‘My Advice Is to Buy Mandarins, Bake Ginger Biscuits, and Watch New Year’s Films!’
Over 450 international students from all over the globe currently study at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences. Some of them have recorded video greetings, talked about celebrations in their home countries, and shared their ideas on how to spend the winter holidays in Russia. Below, we offer the third and final part of their interviews.
Lukas Polz, Austria, Student of the Master’s in Strategic Corporate Finance
We celebrate Christmas on the 24th, normally with a visit to church, then dinner with the whole family. After that, we gather around the Christmas tree and give each other presents. On the 25th, we visit other close families and stop at bars in our hometown to see people we grew up with and who also came back to visit family.
The 31st is normally for drinking and partying with friends, and we wish each other good luck for the New Year. On the 1st of January, there is ‘Frühshoppen’, which is a party that starts early with a broadcast of the ‘Neujahrskonzert’ from Vienna. Sparkling wine is our traditional drink of choice. The 7th of January is a normal day for us, more or less.
In Austria, the time between the 23rd of December and the 3rd of January is normally a holiday for a lot of people. This entire time is marked by a lot of partying and food.
The running joke in Austria is that people get fat, and then on the 31st promise themselves that they will go to the gym in the New Year
I cope with the Russian winter very well. I like the weather and the cold. It's not a lot colder than in the Austrian mountains. I wish the walkways were less slippery. My advice is to buy a balaclava and winter boots, stomp hard on the ground before you enter a place to get the snow off your feet, watch your step, and when you slip, just accept it and let it happen.
Anastasia Morozova, Almaty, Kazakhstan; 3rd-year student at the Faculty of Economic Sciences
I will celebrate New Year with my family in Kazakhstan. I always meet with my family and friends at New Year. We prepare a lot of different festive foods and treats, watch concerts on TV, exchange gifts and make new wishes for the upcoming year. I have a lot of plans for the holidays! We will go ice skating at the Medeu mountain valley rink, go skiing at the Chimbulak resort, and take some nice New Years photos in the city.
Ayaz Ata is a Kazakh fairytale character similar to Ded Moroz or Santa Claus. He usually wears an ankle-length fur coat, boots, and has a long beard
In Kazakhstan, we traditionally celebrate Nauryz—eastern New Year—at the start of spring. We invite guests over and prepare a lavish feast. In the city, there are fairs, concerts, games and contests. Young people meet up on that day to go on swings and hang out. This tradition is called altybakan.
We set the table with a lot of treats and dishes. Bauyrsaks, beshbarmak, chak chak, kumis, and kurt are all essential foods to make on this day. We invite friends and guests, and at the end of the evening drink tea with sweet things.
My advice to international students in Moscow is to definitely take a walk around Red Square. It will fill you with festive cheer! I also recommend going ice skating in the city—there are some free skating rinks. And you should buy mandarins, bake ginger biscuits, and watch New Year’s films!
Watch the video greetings from the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences students and staff:
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