Land of smiles and cold: Taiwanese student graduates from VVSU and plans to return

We are continuing a series of materials produced in cooperation with the International and Cultural Affairs Department.  Today, more than 500 international students from 19 countries study at VVSU. This number is increasing every year.

Liu Ping-Cheng from Taiwan, studying at the School of Pedagogy and Linguistics. As part of the program «Double Diploma», he successfully completed his studies at a university in Taiwan. Now he has spent two years in Russia, at VVSU.  He is now in his fourth year.

• All foreign students say that Russian is not easy to learn. How is it with you?

It's true. The hardest part is the verbs. My mother tongue doesn't have such a complicated system, but it's not boring. I like learning. My favorite place at VVSU is the library.

• Have you found common ground with your groupmates?

My groupmates are foreigners, like me. I would like to communicate with Russian students as well, but there are no Russians in our group. There are Russian acquaintances, but we don''t see each other very often.

• What else do you do here apart from studying?

I participated in competitions. We have a teacher, Galina Kasyanenko, and she helps a lot. At the festival «I study in Russia», we showed a Russian folk tale called «Repka». I was the narrator. I also read Osip Mandelstam's poem «Tenderer than Tender» at the poet''s monument. I enjoyed this event on Mandelstam's birthday, and I realized that the university holds such readings every year.

• Being away from your parents, it must be hard to get used to a dormitory?

In Taiwan, I also lived in a dormitory and was on my own. So – no special difficulties. Everything is convenient: the city center, shops, pharmacy near the dormitory.

In the dormitory I changed the eating habits. I was very surprised how tea is drunk here. I first added sugar and jam to the tea. We never do this. I was told – I have to add! Unusual. Slowly I begin to get used to Russian traditions.

• Are you used to Vladivostok?

It's very cold here! That's the biggest problem for me. I can hardly get used to it, but I like the city. Although it's not as comfortable as my hometown. I like to come to the Tokarevskiy Lighthouse. It's so beautiful there!

I have also been to Moscow, twice to St. Petersburg and to Sochi. I specially went to Murmansk to see the northern lights. I saw it!

I had been told that Russians were harsh and unsmiling. Turns out they aren't. Both on the street and at university, people smile.

• What next?

I need to go home, serve my time in the army. Then, in Russia, I want to apply for a master's degree. I want to work in the business field.