Excursion to the Russian Museum
At the end of the academic year, international students from the SPbGASU Preparatory Department took several fascinating excursions around St Petersburg and its suburbs. These rich and informative tours provided a wonderful end to the academic year and allowed the students to recharge with exciting experiences before the summer holidays.
On 5 June, some Chinese students were fortunate enough to attend a meeting and book signing with renowned Chinese writer Mo Yan, winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature. Getting a coveted autograph on their favorite book by a fellow Chinese writer in St Petersburg was something they could never have dreamed of. The landmark event was organized by the St Petersburg bookstore "Podpisnye Izdaniya," which turns 100 this year, with the support of the Alexandrinsky Theater, which had invited the Chinese writer to the premiere of his play "Tired of Being Born and Dying." From an interview with Mo Yan, the students learned that St Petersburg feels familiar to him, as he had read a lot of Dostoevsky. Another of his favorite writers is Mikhail Sholokhov: the novel "And Quiet Flows the Don" left a strong impression on him.
That same day, another group of international students from the Preparatory Department took a tour of the Summer Garden. They listened with great interest to the teacher's account of the garden's history and its landscape features. The students said this oldest park in the city will undoubtedly become their favorite summer spot. On 11 June, the same group of students visited the Russian Museum, where they admired masterpieces by Russian artists.
On 8 June, Chinese students from the Preparatory Department also visited the Russian Museum to view the main exhibition and the temporary exhibition "The Great." For many international students, this tour was their first encounter with Russian fine art.
After successfully passing their Russian language exams, two groups of Chinese students from the Preparatory Department went on a tour of Pushkin. The journey began at Vitebsk Station, where the students learned about the development of railways in Russia. In the park, they compared the Catherine Palace and the Hermitage with the Winter Palace, strolled along the alleys, fed ducks and squirrels, learned about the Russo-Turkish Wars, discussed famous philosophers in the Cameron Gallery, and visited the palace, where they admired the interiors of the royal chambers, the ballroom, and, of course, the Amber Room.
Students from another group were fortunate to attend a theatrical fashion show. This vibrant performance takes place annually in Catherine Park. This year's theme, "Beauty Unites," coincided with the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. Four Russian designers from Moscow, Kazan, Murmansk, and Nizhny Novgorod presented their new collections, emphasizing the cultural diversity of our country. The students were most impressed by the Kazan designer's collection, which evoked traditional Tatar attire. The highlight of the collection was the "chulpa"—tinkling Tatar hair ornaments. The show was accompanied by the lively jingling of these antique ornaments and the playing of ancient national instruments.
The June excursions completed the series of introductions to St Petersburg for the international students in the Preparatory Department, but they weren't the end of it. We hope that next year, as bachelor's and master's students at our university, they will be able to independently explore the masterpieces of our beloved city!
