Sofiya Fedotova

(Here I am sewing soles at campus for shoes made of wool)

My name is Sofiya, and I studied folklore, rituals and traditions of the peoples of the Arctic at the Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts. I came to SUAS on exchange through the North 2 North program in the fall of 2021, after having to postpone my original exchange from the fall 2020 due to covid.

It was interesting for me to learn how people live, whose language and traditions are completely different from mine.  I have only good memories of the university.
Studying the sámi giela, I learned the culture of the Sami people, made new friends, fulfilled my childhood dream of studying abroad.

 
(Niurguiana,  Marfa and me making dolls as a part of the lecture)

At the beginning, it was difficult for me to memorize the words, but classmates and friends were very supportive and helped in the study.
Deđusge!  Sámi állaskuvla gives you the opportunity to learn a new language, thanks to the practical exercises, I felt unity with your people.  All Sámi állaskuvla specialists are competent, they have always been kind and helpful to me.  That's why I'm always proud to say that I was a student at a Sami állaskuvla.

 
(Fellow students Niurguiana, Sardaana, Marfa, me and Saina together with Ida, the international adviser at SUAS)

 In addition to teaching, Sámi állaskuvla also gave me and my girls the opportunity to introduce others to the culture of my people, we arranged a concert.  I was pleased to sing in my own language, to talk about the life of my people.  Such support and attentiveness of the Sámi allaskuvla to it's foreign students is an indicator of the high level of the institution.

(The poster from our concert at Diehtosiida campus)