I always felt Russian in my heart

"I was constantly reading Russian fairy tales, my grandfather loved Russia very much. So I always felt Russian in my heart, even though I was born in Sri Lanka.

The study of foreign languages is a kind of consequence of the British rule in the past. It’s over now, but, anyway, we’ve been learning English since kindergarten. There are several languages spoken in our country: Tamil, Sinhala and many dialects, but English is always used as lingua franca — as a link for communication between people.

The USA or Russia — this was my only choice when I decided to study abroad. My excellent English spoke in favor of America, but Russia was a child’s love of Pushkin’s fairy tales and Chekhov’s short stories. Child’s love was stronger. RUDN University is well-known among Sri Lankan entrants, it’s quoted and considered a good step to get a prestigious job in the field of education.

I chose “Theoretical and applied linguistics”. In the first year, I conducted a comparative analysis of cultural and linguistic differences between representatives of different countries.

I like to work with children under two years old, it’s an amazing experience: I can learn Russian, and they learn English instead. I really want to teach “special” children — sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to them, and this situation needs to change. Children’s education is a special topic for me — I have some experience and knowledge that allows me to look deeper at problems and find solutions.

I wonder how brain functions when learning a language and constructing sentences — after lessons, I often have questions about how it works. That’s why I plan to develop the topic in the context of teaching dyslexics. And I would like to write a dissertation on neuro-linguistics at a postgraduate school in Oxford or Cambridge.

In three years, a new linguistic educational program will be launched in my country, and I will take the chance to be a pioneer in the development of language classes. The prestige of RUDN diploma will help me get a teaching position in one of the best universities of Sri Lanka".