Abdullah Ibrahim Adbulmumin: “Kazan is a very beautiful city, and locals are very amicable”

As part of our Second Home project, this time we present a winner of the Open Doors competition and first-year master’s student of petroleum engineering.

A Door to the Future

Abdullah, 22, came to Russia from Nigeria last November to study thanks to his success in the Open Doors International Olympiad. This competition is held by the Association of Global Universities with the support of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

“I participated in the Open Doors project, which required me to choose one of six Russian universities for further study. I wanted to enroll in a program related to oil and gas technology,a and later I learned that Kazan University offers an excellent education in this field, so KFU was my priority,” Abdullah says.

But he didn’t enroll immediately. Before enrolling, he had to complete the preparatory program for international students.

“I studied Russian at the preparatory program and prepared for admission. This summer, I enrolled in a master’s program at the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies. Previously, I studied at the African Institute of Management and Business Studies in Togo in civil engineering,” adds the young man.” My interest in oil and gas production and working with the black gold stems from the development of this industry in my home country. Nigeria has the largest natural gas reserves in Africa and is Africa’s leading exporter of LNG.”

(Not) Lost in Translation

Abdullah has been in Tatarstan for almost a year. He has successfully adapted to the Russian climate and local culture.

“I’ll tell you about my experience. When we arrived, winter was just beginning. It was very cold. I had never seen such weather, and it was challenging. The second challenge I faced was not knowing Russian; it was difficult to communicate with other people, on the street, in the store. Back then, I used a translator app on my phone and that’s how I communicated. Once we’d mastered some Russian in class, communicating outside was easier than it had been when we’d just arrived in Russia. Over time, I began to understand what people were saying,” he explains.

The student believes that high personal motivation plays a major role in language learning. A varied leisure program is also important.

“If someone wants to master something new, something they’ve struggled with before, they have to see it through. Knowing Russian is essential to living comfortably and communicating freely. You have to believe in yourself: ‘Can I do it? Yes, I can!’ Russian is a very complex language, and it’s hard to say how we managed to reach this level, but it’s certainly thanks to the lessons of the preparatory faculty. We’re very happy they helped us,” Abdullah emphasizes. “The unique thing about studying at the preparatory faculty is that the group consists entirely of international students, and each student has their own native language. Some speak English, others French or Spanish. There are also people who don’t speak either language at all. So, if you want to communicate, you have to use Russian. To master it, you have to try speaking it.”

Student Life

The interviewee had the opportunity to participate in the Summer University project. He recently presented a paper on geological methods for heavy oil production at the 3rd OIC Youth Scientific Congress.

“I really enjoyed presenting at the congress. To understand the topic, you need to study other research. I have good teachers. I study in English, and they speak it very well. If I have any difficulties, they always answer my questions,” Abdulmumin shares.

He previously lived in the Universiade Village; now his home is the Student City (an older dorm cluster in the city center).

“The dorm is very convenient,” Abdulmumin notes. “I had friendly neighbors at the Universiade Village, and the people who work on campus are kind. I would be happy to live there again; I miss it very much.”

Cultural Code

According to the young man, his native culture resonates with the culture of Tatarstan in that both are closely linked to Islam.

“Kazan is a very, very beautiful city, and its people are kind. I also really like the culture,” he says. “The local cuisine is completely different. I know how to cook, I eat at home, and sometimes I go to cafes and restaurants. As for the famous triangle [Tatar meat pastry – editor’s note], We have a similar dish in Nigeria, not triangular, but also a pie with potatoes and meat.”

In closing, Abdullah offered some advice to those who, like him a year ago, want to study in Russia, “A lot of people from different countries want to get a Russian education. It’s at a very high level here, and to get a scholarship or grant, you have to diligently pursue research and participate in conferences. There are many academic programs that offer a wealth of opportunities. It’s easy to apply on websites like Open Doors or Education in Russia. Write a motivation letter, explain why you want to study here, what your goals are, and why this particular program interests you—all of this can be done on these websites. And you have to believe in yourself. Other applicants also want to win and study. So, if you’ve received this opportunity, you have to do everything you can to come and study hard.”