Yemeni student speaks about his choice of university, passion for medicine and learning Russian
Saleh Abdullah Gubari is 20 years old student of SPbU Preparatory Course from Yemen, although he was born and raised in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He attended Al-Kon International School in Jeddah city, which offered American curriculum. At the moment, he intends to study general medicine in Russian language at St Petersburg University. Saleh’s hobby is music listening and producing. Formerly, he was a music producer in Jeddah, but due to motivation for medicine and passion to help others decided to leave the industry.
How did you choose SPbU for studying Russian? What influenced your decision to apply to SPbU Preparatory Course?
Choosing a university after high school was a very stressful process for me. St Petersburg University site caught my eye after I searched nearly all universities in the world. As gained information, I was amazed by the quality of education. The choice fell on one of the world’s most beautiful cities — Saint Petersburg, on one of the world’s most welcoming countries.
Moreover, the historical relation between Russia and Yemen cannot be underestimated. Relations between Russia and Yemen date back more than a century, with the Soviet Union establishing close ties with both the Yemen Arab Republic and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen. After Yemeni unification in 1990, the Soviet Union recognized the Republic of Yemen, and since then, relations between Russia and Yemen have been close and friendly.
Last but not least , being the oldest and one of the leading classical Universities in Russia, St Petersburg University offers a wide range of programmes at the bachelor’s, specialist’s, master’s, and PhD levels, and is known for its high educational standards, which prepare graduates to be highly competitive in the international job market.
Did you learn Russian before coming to St Petersburg?
I didn’t have any idea about the Russian language before coming to Russia, I just knew how to greet and engage in simple conversations, but now, thankfully, I know how to have an open conversation in a better way, with the understanding of grammar concepts and new Russian vocabulary.
What are your main academic interests? Are they related to the Russian language?
Medicine has been my interest since childhood. My father enlightened me about medicine. He used to buy me medical books and I would spend all night reading them. He never forced me to study medicine, but he planted the passion for it. I aim after the 6 years of the general medicine programme at SPbU to pursue the general surgery programme.
Speaking of Russian language, of course as medicine is taught in Russian, the connection between medical knowledge and Russian language should be strong, because Russian will be my primary language in SPbU and during clinical practice with patients in hospitals.
SPbU Preparatory Courses are notoriously demanding. How are you adjusting to your studies? What are the courses like, what is the workload?
When it comes to studying, I have my own schedule that I work with. Classes start at 9:00 AM, I wake up at 7:00 AM, get myself ready, revise what I have learnt previously, then I go to class. After classes, I get to the dormitory, cook some food, have some rest, then get back to the journey of studying. Learning any language by textbook is not enough from my perspective, but practicing the language with the native speakers helps a lot. It is not easy to learn both Russian and the specialization in 9 months. The workload is very heavy, but having motivation to study medicine just lightens any workload. In the meantime, I only study the Russian language, but I look forward to the second semester for biology and chemistry!
How challenging is studying Russian? What helps you to overcome difficulties?
The Russian language is hard, I agree, but I have several reasons why I decided to study it. First of all, it’s the motive to help others and to relieve the pain of others who cannot help themselves. Secondly, it’s the motive to be a successful person in my community. And, finally, it’s the motive to make anybody who believes in you proud.
Combining all of these reasons together, I can give a cold shoulder to any kind of difficulties, and do my best to attain my goal. Adding to that, our teachers at the faculty are always happy to answer our questions, eager to help, generous in giving information, and are overall outstanding professionals.
In your opinion, what is the most fascinating place in St Petersburg and why do you think so?
Whatever I say about the beauty of St Petersburg, it won’t be fair. St Petersburg is one of the best cities in the world. I went to many places in Petersburg, but the Hermitage, the Nevsky Prospect, and The House of Books are my favorites. Just simply walking around the city is like heaven. Historical churches, beautiful night walks with the ambient lights on buildings hit different, only the person who visited St Petersburg will understand this feeling. In addition, the view of the city when bridges rise up in the middle of the night, while you are in the middle of the Neva River is very fascinating.
Did you make any Russian friends so far?
Till now I try to make as many Russian friends as I can, so I can hangout with them and expand my Russian vocabulary. Here I am friends with everybody! People here are abnormally friendly, helpful, and kind-hearted. I can tell from my own experience.
What did you learn about yourself while living and studying here?
I learned that I can depend on myself for everything. I learned that anything is possible with hard work and passion. I also learned that discipline is a serious matter, if I want to live in Russia and succeed.
Do you plan to stay here and continue your education in SPbU?
When I complete Preparatory Course, I will surely continue my studies at SPbU. I like the organization of the educational process at the University, its quality of education and reputation are also on a very high level.