Rudomina Kateryna

Specialty – Philology (Germanic languages and literature (including translation), first language – English), 035-22-2

Linköping University, 19.08.2024 - 19.01.2025, specialty during mobility – Faculty of Arts and Sciences

The direct speech from the participant:

– Where did you live (dormitory, rented, hostel, other)?

Dormitory

– Were you provided with a scholarship for mobility? If yes, how much of the minimal necessary living expenses was covered by the scholarship?

Yes, I was provided with a scholarship. The scholarship covered 100% of the minimal necessary living expenses.

– Share from your own experience, what should future mobility participants pay attention to when preparing for the program?

First of all, make sure that the validity of your documents (for example, your passport) will not expire. Also, you should have at least an approximate idea of the amount you will need for your initial time during the mobility program, as scholarships usually arrive after some time of being at the study location. Additionally, you should familiarize yourself in advance with the documents required by the laws of the host country (student visa, temporary shelter status, etc.).

–  Were there any unexpected issues during your mobility?

There were no unexpected issues during my mobility.

– Briefly describe your expectations for mobility and whether they were fulfilled.

Actually, having the opportunity to study abroad through the academic mobility program was my dream even before entering the university because I was very interested in learning about new cultures and gaining valuable experience for self-realization in the future. Now, after completing a semester of study in Sweden, I can confidently say that my expectations were fulfilled. Over these 5 months, I improved not only my English skills but also learned other foreign languages (including Spanish and German), met many students from different countries, and, of course, had the opportunity to travel during my free time from studies.

– What educational and cultural activities did you participate in during the mobility?

Among the educational and cultural activities were: a movie night (watching films in the original language for practicing listening comprehension), celebrating the Swedish holiday “Kalasu” (getting deeper into the culture), and a “shopper” creation evening.

– Share your most vivid impressions from the mobility.

Honestly, I have so many impressions from my entire mobility period at the Swedish university. This stage truly became one of the most responsible and interesting stages of my student life. It is worth noting that the learning experience gave me plenty of emotions and, in addition, became another push for me to work on overcoming my fears. Given the remote education format in my country, I initially felt a bit nervous about the idea of presenting and speaking in front of foreign students and lecturers. However, thanks to certain courses, I was eventually able to overcome my biggest fear. I was amazed by how supportive the lecturers were to their students and, most importantly, how they taught students to respect and help their peers in any learning or adaptation difficulties. Yes, there were difficult moments, but this experience, in addition to improving my foreign language skills, also had a significant impact on my independence, not only as a student but also as an individual overall. I genuinely enjoyed observing how much I mentally grew during this period. There were many moments when I had to deal with various issues that were not related to just studying, so realizing that we could only rely on ourselves in these situations helped me to act similarly upon returning home.

– Would you like to go on a mobility program again, and where?

Probably not. I really enjoyed it, but now I want to implement the experience I gained in practice (work, study, travel).

– Would you recommend participating in a mobility program?

Yes, of course.