Italians in TSPU

Interview by Anna Zhukova

Tula State Lev Tolstoy Pedagogical University is becoming more and more popular among the international students  these  days. One students’ group from Lisbon, Portugal came to Tula one and a half year ago. Dario Abdula Camal, 24, agreed to share his impressions of living in Russia with us.

- Hello Dario! I know you’re not originally from Portugal. What’s your motherland then?

- I’m from Maputo city, it’s a capital of Mozambique. But I lived my whole life in Lisbon, Portugal.  That's why I have two nationalities (smiling).

- I see. And when did you come to Russia for the first time?

- In 2010 I came here  to study in TSPU because my government wanted me so. I want to become a diplomat and I was told that I should study Russian and international relations in this country.

- And what was your first impression of Tula and of our University?

- Well, firstly I was shocked, because it is an ancient city and it turned out to be so small, and also because I faced a winter I could never imagine, and the dormitory’s conditions were the worst possible, but after some time I've adapted to the city and its people.

- You said, you live in a dormitory, what are the best and the worst things about living there?

- You can learn lots of different things while living in a dorm. For instance, learn new cultures, new ways of thinking, doing and living, you make new friends, and grow up as a person and human being. The most annoying is perhaps the fact that you have little privacy and the dorm conditions are not the best.

- Speaking about bad conditions, how do you like our weather? Some tourists find it severe.

- Yes! I’m definitely one of them (laughing). I love summer, that’s why I can easily say that I almost hate Russian climate.

- But except the weather conditions what else in Russia do you find completely different from your motherland?

- All the countries are completely different in everything starting with people’s characters, traditional food, the way of studying, thinking and ending with the geography, language. Everything’s different. To be honest, I don’t think I can find any similarity between Russia and elsewhere in the world.

- You’ve been to different countries, Dario. What can you say about people in Russia and in Tula in particular?

- My attitude to Tula’s residents is normal, we get on well, although I feel people here are a bit cold.

- And what about our girls? Foreigners often say Russian women are very beautiful. Haven't you fallen in love with some Russians during your stay here?

- I’d answer ‘not yet’ (smiling). I’ve travelled throughout the world, have seen many beautiful girls, so I’ve learned to appreciate true physical beauty. But yeah, they’re quite right, Russian girls are the most beautiful in the world. I think that’s because you stay here, in this cold country, just like in a fridge – fresh and beautiful.

- Thank you Dario! It was a pleasure to talk to you. Is there something else  you want to share with me?

- Nothing special. But I always advise to visit Mozambique and Portugal, just to see the difference with your own eyes.

Anna Zhukova,

25.10.2012.