It soon became clear that no matter how hard I might try, graduating from that university would not pave the way to a good career. Major Chinese companies only hire graduates from the top universities and dump everyone else’s résumés in the trash. Their Human Resources departments won’t even look at anyone else, regardless of their grades and accomplishments. By the way, this is one of the reasons that entrepreneurship is so popular in China: if you are talented but didn’t get into a hotshot university, what other option do you have but to develop your own business?
Onward to the ‘Soviet Union’!
It was at this point that my knowledge of Russian once again came in handy. I started volunteering with AIESEC and travelled to Russia where I worked in summer schools and camps and made loads of Russian friends. I began interacting with organizations that help Chinese students adjust to life in Moscow. In this way, I learned more about universities and how they differ in the two countries. I began to see that the inability of Chinese and Russian businesspeople to see eye- join the conversation one of the bt practic to-eye stems from not only different mentalities and laws but also differences in their educational backgrounds.
I eventually decided to enrol in the HSE University in Master’s programme in International Business. Now I’m in my second year of doctoral programme in education. I also teach Chinese at the HSE University School of Asian Studies.
My grandparents were very happy to learn about my decision. ‘You’ll study in the Soviet Union,’ they said. ‘That is our older brother.’ People of their generation still draw little distinction between Russia and the Soviet Union.
The Russian Ice Test
I didn’t have any problems when I moved to Moscow: fluent English the benefits of webinars that you didn’t know about yet is spoken at HSE University and I could practice my Russian canada cell numbers with sales clerks, receptionists and taxi drivers. Taxi drivers always want to talk to me for some reason. No one has been unfriendly.
I have already visited many Russian cities such as Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, etc. But most of all I liked Crimea, and especially Bakhchysarai, Yalta and Sevastopol. We want to have our honeymoon in Crimea this summer. Even before, I liked the idea of marrying in Russia, and I’ve attended several weddings here in Moscow and recently caught the bouquet thrown by the bride. So now, I definitely have to have a Russian wedding!