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Helen Terekhova
Sejdeme se v Brně! or Let's Meet in Brno! [5] - 22.01.2025
Looking through the European map most Russians set their eyes on the fancy outline of Italy, large dreamland of France (the legacy of longing left by Russian aristocrats) and foggy spots of the British isles where some Russian oligarchs feel home and dry (perhaps, hidden in the fog)…But let your eyes rest for a minute on the center – and here comes Czech Republic.Brno, the capital of South Moravian region of the Czech Republic is home to Masaryk University, the second-largest public university in the Czech Republic and the leading higher education institution in Moravia. And now, stop feverishly viewing the map! It’s time to start acting!
The Road to Brno
This year Ulyanovsk State University opened the Czech Centre in collaboration with the University of Masaryk. The centre has several aims of promoting the Czech language among the students, strengthening international connections of Ulyanovsk State University and the University of Masaryk abroad. Moreover, it gives excellent opportunities for the senior level technical students from Ulyanovsk to continue their studies in the Czech Republic with the scholarship. Masaryk University also gives study opportunities for international students in more than 200 departments, institutes and clinics. Higher education in the Czech Republic is free, but there is only one point which seems a difficulty at first: educational programs are mostly taught in Czech.
Masaryk University © bordersoff
"Russian students are intelligent students”
Ivana Matušková is now the Head of the Czech Centre in Ulyanovsk which is absolutely no surprise: Ivana is the tutor of the Czech language from the South-Moravian Centre currently residing in our town. The courses of the Czech language were arranged especially for the technical students of Ulyanovsk State University but it was the free choice of anyone interested. Thereby the courses are now attended by future economists, translators, international relations specialists and managers learning Czech by different reasons, or by a common one, if you wish, - to win their spurs someday.
The students at the Czech Centre, before the Czech class. Photo by Elo Ismagilova © bordersoff
Ivana, the tutor of a seemingly peculiar disposition to the Russian students, knows 6 languages and states the practice of hypnosis as her hobby. The cheerful Czech woman in the irksome Russian winter makes her students smile at the tutorials, watching films, writing, reading and acting. Ivana says: "Russian students are intelligent students” and to one’s utter surprise she does that in Russian.
Ivana with Ulyanovsk State University students. Photo by Elo Ismagilova © bordersoff
- Česká republika se letos stala pro uljanovské studenty významným místem na mapě Evropy. Co je zvláštního na Brně, kde budou někteří studenti studovat? /Czech Republic has become a very bright spot on the European map for Ulyanovsk students this year. What is special about Brno, the city some of them will study in?/
Ivana: Brno se nachází na jižní Moravě. Je to město mezinárodních strojírenských, turistických a finančních veletrhů a velký železniční uzel, proto je někdy Brno nazýváno „českým Manchesterem". Je zde mnoho historických památek: gotický chrám svatého Petra a Pavla, kostely svatého Jakuba a Tomáše, divadlo opery, Kapucínský klášter s ostatky příslušníků českých aristokratických rodů…V Augustýnském klášteře získával své zkušenosti Gregor Mendel. Nedaleko od Brna se nachází vesnice Slavkov, kde proběhla známá bitva tří císařů.
/Brno is situated in South Moravia.. It is the place where international industrial, tourist‘s, financial fairs take place, the rail centre – and the city is often called "Czech Manchester" because of that. There are lots of historical monuments: Gothic Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, St. Jakub Church, the church of St. Tomáš, the National Opera Theatre, Kapucín Monastery with the burial place of the Czech aristocratic families…Gregor Mendel carried out his experiments at the Monastery of St. Augustine. The famous Battle of Austerlitz took place at the country town Slavkov by Brno./
- Je úchvatné poslouchat rádio a podívat se na filmy v češtině! Co byste mohla poradit z české literatury? /Listening to the radio and watching movies in Czech is fascinating! What would you recommend to try from the Czech literature?/
Ivana: Doporučila bych určitě si přečíst proslavený román spisovatele Jaroslava Haška „Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka". Pokud jde o kinematografii, doporučuji se zaměřit především na tvorbu režisérů Jiřího Menzela, Věry Chytilové a Ireny Pavláskové, kteří ve svých filmech znamenitě ztvárňují problémy současného života.
/I would like to recommend to be sure to read a renowned novel "The Good Soldier Švejk" by a famous writer Jaroslav Gašek. Concerning cinematography, I recommend watching the creations by Jiří Menzel, Věra Chytilová and Irena Pavlaskova who are good at depicting the problems of the modern lifestyle./
- Co byste chtěla popřát studentům, kteří studují češtinu? /What would you like to wish the students who study Czech?/
Ivana: Chtěla bych studentům popřát hodně štěstí a úspěchů ve studiu, hodně zajímavých dojmů, a samozřejmě, aby si našli dobré přátele a potkávali jen vstřícné lidi ochotné kdykoli pomoci slovem i skutkem.
/I would like to wish the students much happiness and success in studies, many good and interesting impressions and, sure, to find friends and encounter only the ones who will meet them halfway, help with advice and action./
"-Ivana, are the Russians very different comparing with the Czech people?
- They are no different. Just as different as all the people are from each other." :) © bordersoff
"You will find a specific region in the very heart of Europe, which you will come to love, as did so many more before you – in no time, and forever” – here are the lines in the travel guide describing South Moravia which inspire us to get to know more! And the Czech language inspires to taste halušky, spend a cosy evening at the restaurace, feel the energy of studium at the European University and discover Brno!
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