What is the daughter of an Ecuadorian police officer studying in Moscow?

I was impressed not so much by shooting or detective stories, but by psychology. —  Angelica says. — I wanted to realize what was going on in the minds of criminals, and what pushed them to commit crimes.

Accordingly, she began her studies from Psychology at the Philological Faculty. Later, she realized that she didn’t have enough knowledge of the legal framework, and entered the program of RUDN Law Institute to master “Forensic expert activities in law enforcement”.

In particular, the issues of specific offenses are certainly interesting. — Angelica says. — But I’m also interested in global problems, general trends that form extremely dangerous, monstrous behaviours, in which, for example, feminicide is possible.

Feminicide is a gender-based hate crime term. So-called domestic violence is just one of its manifestations, a kind of harbinger of what later in the protocols can be dryly described as the deliberate murder of women because they are women. The student has been working on the topic of feminicide in Ecuador for several years. Elaborating this difficult topic requires time and effort from Angelica: it’s necessary to process statistical data and talk delicately about terrible crimes.

Why did Angelica decide to go to Russia, to Moscow? First of all, since high school, she wanted to study in some other country. Secondly, the choice was influenced by the long-standing trade and economic ties between the two countries, which haven’t been interrupted for many decades. And most importantly, once at the University, she found a lot of opportunities for self-realization.

This year I became President of the Ecuadorian students association. —  Angelica says. — There’s additional workload, but it’s interesting, it disciplines and teaches you to work in a multitasking mode: helping with the hostel, organizing classes, holding a concert — you need to do everything, and questions are constantly pouring in. And constant communication is also very important and helps a lot.

After completing her studies, Angelica plans to return to Ecuador, work with the police, and implement a women’s protection program. But she also specifies that this is the initial, so to speak, basic plan. Now, after several years spent in Russia, she doesn’t exclude the possibility that it could change.

There is a possibility that I would stay in Russia. I really like it here and it’s a country of great professional opportunities, — believes Angelica Sandoval.