25 students arrived for a three-week shift on 16th July.
“Yesterday, students and hired contractors completed refurbishment works in the bathroom. So the camp now has both indoor and outdoor shower cabins. Apart from that, preparations were made at a volleyball court – grass was removed, the court was flattened, and an umpire's chair was freshened up with paint,” comments Assistant Lecturer of the KFU Preparatory School Ayrat Ibatullin.
Work hours last from 8 am to 5 pm with lunch included. Overall, three free meals a day are provided. Every shift also starts with a medical checkup in light of the COVID-19 situation.
Spare time is dedicated to sports, games, parties, and dance lessons. Of course, special attention is paid to lessons of Russian language, keeping in mind that the shift comprises people from Cuba, Colombia, Jordan, Indonesia, Madagascar, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Mozambique, Mali, China, Egypt, Guinea, and Algeria.
“We gamify our Russian language classes because in this manner the students increase their vocabulary, memorize phrases, and generally learn to speak Russian better. The plan is to offer them to make presentation of their native countries,” continues Ibatullin.
Apart from that, the shift also plans to celebrate Sabantuy, traditional Tatar holiday marking the end of a sowing season.
Indonesian student Vivin Fitriani Shalekha, who plans to enroll in the tourism program, says, “I came here to work and rest. I liked Yalchik very much because it's a quiet and tranquil place. It's nice to feel the flow of life without commotion here.”
Antar Mohammed Ashraf Nabil, an Egyptian national planning to study accounting, comments, “I heard some good feedback about Yalchik before arriving here. Our work is quite easy – for example, I polished veranda walls and cleaned the volleyball court.”
Source text: Alina Minnevalieva
Photos: Preparatory School
Translation: Yury Nurmeev