‘Moscow Is an Exciting City, but You Can Always Go Somewhere to Calm Your Mind’

Thu Trang Pham

Photo courtesy of Thu Trang Pham

Thu Trang Pham is a 23-year old HSE University student from Vietnam. She is currently in her fourth year of studies at the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations. Thu Trang spoke to the HSE News Service about why HSE is the perfect university for international students, life in her dormitory, and how she plans to make the most of her final year of studies by travelling around Moscow and Russia.

An Environment of Growth

I like that education is serious at HSE. I appreciate the opportunity to study at HSE very much, as it is one of the most prestigious universities in Russia. HSE really differentiates itself from other Russian universities, and I always feel grateful that I decided to apply to HSE a few years ago.

At HSE, the criteria and standards for foreign students are the same as for Russian students

At other universities, foreign students are usually distributed into the same class, but at HSE we can study in the same class as Russian students. It really pushes us to perform the best we can; otherwise, it would be impossible to catch up with Russian students because we are not native speakers. At other universities, foreign students also lose the chance to study another language and have to study Russian. At HSE, we have the opportunity to study another language apart from Russian and English. I chose Italian to study its economy and politics and culture as well.

There are also so many chances to get scholarships and join academic competitions. I regret that I was so caught up in my own studying that I didn’t know about such competitions before, but I believe that HSE was the best environment to help me grow academically. Education is serious here and requires a lot from students to pass subjects, which in turn motivates me to study harder.

Photo courtesy of Thu Trang Pham

The teachers and staff at HSE are also very kind. They are ready to listen to students’ problems and try to solve them. 

I’m very thankful that my teachers are strict, but they try to help us foreigners a lot and they are attentive to our difficulties with the Russian language

All the Mod Cons

I live in Dormitory 4, which is situated in a quiet neighbourhood near Moscow City. Having spent more than three years in Moscow, I am very grateful to have been assigned to a dormitory that is located very near the centre. From my station it takes only 15 minutes to get to the Russian State Library and 20 minutes to Red Square. I can also easily go to any place in the city centre. It takes me 30 to 50 minutes to get to my main campuses on weekdays, which is quite fast compared to other dormitories. The security is extremely good and I don’t have any worries going home late at night or having some night walks.

There are many things to appreciate about the HSE dormitories. First, we have a refrigerator that is big enough for a family of four people, but there are only two students in a room. We don’t have to buy a fridge for ourselves, and if there are any problems, there is a technical team in the dormitory to fix it. Second, doing laundry is free, there plenty of washing machines, and we can dry our laundry on the floor where we live. Third, dormitory fees are not high.

Foreign students who study for a full degree receive an amount from HSE to cover the fee, so the dormitories at HSE are practically free

Accommodation costs more for exchange students, but it is definitely cheaper than some dormitories at other universities. Finally, there are toilets and bathrooms on each floor, and students do not have to pay to use facilities such as gym equipment, vacuum cleaners, and irons.

The staff in my dormitory are quite nice. They are very attentive to our concerns during our stay in the dorm. The technical team is very helpful as well. Usually they are responsible for repairing and maintaining household appliances in the dorm, but when I asked if they could help me with my own devices, they gladly agreed.

Plays, Picnics, and Peaceful Walks

For me, summer is the most long-awaited season in Russia. In Vietnam, it is usually extremely hot and the temperature can reach 40+ degrees. In Moscow, it often ranges from 20–30, so we can enjoy the fine weather and walk around the city.

Photo courtesy of Thu Trang Pham

You can be outside on the street all day in the summer. There are always so many events in Moscow throughout the year, but in summer there are more outdoor activities such as surfing, hiking and sports to join. Many cultural and historical events are held in the parks, and there are also plays and movies (outdoor cinemas).

There are so many opportunities to take part in outdoor social events every day and every weekend, and the majority of them are free

Another thing to enjoy in the summer is picnics in Moscow’s many beautiful parks. In Vietnam, I never really walked, so I’m so grateful that there are many places in Moscow for us to walk, think, and chill on our own. People say that everything moves too fast here, but I only partly agree; in the parks, where there are so many trees that you feel like you’re in the woods, I can still see people walking slowly, chatting with friends, painting, and reading books. I go for a walk in the park whenever I need to think something through. Your mind becomes calmer because there are very few (or no) people around you, there’s sunshine and green leaves, and everything is bright and clear.

Moscow is a busy and exciting city—especially in summer—but there are always places for us to calm our minds and relax if we know the right places to go.

Summer Travels

Summer is the best season to travel in Russia; you can enjoy the vacation before it starts to get colder and the schoolyear begins. One thing I like about travelling in Russia is that the public transport is always very convenient. You can go anywhere by train or bus, so I rarely fly.

The average price in other cities is not as high as in Moscow, so it is okay to overspend a bit but still enjoy good services and food

But the most important thing is that Russia is extremely beautiful. My first trip in Russia was to Suzdal, with its beautiful countryside, colourful houses, and beautiful churches. I have also visited most cities around the Golden Ring of Russia, including Vladimir, Ivanovo, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Rostov, Sergiev Posad, Pereslav-Zalesskiy, and Kolomna. These places are historically beautiful and there are many interesting things to see and learn about. Since Vietnam and Russia have very different cultures, I find it exciting to see how different churches are built, why people need to wear ‘platki’ (headscarves) to go to church, the history of each city, which products are popular, etc.

Photo courtesy of Thu Trang Pham

I have also visited Ekaterinburg, Kazan, and Nizhniy Novgorod during my summers in Russia. These big cities have more tourist attractions to visit, but I really like taking a bus to some small rural town near these big cities to see what real country life in Russia is like. I always feel very peaceful looking at the fields on two sides of the road and the vibe of the Russian countryside.

In general, summer is the best season to travel in Russia because you can wander around even until late in the evening

As a female foreigner in Russia, I am never scared of traveling alone because I meet very nice Russian people who help me along the way. I think is impossible to say the same about traveling in other Western countries.

I really appreciate nature in Russia. I have seen a lot of travel videos about mountainous areas (Kamchatka, Kavkaz, Sevastopol, Altai), and for the past two years I have seen how beautiful Russian nature is and how lucky that I am here to have a chance to go these places. Next week, I’m going to visit the Altai mountains for a week. For my last summer in Russia, it is a dream come true to go to such places.