Maslenitsa: Russian pancakes strengthen international friendship!
Traditional Russian festivities for foreign students of VSUES were organized by students and teachers of the School of Foreign Languages, the Youth Center and Campus workers. Seeing off Winter and meeting Spring is one of the most beloved holidays of foreigners, which allows to have fun and to get acquainted with the cultural heritage of Russia - the traditions and customs of our country.
More than 200 people gathered at the campus celebration site. All the students, students of the preparatory department for foreign citizens and students of Russian language courses came to measure strength, agility, accuracy and even erudition, to sing, dance and of course, to burn the effigy of «Maslenitsa».
Russian students, university lecturers, and rector of VSUES Tatyana Terentyeva, who welcomed all the guests of Maslenitsa festivities, were happy to join the holiday.
- This is absolutely Spring holiday according to the mood that you can see today here! - Tatiana Terentieva shared her impressions. - I wish all our children to eat plenty of pancakes and have fun, as it has always been accepted in Rus (Old Russia) and in modern Russia. By the way, treats for today\\'s holiday were baked by whole dormitory - more than 700 pancakes were made! - Very tasty! Our girls know how to cook perfectly!
«It is extremely interesting for our foreigners to personally participate in the events of the holiday, about which they heard, read, watched vodeos» said Victoria Soleinik, the head of the Preparatory Department for Foreign Citizens. – Of course, everyone wanted to try some pancakes. But it was not at all easy - they had to earn them by participating in fun contests.
- Wonderful holiday! - added Anna Sviridova, teacher of the Russian Language Department at the School of Foreign Languages. - I saw and heard students from China, Korea, Uzbekistan, England, Papua New Guinea playing together, having fun, and most importantly, communicating in Russian.
Galina Kasyanenko, the inspirer and co-organizer of the holiday, an officer of the School of Foreign Languages, summarized:
- The foreign students tried to participate in all competitions, try their hand at throwing felt boots, and in play fighting, and in attaching a nose to a snowman. I noticed the good rivalry of countries. There were a lot of smiles, everything went was quite fun. Atmosphere created by music and sunny weather. Holding such events has two goals: to show the students Russian traditions and to help them become closer to each other. You would see how, after the contests, the guys came to the cafe, got pancakes using their coupons, and enjoyed eating them, smiling and talking. I think that the celebration of «Maslenitsa» was a success!
