Adventures of a German-Ghanaian in Russia

My name is Richard Adu. My mom is a Ghanaian and my dad a German. I am 25 years old. I am a banker, a model and a hair stylist. I finished my first degree two years ago and now here in Russia I am getting my second degree in International business.

When and how did you come to Russia?

I came to Russia almost a year ago. 25^th August will be a year.

Your first impression of this country. Your likes or dislikes about Russia and the Russians?

Russia is a great country with great values, culture and rich history. I like how they remember their heroes, especially those who fought during the war. I personally witnessed how thousands of people gathered at Mamaev Kyrgan on the 9^th may just to remember the heroes of Russia. It was really nice.

One thing I don’t like about Russia is the level at which the young ones are addicted to alcohol and cigarettes. It’s very easy to see those under the age of 18 years smoking on the streets without anything being done about it. I am not Russian but I love Russia and I care about the future of this country.

The most unusual custom or tradition in Russia? 

Unusual custom? I don’t think I can pinpoint any custom or tradition as unusual because a custom to me is a custom and it loses its value when it becomes usual.

Have you ever been a victim of any kind of racism here?

Oh yes…. on several occasions. Not everyone though. Most Russians are very welcoming and respect blacks. And few ones who still live in the past and lack the civil values always try to disrespect you whenever they see black people. Even some of our teachers are very racist. For me I think with time everything will be okay.

A piece of advice to a newcomer 😉

Most people in Africa think everyone in Russia is a racist but I will advise anyone who want to come to Russia to delete that misperception because it is not true that everyone is a racist in Russia.

Russia is a beautiful place with some beautiful people in it.

Interview by Anastasia

Never give up!

Hello! My name is Mohammed Bashir and I am originally from Sudan, Africa. Now I live in Kirov and study at Vyatka State University.

What brought you to Russia?

Well, my higher education, of course. Having finished school I started thinking where to go. At first I chose a university in India, but I spent only more than one year there as I didn’t like it. Then I came back home and started thinking what to do next. To tell the truth, at that very moment I was thinking about going to the Ukraine, not Russia. It was my mother who advised me to study the Russian language in Russia.

Your first impression about Kirov…

Very cold climate and very cold people even difficult to deal with. The most amazing thing is when you ask a person if he speaks English, the answer is always positive. And then … a long pause…. Ok, let’s speak Russian then I have to say.

What do the majority of people here study English for, I wonder? I study it to communicate with different people from around the world and to learn something new every day to make your brain work. I mean international relationship, learning and discovering various customs and traditions.

How many languages do you speak?

I speak Arabic, English, Hindi, Russian and French, a little bit. It took me about four months to learn the Russian language. I passed my exam successfully. Besides, the lectures at the University are in Russian and I have no problems understanding them. Now I realize that it’s high time for me to begin learning Spanish as it’s the second popular language in the world according to the latest statistics.

Education is your passport to the future for tomorrow, it belongs to the people who prepare for it today.

What is the most unusual thing for you here?

To tell the truth, talking to guys there I was very much surprised to find out that the majority of them cannot cook at all. They say that this work for their girlfriends and future wives. I do not agree with them. I myself like the process of cooking very much. Besides, there are not many things that give us energy for living and staying healthy. One of them is food. So, it must bring you as more delight as possible. Being a schoolboy I asked a girl from my neighborhood to teach me how to cook tradition African dishes. And she helped me a lot with it. Now I prefer to watch TV shows to study this art, but I never use recipes taken from the net and without any commentaries as I find them useless.

Besides, it’s really marvelous to make a day off for your wife even if she doesn’t work. All you need is to wake up a bit earlier on Sunday and cook everything yourself. Your wife will be thankful to you and this will help to strengthen the relations inside your family and you will respect each other even more.

Your advice to a newcomer 😉

Never give up. It’s always not the same as from the first sight.

We all have terrors that spoil our life. But overcoming them is the most delightful thing in the world!

by Anastasia

And subconsciously you start smiling!

I came to the US through an ordinary tourist visa having received it half a year before the flight. I came there in May. The tickets were bought spontaneously as a surprise for me. 😉

Why America?

America? Well… because I had already seen everything I was really interested in. Next came the visit to America.

Your likes /dislikes about America and the Americans?

Actually, I like everything in America. One can find advantages and disadvantages in everything but they are really different for each of us. As for Americans, they are kind and give you a helping hand if needed. You see there are bad and good people in every country. All in all, I like it being here.

Has your lifestyle changed after coming to this country? If yes, in what way?

Of course, it’s changed a lot. Many people go in for sports here trying to keep fit, they are all very friendly and are always smiling 😉 And this influences your mood as well. Being in a bad mood and visiting a supermarket you gradually realize how it changes seeing amiable and kind faces. And subconsciously you start smiling!

The first thing you do while coming back to Russia?

I will keep on smiling and be very pleased sharing my inner “fire” with others, so that people in my country would be so kind and responsive as they are in the US.

Does America seem multicultural to you?

America is a terribly multicultural country! All cultures and nations are gathered there. This leads to cultural mixture creating a new religion, a new human race and new people! In my country a new religion is a Sect organized to blackmail money. This can not said about local religions. They sincerely believe in it and give it in the way you simply feel spellbound. That’s why I can say: “Yes, America is a Multicultural Country”.

Have you ever been a victim of any kind of discrimination?

Surely not! All races are treated equally. Besides, the age doesn’t matter here.

A piece of advice to a newcomer)))

Before going to any country study it thoroughly on the inside reading the literature, looking through the forums. And then visit the country of your dream first. Otherwise it will turn a nightmare.

Interview by Anastasia