Snowy New Year for Sunny Africa.
On 1 January, the long-awaited winter holiday season has come. The campus, decorated with illumination, became silent and the lecture halls - empty. However, the student activists from Africa could not sit idle. In the first days of the New Year, right after the popping fireworks in the streets had ended, the representatives of students affinity groups from Nigeria, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Angola and other African countries organized a meeting to set goals and objectives for the coming year.
Nigerian students took all the arrangements of the event upon themselves. Despite the seriousness of the agenda, the meeting certainly had a festive tint. This was evidenced by burning eyes of the young people, inspired by their smiles. There were New Year greetings, representatives of various religious beliefs in Africa addressed good wishes and peace to each other. All of them are now studying in Belgorod and are united by a common goal - to get a high-quality education in Russia and benefit the continent, which has made a huge step toward progress in the recent decades. Therefore, the issues of progress and preparation for exams came to the first place. The guys discussed the difficulties each of them inevitably faces, while being trained in the Russian language, shared the experience of solving problems, wished each other success in taking examinations. It was unanimously agreed that hard work and diligence will necessary bear fruit.
Activists also analyzed the mistakes which prevented some students from succeeding in last year: it was about missing classes, violation of the policies and internal regulations in the campus. Conclusions were drawn and views expressed on how to prevent embarrassing situations in the future, arrange living conditions in the best way.
All of the students wadted to dream and make wishes during this festive evening: ideas on how to make student life more interesting were expressed one after another. When can show all your talents better than in a university period? And our African students have them in abundance. This is evidenced by the numerous diplomas of winners of creative contests and sports competitions won in 2012. In the coming year, the youth of Africa is not going to stand still. This year will start with a football tournament, in March, a fascinating African representative will participate in "Miss University" contest, "Student Spring" festival is ahead as well as a lot of diverse and interesting events.
All of us without exception expect surprises and gifts for the New Year. And the surprise came - the door opened and nicely dressed African girls solemnly brought in big pots and exotic fruits. As soon as the guys looked under the covers, they could not keep a smile of delight - freshly cooked African dishes brought the smell of home into a snowy evening! In every corner of the world the whole family gets together around the table to celebrate New Year. Native chants immediately were recalled: Africa, dance and music - are indivisible! And althogh the parents are far away, the caring hands of the girls were able to feed the whole family of the students, now celebrating the New Year together in their second home - Russia!
Elena Zagorodnyuk,
Head of International Relations Department