PetrSU Students Completed Studies at Qingdao University

We are publishing a detailed review from third-year students Daria Ershova and Svyatoslav Zapasny, who studied at Qingdao University from September 2025 to January 2026. Together, they overcame a great deal: 300 academic hours of classes, awkward pauses in stores and on the street, and, finally, a complete "brain switch" to Chinese.

The students shared how they adapted, which teachers they remembered most, and why, despite all the difficulties and costs, it was worth it.

Svyatoslav Zapasny:

“It was difficult, very difficult. Life in China is quite different from what we're used to in Russia. I had to adapt to Chinese within the first week, which was a real struggle, as my Chinese proficiency wasn't that high. And overall, I spent all this time studying the language in my home country, without the opportunity to practice it directly with native speakers. Studying was also quite challenging, as I joined Dasha in a group with a higher level. My Chinese improved. After a couple of weeks, I could easily approach a native speaker and ask, for example, where a certain product was, how to get there, or how much something cost. And most importantly, I could parse and understand what they said in response!

Our grammar teacher was an excellent specialist in teaching Chinese as a foreign language. We always had very comprehensive classes: she provided a lot of useful vocabulary, talked to us constantly, we did a huge number of exercises on the rules we'd learned, and all of this was accompanied by a wealth of interesting facts about the language, the country, and its culture. Although this wasn't my first visit to China, it was a truly fascinating life experience.

Looking back, I realize that language programs abroad provide that "magic revolution" that's impossible to achieve at home, no matter how much you study a foreign language from textbooks. Immersion in a living language environment forces your brain to work at its full potential. You don't just learn the language—you start thinking in it, because not only your comfort but your survival in the new environment depend on it. Such academic internship programs are invaluable: they break down the language barrier in a matter of weeks and provide a wealth of cultural experience. It's not even about studying, but about testing your limits, because you have to adapt quickly. You begin to appreciate other cultures and see your own from a new perspective. Yes, it's difficult, sometimes very difficult, but it's precisely this that provides the most powerful impetus for development—both in language and in life!

Daria Ershova:

“It was a real challenge!

Unlike Svyatoslav, this was my first time traveling abroad as an adult, so the trip had a profound impact on me. I encountered representatives of a different culture face-to-face, and what's more, I had the opportunity to live in that culture for a relatively long time. It's fascinating to discover the differences in mentality and the similarities between China and Russia. I still think we're somewhat similar! Although I'm still not used to getting up and going to bed early, as is customary here... I'm also glad that, in addition to Qingdao, where we lived and studied, we had plenty of time to visit such major cities as Beijing and Shanghai, which also left quite an impression! We even managed to go to Luoyang to visit our first Chinese teacher, Zhao Linlin. Personally, I liked Shanghai the most – probably also because we went there after all the exams and by then spoke Chinese more fluently. It's so wonderful to speak naturally with Chinese people in informal settings, like on the train.

The learning itself wasn't difficult, but it wasn't easy either. Every time after class, I realized I could barely switch to Russian: my brain automatically started constructing sentences in Chinese. With other foreigners who were also studying here, I found it easier to speak Chinese than to try to switch to English. Constant communicative practice is an excellent way not only to learn the language but also to reinforce the knowledge you've just acquired in class. I especially enjoyed the Chinese grammar lessons with teacher Hou: she's an incredible specialist with vast experience. We studied a lot: 20 hours of Chinese a week, most of which were grammar lessons. This kind of intensive learning will help you understand native speakers.

This, in my opinion, is the main value of educational programs abroad. At home, you can learn Chinese characters and grammar, but only immersion in the environment activates your "inner translator" at full capacity. You start thinking in the language, because otherwise you can't order food, buy a ticket, or chat with a new friend. This is a colossal leap in confidence, motivation, and a real level of language proficiency that no textbook can replace. In addition to knowledge of the language, you take with you a new flexibility of thought, friends from other countries, and the understanding that the world is much bigger and more interesting than you might have previously thought! We gained much more from this trip than we expected.

Qingdao University is one of the top multidisciplinary universities in Shandong Province, a participant in the national "Excellent Engineering Education and Retraining" program. Qingdao University comprises 25 faculties, as well as a graduate school of Medicine. Training is offered in 11 main academic fields: philosophy, economics, law, literature, history, natural sciences, engineering, management, medicine, education, and military science. There are 104 bachelor's degree programs, 209 master's degree programs, and 127 doctoral degree programs.

The Department of Russian as a Foreign Language and Applied Linguistics thanks students Svyatoslav and Daria for their feedback and wishes them continued success in their exploration of the Chinese language and culture, as well as professional achievements and discoveries!