Each graduate has his own special story, full of interesting details, unexpected twists and unforgettable memories, as well as very valuable experience and useful advice for entrants. For all those who are interested in studying at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and enjoy reading about long trips, new countries and acquaintances, but still have doubts about choosing a specialty, we prepared the interview with a graduate of the Faculty of Foreign Languages – Oksana Kiryakina.
Oksana Kiryakina graduated from the Faculty of Foreign Languages in 2015, entering the university at the age of 15, without even having a passport (because she celebrates her birthday in early September). At the age of 7 she already visited 15 countries around the world, in addition, she speaks five languages fluently, enjoys downhill skiing, practices playing tennis and wants to run a marathon.
Interesting details
From the beginning of my study at the University I managed to made a lot of achievements – three student exchanges, work in an international company and the realization of my dream – a trip to New York. Talking about personal achievements that are not related to language, I climbed Hoverla and flew in the cockpit. During studying at the Faculty of Foreign Languages I discovered the world, found friends from all over the world and now I do what I like. I have been working at the foreign airline for almost 5 years, and thanks to my success at work, I have the opportunity to travel anywhere in the world.
– What motivated you to learn 5 languages and do you plan to learn new ones?
Since childhood, I have enjoyed copying the pronunciation and singing foreign language songs of famous singers: “Backstreet Boys”, Britney Spears, Enrique Iglesias and many others. I also enjoyed watching various TV series, trying to distinguish the words of the characters that were heard, despite the dubbing in Ukrainian language. I always wanted to be able to say something in a language I did not understand. At school I noticed that I had the ability to learn languages and write essays. Year after year my parents were constantly enrolling my sister and me in various courses, summer schools for learning English and encouraging learning and self-development. While studying at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, I chose a second language to study – Spanish, and later, decided to study Italian together with a friend. At first, learning was quite difficult, but thanks to the friendly atmosphere during classes, teaching style and interesting stories from lecturers, I managed to stay motivated and inspired to learn languages. Now I have a desire to learn Croatian. Even during a student exchange in Croatia, I realized that I understand about 60% of the words and can even make an order in a cafe. We even conducted an experiment with Croatian students: during the day we talked to each other exclusively in our native languages: they in Croatian and me in Ukrainian. We understood each other very well, although, of course, during the “difficult” moments we turned to the main language of the program – English. However, in my opinion, this experiment seemed successful.
– Why did you choose your specialty?
Could I say that it wasn’t me who chose? My specialty chose me. Bilingualism from childhood, interest for history and language as well as constant additional English lessons helped to make up my mind. The brightest memory from student years. Of course, during the five years of study I had many those moments, but I want to single out one – a play in the first year. The first course is like learning to walk: at first it is scary, but curiosity gives courage, and in the end you are already confidently walking through the corridors of the university. In the first year, everything was new: whether it was a conversation club, a student council, or a theatrical performance – everything was like a breath of fresh air. Thanks to the perseverance and hard work of the faculty members (Nera N. Ya. and Biletska O.B.), we prepared a play for Halloween,where almost all the “freshmen” were involved in. I remember our rehearsals and “directing” of the teachers, the approval of the costumes, as well as the incredibly light and friendly atmosphere. It is worth noting that faculty members were invited to the premiere, and it was very exciting.
– About the benefits of philological education
Knowledge of a foreign language is a super strength which can help you to open up new horizons. As nowadays there are a lot of foreign corporations in Ukraine, the main requirement for employment is knowledge of English. I’m not even talking about the importance of knowing a foreign language when traveling abroad, watching iconic English-language series and scientific publications. The whole world speaks English!
So the Faculty of Foreign Languages teaches us not just to speak and write a foreign language, but delve into the structure of language, the history of its formation and development, the impact of historical events on the development of language and its modern shape. We had such subjects as the World history and the History of language, the Cultures and religions of the world, as well as International relations and the Political system of the world. We also had a separate aspect – the “media”, through which we learned the latest news in the world: from current trends to events which took place in space. Thanks to a set of diverse subjects, we form our own understanding of the world, learn to “perceive” language and explore its dynamic structure. In my opinion, philology teaches patience, prudence, keeping a balance and meticulous work.
– About travelling and study abroad
It is said that travelling is the best education. I completely agree with this statement, because through meeting foreigners and communicating with them we discover our world and ourselves. Through travel, we broaden our mind, learn to accept once incomprehensible things, respect the opinion of others. For example, being in a foreign language environment, you finally understand why the Japanese say “maybe” instead of “no”, and the Spanish live on the principle of “calm” (“calma”), and never care about the little things. Time spent in another country gives us the opportunity to “feel” the country and its society rules from the inside. Communicating with people breaks down stereotypes, helps to rethink your attitude to the world and realize the importance of self-development.
– Lifehack for entrants
During the introductory campaign, the attention of entrants is distracted. Everyone is considering options, while striving to get a good education and spend the best student years of his life. Probably the best advice is just to listen to your inner voice. If you like foreign languages, you are interested in literature and you want to discover the world – enter the Faculty of Foreign Languages! Make an effort and you will succeed!