MAI-SJTU student: “There is no denying to the chance to try something new”

China is one of the most visited countries for MAI students within the academic mobility flow. This is due to the fact that in 2017 a joint double degree program of Moscow Aviation Institute and Shanghai Jiao Tong University was launched in MAI. The Russian-Chinese project is considered to be the most high-tech in the portfolio of common joint projects of the two states. The studies aree partly in MAI, partly in SJTU. In September, 30 bachelors and undergraduates of the MAI-SJTU, after a long break in academic mobility caused by the pandemic, went to the Celestial Empire. We learned about how the trip went from the participants.

– We spent the whole first year on distance learning and no longer hoped that we would be able to visit Shanghai, – says Sergey Kovtunov, a graduate student of MAI-SJTU – As soon as there was information from the Russian Ministry of Defense that the borders were open for students, I had no doubt that I should fly. I've been waiting for it for three years, counting the year of preparation for admission! However, not all of my classmates had same plans: many already found stable jobs and stuck to their own tracks. And there was no certainty that the trip would take place until the last moment. We realized that we were actually flying to China only when the plane took off from the runway.

There were a lot of difficulties before the departure: after lockdown, the rules of entry into the country changed and became more complicated. At that moment, full-fledged flights between China and Russia were still unavailable, so students could fly only on embassy flights – in September there were only five of them with departure from four Russian cities. Most of our students went from Yekaterinburg to Harbin and from Moscow to Wuhan. But the inconvenient flight was not all. Those who arrived to China had to go through ten-day isolation in a special "quarantine" hotel.

– I found this experience very interesting. Imagine: you were living your ordinary life, and then suddenly you plunge into an absolute vacuum for 10 days, where the only people you can communicate with are hotel staff in white medical suits who come to your room every day to take a PCR test. You can't leave the room at all! – Lyubov Mamurkova, a graduate student of MAI-SJTU, tells. - But for me, these conditions were not that terrible. On the contrary, I didn't even notice how these days passed: I was doing sports, watching Chinese television, and finally took the time to do things that I had been putting off for a long time already. And we called our classmates almost every day and chatted for hours. I was glad that I fell out of ordinary life for 10 days – I had such a reboot in Wuhan.

Of course, not everyone felt as good in isolation as Lyubov, but nevertheless, they survived quarantine bravely. After that, MAI-SJTU students packed their bags again and went on direct flights to Shanghai, where they were waiting for a new quarantine for four days.

– Quarantine in Shanghai was much easier, – says Anton Torkachenko, a second-year undergraduate student at MAI-SJTU, – we were settled in a dormitory near the university campus, – all of us at the same floor. Here we could freely leave the rooms and therefore spent every evening playing mafia, UNO or just chatting.

At the end of the quarantine, the students started to discover Shanghai.

- The first day after isolation seemed fabulous: we immediately began to equip our new life and explore the surroundings," recalls Sergey Kovtunov. – There are bicycles and scooters everywhere in Shanghai – this is the most convenient means of transportation around the city. There are many authentic Chinese eateries near the campus, which serve not only amazing ramen, but also various exotics such as pork brains, chicken paws, duck tongues and other dishes. Surprisingly, all this is very tasty!

The campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University is unavailable for the public visits due to periodic outbreaks of COVID. But the bachelors of MAI-SJTU were lucky - their dormitory is located right on the university grounds.

– I was very impressed by the size of the campus, – admits Anton Torkachenko, – it is really huge. The territory might be compared with two Gorky Parks in Moscow – it will take more than two hours to go from one end to the other. There are lakes, rivers, and many canteens – by the way, very cheap and delicious, more than a hundred sports facilities: only 16 basketball playgrounds! In China, everyone tries to lead an active lifestyle – every evening stadiums and treadmills are crowded!

– Shanghai impresses with the level of progress: there are lights everywhere, lots of colors, high technology at every step. Walking along the central streets, you experience a permanent feeling as if you are in the future. The Bund, People's Square, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center, Nanjing Street – leave an indelible impression, – says Sergey Kovutnov.

Although China has opened its doors to students, strict covid restrictions have not yet lost their force. All residents of Shanghai are required to take a PCR test every two days and fill out a health questionnaire in a special application. If the test is negative, the application generates a green QR code that allows you to visit public places.

– It was amazing for me to realize that the multimillion population of the metropolis acts as a single cohesive organism in the fight against coronavirus, – Lyubov Mamurkova shares. – At first it seems as if COVID restrictions limit your freedom: you have wear a mask, show green code everywhere, remember about PCR tests. But, in fact, you quickly adapt to these rules, and life continues to go on as usual – even, I would say, sparkling!

The students of MAI-SJTU have studies, exams, and dissertation defense ahead of them.

– Undoubtedly, it was hard to break away from the usual way of life, leave work and say goodbye to your loved ones for a long time. But now, sitting on the windowsill of my dorm room and looking at the night campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, I understand that I am happy," admits Lyubov Mamurkova. – I really like China and the people - they are all very nice and responsive. I quickly felt at home here. Now I can confidently say: you can't give up the chance to try something new, to change your life. The emotions I experience every day while in Shanghai are worth any travel difficulties!