Alina Sazanova (18) and Sergei Markov (18) are students at the second year of the Faculty of Computer Science at the International Slavic University “Gavrilo Romanovich Derzhavin” in Sveti Nikole. They came from Lipetsk, Russian by the exchange student program. They came to Sveti Nikole less than a month ago.

-To be honest we didn’t know anything about Macedonia before we came here. However, we made a decision to come to the International Slavic University, to get to know the country and to see the professors who will guide us into the secrets of computer science due to the fact that we have passed the exams from the first year at an appropriate faculty in Lipetsk. During these twenty days of our stay in Macedonia we found out that Macedonians are the warmest people in the world and that at the International Slavic University there are professors who can share knowledge to the students. At the beginning those two aspects were enough for us to love Macedonia, Sveti Nikole, the International Slavic University and the professors how taught us, said Alina and Sergei.

They are impressed by the equipment in the lecture rooms and the latest information technology used at the Faculty of Computer Science. But in what language do the young Russians attend the classes? Did they learn any Macedonian?

-Professors teach in Macedonian at the International Slavic University, but there are professors who are fluent in Russian. We learn in English when it is necessary, said Alina and Sergei.

Lipetsk is a city of over 1,3 million inhabitants. We asked what the feeling is to come in a town of approximately 20 000 residents.

-That’s not a problem for us. Sveti Nikole is a small town compared to Lipetsk, but the people here are incredibly kind, and there is warmness and humanity within people that we haven’t met anywhere else. All people of Sveti Nikole want to help us, to give us directions, to talk to us…That’s how we started learning Macedonian, which is a soft-sounding language, said Alina and Sergei.

During these twenty days they also visited Skopje and Veles. While they are staying in Macedonia, they want to see the beauties of our country as much as possible.

-We liked the food very much. Deliciousdishes have been cooked everywhere in the country. At the end, we would like to thank the Lipetsk State Pedagogical University for enabling us to come in Macedonia, to live here and tohave a valuable experience with our stay at the International Slavic University, in Sveti Nikole, in the beautiful country of Macedonia, said the youngpeople Alina and Sergei.

Taken from  istokpress.mk.