Meet Tatiana: one of our most beloved members of staff!

Today, for our #meetourstaff initiative, I interviewed Tatiana Kuzub.

Tatiana is not only one of our most beloved members of staff, but she’s also a good friend and a person you can always count on. She is one of the first people I met when I arrived in Moscow in November and she is definitely one of the main reasons why I decided to come back to study at Liden & Denz for a second time.

1. Tell me something about you: What and where did you study?
   Since I was very little one of my interests was traveling, the idea of visiting new places always amazed me, so when I finished high school, I knew that there was only one thing I wanted to dedicate myself to – International Tourism. In 2011 I graduated from the Moscow Humanitarian University holding a Master Degree in Tourism. At the moment I finished University I already had the experience of living in different countries, I basically grew up in Mexico (which is an amazing country), and also did an exchange program for students, and lived in Texas for a while.

2. How many languages do you speak?
   Due to my traveling history I have two natal languages – Russian and Spanish, and speak English fluently as well. In university I started learning Italian, which I consider a very pretty language, but unfortunately I reached only a very basic level. I wish one day I’ll get the chance to go to Italy and practice my Italian there.
3. What are the main duties of your job?
   It’s hard to say. I am in charge of all of the visa questions for all of our students, as well as the accommodation sector. I also am the emergency contact for all of the students while they’re here in Moscow. But I’d say that is the official way to call my duties, as I consider myself the person who helps making the students stay more interesting and comfortable. I am always glad to help with any questions, even if they aren’t actually dealt with my duties. If you have lost your luggage on your way to Russia – I’m here to help! Want to go to an event that the school is not covering? – Also, be my guest. If you want to find a gym, a restaurant for a special occasion, tickets to go to a different city – I can help you out. For me it’s easy, because I have the experience of being alone in a different country, and I’d be glad to have someone helping me there as well.

4. How do you usually interact with the students?
   It all depends. Of course, we meet at school on Monday, at their first day of studies. I really like Mondays (which for an office worker is very weird), because that means that I’ll get to meet new faces. As well as my colleagues from the reception desk, I say hi and tell them where they can find me, and that my doors are always opened for them. Usually, by the middle of the first week we are planning to do something together during the weekend. I enjoy going seeing them outside the school bounds, because the new places make them usually act different rather than at school. We go out together, we go to the theatre, to the movies. And this applies not only to the students learning Russian in our school, but we also do the same with the ones learning English and Spanish language – this gives us all the chance to have a multicultural exchange, we always have a great time. We also make plans to see each other outside Russia after their studies finish, as it is always great to see the students back, because they are a huge part of my life when they are here, and I’m always looking forward to hear from them once they’re gone. We add each other on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and keep updated even when we don’t see each other anymore. This makes the goodbyes less hard, I’d say.
5. What do you like most about working here?
   Everything! My colleagues are amazing, we have a great friendship among us, and this is a very important thing while working at an office. I like the area of the school – it is close to everything, I really like to walk from here to the Red Square, even despite the fact that it takes like an hour – but it is totally worth it. The Tverskaya street is one of my favourites in the city, so I really enjoy the walk. The students are just the best! Every single one of them is like a guest for me – and I enjoy meeting them, spending time together, all of the good (and sometimes bad) stories we share – this is not something that any place would give me the chance to get. Thanks to Liden and Denz I have friends all over the world, and that gives me a lot of happy experiences.If you’d ask what’s the least thing I enjoy at Liden – then it would be Friday. We have the Champagne party here at school, and that means that my friends are leaving, and that on next Monday morning I won’t see their smiling faces entering the school, and this brakes my heart in two every time. I have the warm feeling that we would see each other somewhere else, but it’s always hard to say goodbye.

Thanks a lot for your time! 🙂

Matilde Miliazza currently studying Russian at Liden & Denz.