Story of success of Felix Tournier

The reason why I came to Sochi is linked with my university background in France. I study foreign languages in the University of Savoie, in Chambéry, a little town in the French Alps. The main languages that are taught in my Master's degree are English and Spanish but I've been studying other languages such as Italian and Polish. When I knew that a four-year internship was required to graduate from this degree, I thought that it might be a good opportunity for me to learn a new language. This is how I decided to look for an internship in Russia and to start studying Russian. Unfortunately, there were no Russian classes in my university so I bought a book and I started drawing the letters of the alphabet on my own. I found out that my university had good relations with the Sochi State University for Tourism and Recreation (SUTR), and was receiving exchange students from Sochi. That is how I came to contact SUTR, to ask if I could do my internship with them. I was delighted to receive a positive answer and a few months later, at the beginning of June 2011, I arrived in Sochi to work as an intern in the SUTR international relations' department. I received a nice and warm welcome and even if I could speak only basic Russian, everybody was very patient and helpful to me at SUTR.

On my arrival at Sochi, the weather was already warm and pleasant. I was firstly impressed by the green mountains surrounding the city and the tropical vegetation, with many palm trees and flowers. After a few weeks, I got use to move around in the city and I often went to the beach on my free time. On windy days, I could practice some of my favorite sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing. I also enjoyed walking in the different parks of the city and I could visit Sochi's museums.

During my internship at the SUTR international relations' department, I assisted in different tasks such as contacting French partners, translating documents or writing articles in English for the university website. I also started writing a report about the integration of Russian universities in the Bologna process, a process that aims to create a pan-European higher education area including Russia. I could confront the theory of the changes linked with this process and the situation in SUTR. I also participated in different projects with volunteer students for the organization of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games. SUTR hosts the Centre of Volunteers for the Olympic Games, and it creates a real dynamism in the university.

As a conclusion, I can say that Sochi is a small crossroad of civilizations between the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains. It will reveal many of its mysteries to everybody who takes the challenge to learn its most spoken language, Russian.

Story of success of Barbara Hendler and  Stefanie Kamleitner

To introduce ourselves: We are Barbara Hendler and Stefanie Kamleitner, both 20 years old and we were students at the Higher Secondary School for Tourism and Hospitality in Krems at the Danube, which is located in Lower Austria. We studied Russian language there for 3 years and have been both very interested in the language and in Russia in general, that’s why we decided to go to Russia through a student exchange program in Sochi State University and improve this language. We worked as trainees in the Radisson Blu Resort & Congress Centre in Adler in the Olympic Park from the 23rd October 2013 to the 26th of March 2014.
We are very proud that we could work at such a good place and to meet so many interesting people. During the Olympic Games the International Olympic Committee stayed in our hotel as well as many kings and princesses and princes from all over the world. It was an amazing time for us.
Barbara worked as a barman in the Lobby Bar and Stefanie was a waitress in a grill restaurant, which was called Anatolian Kebab. It was a wonderful time in the Radisson Blu. We gained much experience, trained our Russian language with our colleagues and of course with our Russian guests. At the beginning it was quite difficult to communicate, but it got better and better and in the end we almost had not have any problems with Russian guests.
In addition it was wonderful to live in such a beautiful place like Sochi. We loved the sea and the palm trees everywhere. Sochi is a unique place. We don’t know any other place where you can see the sea and mountains with snow at the same time. It’s very special and we liked it a lot, even in the wintertime. We thought it would be much colder than it was!
Also Krasnaya Polyana is a very beautiful place. We always had a great time when we came to Rosa Khutor and went up to the mountains.
These 6 months were full of great moments. We could be part of the Winter Olympic Games, could watch many different games, we met so many wonderful international and Russian people and we could improve our language skills.
We will never forget this time here in Sochi and we will miss it - especially many of our Russian colleagues, which got really good friends.
A big Thank you to the Sochi State University to enable us this great time!

Story of success of Kieran Quigley

Kieran Quigley is my name, I am a student from DKIT Dundalk Institute of Technology University Ireland. I decided to study abroad for my internship in Sochi, Russia.
Well, where can I start, I always had a dream to go to Russia to study the language and immerse myself in Russian culture.
The 24th of April my dream came true, I arrived in Sochi via Moscow greeted by a beautiful woman called Natasha Zhosan, who works in the international Relations office at Sochi State University.
We went from the direct to the university to meet staff and the registration of my documents; from there I was taken to my Russian family place of stay.
The next day I took the local marshrootka (taxi bus) to the centre of the city, it was a great experience for me. At the international relations office I was greeted by the beautiful staff and met my Russia teacher Elena Marutina-Katretskaya from there myself and my teacher took off to the streets of Sochi conversing myself in the Russian language, I felt a new direction in my life. Russian communications began.
Every day was different meeting and greeting new people and also visiting the local markets, areas and restaurants and of course the beautiful beaches and mountains of Sochi.
The people of Sochi are very friendly and there is also many different nationalities which I  also learned about.
Apart from my Russian language classes, I also took part in the Sochi scientific research conference for the Olympics 2014 as part of my internship abroad.  I was so delighted to take part in my research work which was language training for the Olympics.
I also became involved with the Sochi Olympic Volunteer Centre and it was also great to contribute my positive involvement there and  each weekend there was different events which took place across the city.
During the week days I also took part in Tecktonic classes, this dance technique which originated in France is getting popular in Russia. I was happy to take part in the event organization and promotions and dance classes there. I also contributed some international relation contacts for local travel agency called Travel-hit.ru, the staff there were very friendly.
Since I arrived here in April time went by very quickly, my Russian language has progressed very fast and I have to say I have met some of the best people in Russia who I became very close to and I am sure I will see everyone again.
I also got to travel to some cities such as Rostov-on-Don and Moscow. Travel is education in itself and Russia is one of the best experiences I ever had so far. I hope to return here to Sochi very soon to work and also to continue my studies in the Russian language. I would like to thank Sochi State University and also the international Relations Department for helping me to make my Russian dream come true.
Kieran Quigley, Dundalk Institute of Technology University, Ireland.

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