There are about 2,000 foreign students studying at VSU. Who helps them to adapt in a different country? A volunteer organisation, Buddy Club VSU, was founded in 2013. It is a system of curators for international students who come to study in Voronezh. Coming to a different country students face a lot of difficulties practically everywhere they go. These may be problems with formal procedures, as well as simple everyday problems. In such situations it is very important to have somebody who can help you. This is exactly what the volunteers of Buddy Club VSU do.
A different mentality, difficulties while studying, fear of communicating with others, these are the obstacles facing international students. Besides, they all have their own stereotypes about Russia and Russian people. Buddy Club volunteers supervise international students, coordinate their activities, and help them to adapt to the student community and to the city. At the same time, the programmes gives all the participants an opportunity to improve their foreign language skills: international students learn Russian, and volunteers progress in foreign languages. As a result they start to understand each other better.
Not everyone can be such a volunteer, a buddy. Volunteers should take part in all the events organised by the club and know how to help international students solve their problems. But what is more important, volunteers should be helpful, disciplined, and, of course, responsible since they take charge of another person.
The club helps foreign students to adapt by organising educational events and entertainments.
Text: Ekaterina Safronova
Photo: vk.com/buddy_vsu
