country, with the educational process, with fellow students. It can be a little cold there as China has no central heating. But apart from that everything was very familiar. For instance, I didn’t need anyone to explain to me the peculiarities of the local red tape because it’s almost the same as in Russia.
Pavel has decided not to go further into politics and has chosen to work with entertainment content for one of the major Chinese companies. He likes his job; he’s been in relationship with his girlfriend for seven years already and is thinking of proposing to her. Pavel dreams of a big family and he is sure that his children will inevitably speak Russian.
─ The main thing that I have realized for all the years of living in China is that I am Russian. Nowadays, many people consider themselves citizens of the world. Some have left Russia for good — and have found their happiness. But I feel that I am a part of my country. I had to come to the Celestial Empire to understand those great novels by Russian writers. In China, I reread Dostoevsky’s Great Pentateuch with some special relish. To those who are undergoing their training now I would like to give some advice. Value knowledge, build good relations with teachers — they are great at RosNOU. And above all remember that the information and everything else you’re getting now will help you open any doors in the future. As for which doors you want to open, it’s all up to you.
