До свидания, Питер! 

„Be spontaneous, be crazy, leave your comfort zone and live with no regrets“ — these words I was telling myself every day when I decided I wanted to go to Russia. Unfortunately, my family was not very happy with the decision I made, however, I knew that it was the right thing to do. Originally, I wanted to spend at least half a year in Russia — that was before reality hit me and I learned about the visa regulations here. However, I was lucky to get accepted for an internship at Liden & Denz and received a visa for three months, which is definitely not a lot of time, but I would say it is better than nothing! The time just flew by and my stay here in St Petersburg is coming to an end, unfortunately! Here are the experiences I would like to share with you guys!

Graduation day!

My experience here at Liden & Denz is truly something that helped me move forward in life. I know for sure that I will associate my stay in Russia and my internship at this school with only positive thoughts and emotions. Applying for an internship, getting accepted, receiving an invitation letter and applying for a visa, booking my flight and finding an accommodation — everything worked out without any issues. Any concerns that I had during the application process, the team of Liden&Denz sorted out right away and helped me with all the questions I had. The team here is not only working professionally, but they also care about your wellbeing and try to make your stay in Russia as enjoyable as possible. Apart from the organizational part, I also had classes each day. They were – to say the least – amazing! My teachers (needless to say how qualified they were) always worked with us on topics that we asked for. Also, the lessons were always fun – we chatted, we watched videos, we played games and most importantly, they always made sure we were speaking a lot. Even when it took us some time to give a good answer or to think of the word we wanted to say, they were always so patient with us and helped us express ourselves better. I am beyond thankful for this experience I had in Russia.

I could write a whole book on things that I experienced here, visiting interesting places in Saint Petersburg, hanging out with my flatmates, experiencing the Russian mentality, etc., but there is not enough time to talk about all of this. It is crazy how a three-month stay in another country can have such a big impact on your life — I grew as a person, I met inspiring people and I made friendships I am sure will last a lifetime! In my first article I was mentioning the Russian mentality  and how impressed I was about their welcoming, generous and kind characteristics. I can truly say that my opinion has not changed, but, on the contrary, all the experiences I had here just strengthened my first impression of Russian people. If I could explain the Russian mentality with one phrase, then it would be this: their doors are always open!

I cannot believe how fast time flew by — sometimes I wish someone could just make the time stop for a moment. Unfortunately, this is life and it does not stop for anyone! The only thing we can do is be grateful for the opportunities we get and try to live our lives to the fullest. In my case, I appreciate every single experience I had in this beautiful country and every single person that I met on my journey. There is one last thing I would like to say: This is not goodbye. I will come back!