First semester of this academic year, thanks to academic exchange program, students of Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts Maria Demesh and Anastasia Yukovich were trained at Gzhel State University, and second-year students of GSU Faculty of Fine Arts and Design Ekaterina Raznitsyna and Alena Shepelskaya studied in Minsk at that time.

Returning to their homeland, Belarusian students shared their impressions of studying at GSU.

From the first year, we had the idea to go to GSU through academic exchange. It seemed to us a great opportunity to gain new knowledge and experience. Our expectations were met.

We express our gratitude to the teachers of G. P. Moskovskaya (design), E.V. Platov (academic drawing), Ch.M. Tsvetkova (academic painting), S.V. Oleinikov (sculpture). I would also like to thank O.A. Pervozvanskaya for her work with us. In the classes on the basics of industrial skills, we discovered a lot for ourselves, got acquainted with new technologies, materials, techniques. Classes were fun. Olga Antonovna helped us with care and patience. We spent a lot of time in the workshops, so it was impossible not to notice her love for the work and responsibility: she always prompts, helps to find the right solution. During the training, we managed to make plaster models and forms, to create ceramic products, which we can demonstrate at the university when we get home. The group in which we studied was very friendly and solid, everyone tried to help us, explained and showed everything.

In the campus, our roommates were students from Kazakhstan. Immediately found a common language, made friends. It was interesting to get acquainted with the folk traditions, culture and art of this country. We participated in many activities, attended aerobics classes and a gym with interest. At aerobics competitions, our team won a decent, second place.

Student life at GSU was very intense. Shortly after our arrival, an excursion to the Kuskovo Manor and a performance visit at State Academic Malyi Theater were organized. On weekends we went to Moscow, visited Red Square, Vorobyovy Gory, Gorky Park and many other leisure places and institutions of art and culture: the Tretyakov Gallery, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Modern Art, etc.

The brightest memory will remain the International Festival of National Cultures "We Learn in Russia." Our musical and choreographic composition “The Call of Spring” won first place in the concert program. Thanks to the festival, we met students from different countries, learned the traditions of other nations, tried various national dishes. It was probably the best event during his time at GSU, because we felt that we were all one family, regardless of nationality or religion.

I would like to thank the organizers of the program of academic exchange of students N. V. Barkalova and N. V. Karchevskaya for giving us the opportunity. We received a lot of new knowledge and experience, which will definitely come in handy in further education and in future profession.

Maria Demesh and Anastasia Yukovich,

students of Belarusian State

University of Culture and Arts