Erasmus+ exchange student Vlada Shevchenko from Russia, ITMO University, which is Liepaja University partneruniversity, received Erasmus+ grant from Liepaja University (LiepU) for one study semester at LiepU, studying in Master's programme "Ecotechnologies". Now she is sharing her Erasmus+ study experience and life experience at Liepaja.
"I was interested in the curriculum at Liepaja University. The subjects taught there were interesting to me and I wanted to get this knowledge. I am interested in developing my professional skills and improving existing ones. I like to study in different countries, see the difference in teaching methods and share my findings. I believe that with this experience I will be able to become a good professional worker and bring the greatest benefit towards a sustainable future.
I have a passion for studying abroad, which opens up great opportunities for your personal developing. You learn a lot about the culture of your classmates, the peculiarities of life in their countries, get acquainted with their traditions and find friends with whom you will keep in touch for many years.
In addition to the study program at the University of Liepaja, I was also attracted by the culture of this country. Latvia is a post-Soviet country whose culture is very close to mine. Despite this, Latvia has wonderful distinctive features that I wanted to explore on my own. Before that, I had never been to Latvia, but I always had the desire to go there. Studying under the Erasmus program turned out to be the most ideal solution to get to know this wonderful country closer. I especially want to note the beauty of the city of Liepaja and its unforgettable beach. For me, it was a place of power when, after productive studies at the university, I could walk along the seashore and breathe in the smell of the sea.
The whole period of mobility went very well for me. Despite the restrictions due to the pandemic, I was satisfied with the educational process. I did not have any difficulties with the preparation of documents for obtaining a student visa. In addition, both universities were always ready to provide assistance and support in any matter.
At Liepaja University, I was given the opportunity to study German as an optional subject. I am very grateful for this opportunity. I want to note the professionalism of the German teacher. I learned a lot of new things, each of her lessons was special. Despite the complexity of the material, she always found an individual approach to each student. As a result, I felt very confident when writing all the tests. I was also satisfied with the quality of teaching of other teachers. All material was easy to understand. Various teaching methods were used.
The international department contributed to the cohesion of all exchange students. Themed evenings and excursions were organized. Thus, students enrolled in different programs were able to get acquainted.
Some students lived in a hostel, others rented apartments. In my case, I rented an apartment and did not regret this decision. Grocery stores, bus stops and the beach were within walking distance. I could also walk to the university, it did not take much time. For those who, like me, are planning to rent an apartment, I advise you to call landlords on a mobile phone, because many do not forward emails. For security reasons, do not make an advance payment before signing the lease. You can also use Liepaja University's international students Facebook group to find roommates.
In conclusion, I wish everyone to be an Erasmus student at least once in their life. This is an unforgettable experience that will change your life for the better. You will learn a lot about your professional field, see how the educational process goes in another country, make many friends from all over the world, learn to think outside the box and much more."
The study mobility was financed with the support of Erasmus+ international credit mobility project (KA107) No 2020-1-LV01-KA107-077408.
Some photos from the Erasmus+ experience:
