I made this post about my trip to Russia that hit front page and I have since been getting tons of mentions, messages and replies.
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https://www.nairaland.com/7499368/trip-russia-teaching-experience-russia

The questions are so much that it's literally impossible for me to answer and reply to everyone one by one so I am making this new thread to answer some of the questions.
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QUESTION ONE. AM I A VISA AGENT?
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No I am not. I am an Alumni of University of Ilorin with a degree in microbiology. I travelled to Russia to further my studies. Before I left Nigeria I was into IT and mycology. I had a green farming business that was doing well.
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QUESTION TWO. AM I A PAID PROPAGANDIST?
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No, I have never met President Vladimir Putin. I am not sure I want to meet him Cux I have Phobia for powerful people. My review of Russia might be personal and biased but from the point of view of my eyes...everything I wrote was as I experienced it.
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QUESTION THREE. HOW DID I KNOW PUTIN LOVE BLACK PEOPLE AND THAT HE IS NOT HUNTING DOWN HIS PERCEIVED ENEMIES?
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I don't know. But I recently saw this news of what The wife of the Nigerian president did to a boy and many other similar stories of political witch-hunting in Nigeria. Now my point is that people think in Russia here, you will automatically go to jail if you talk against the government, Putin, e.t.c.
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Well no government will allow you to pollute the minds of their people. You can air your view and opinions as long as you are not causing public disturbance with it. So it all boils down to safety not who you support.
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QUESTION FOUR: DO WE MAKE USE OF REFRIGERATORS?
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In winter we don't. The temperature just by my window is close to minus -40 celcius even though the room are heated. It is colder than any domestic refrigerators. We store our things outside or by the window. But in summer temperatures of this city is hotter than what we have in Nigeria, reaching about +45 degrees! (Just for about a month though) and certainly, we make use of refrigerators by then.
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QUESTION FIVE: WHY THE KIDS IN MY PICTURES LOOK ASIAN AND NOT RUSSIAN AND WHY I CENSORED THEIR FACES.
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I have permission from their school to post the pics on social platforms. It's a form of promotion for the school. I censored their faces because of freaks and pedophiles on this platform.
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Also this is Yakutsk city where the native inhabitants (Sahar) look alot like Koreans, japanese and Chinese.
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QUESTION SIX: WAS MY CONCLUSION ABOUT ZERO RACISM IN RUSSIA BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE IN ONE CITY?
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I travelled through four cities. And the feelings I got from the people was nothing but admiration. From my experience about travelling, I have learned that the nature of citizens of a place is reflective from the behaviour of their police and law enforcement officers. Russian police are a reflection of the Russian people. Gentle and soft. One guy told an officer that he can't answer their questions Cux he doesn't speak Russian...the officer not only used a phone to translate for him, he also downloaded the app for him and taught him how to use it.
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Mind you they could have easily deported him and no one will ask questions. It is very amazing to me that they are so soft yet their trainings allow them to quickly metamorphose into a 'killer' or 'combatant' if necessary..
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I am a very clumsy person so at the immigration terminal in Moscow my documents fell down unto the ground while I was arranging them for checks. It was just beside where pilots were queueing waiting for some immigration clearance too. A female pilot bent down and packed it all for me. She asked me to concentrate on answering the immigration officers the questions they were asking me while she arranged my documents.
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From her face, I discovered she was so happy to be able to speak English to an English speaker. She kept blushing and the other pilots seem to be hailing her English skills Cux they kept saying "angliski!! Hello!! Good day!!"
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QUESTION SEVEN: HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO MOVE FROM LAGOS TO MOSCOW.
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Student Visa is 119k and flight fees can vary. Oh yeah someone kept telling me I am a marketer for Ethiopian air lol!
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I also eulogized overland air in my post...for their good services and the fact that I love the sound of the props on my plane.
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If you must know, most flights to Moscow cost between 750k to 1.9million using black market rates for dollars. Ethiopian air is the only way you could fly to Moscow for less than 300k! Also after seeing the tens of planes in their fleet and the VIP treatment they gave me inspite of my cheap ticket, I could not help but commend them.
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This university charges $1,500 per year for medicine. (Sanctions have inflated that rate)
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AGAIN, ABOUT PUTIN LOVING BLACK PEOPLE.
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.Let me remind us that Russia is still within the top three most powerful country. Russia is developed and large. Russian degrees are very respected all round the world... YET RUSSIA HAS ONE OF THE CHEAPEST VISA FEES FOR AFRICANS.
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I am certain Putin can make it go way up with a single snap of his fingers. In Abuja I saw polish embassy denying visa to students who have already paid their fees to their respective universities... Don't even let us talk about US embassy...you know the story yourself...USA embassy will even use CIA and marines to make you look small lol, Go to Russian embassy and tell me if you see any special forces there apart from our naija police...
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They treat us like human beings here. Nobody on this platform can say the same thing about our police and even our people.
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AND FINALLY ABOUT RACISM. like I said there is no Racism here and I was being relative. Do Nigerian people like people from Niger? Recently Ghanaians started attacking us too, we know what is happening between Nigeria and south Africa...
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All these shits does not happen here to black people. Funny enough it happens between Russian tribes but not to Africans and even westerners. Russians are more likely to eat in a restaurant were they will get to see a black man or get served by a black man.
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Certainly there will be people that do not like Africans but they are minorities. You can't sit in a bus and a white guy will stand from beside you Cux you are black. Every single time I have used the bus, there is always some white Russian who will gladly offer me a sit beside them.
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And if you can speak and use their cuss words!!! Oh my!! Forget it...you are LOVED!!!
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Will you create another thread again if this post hit fpp? And you get tons of mentions and dms??

@OP, I don't think it is necessary for you to be replying some mentions. The western powers have done enough damage to we Nigerians more than what I can describe.

While we are growing up, the major foreign movies we are used to are American movies where one actor " Commando " will face a whole country and finished them So till date it is very hard for many of us to believe many countries are as powerful as the USA.

I used to laugh when some people will be attacking people here if you dare choose Russia visa if you are to choice between USA/RUSSIA Visa.
The US/UK make sure they painted every other countries black that it is only few people know the truth.

I can recall in the year 2008 during the time of yahoo chat room, when one American man asked me if we have any upstair in the whole Africa, i laugh tire and I told him uncountable. He said it is a lie that we are still living in mud and grass house, he asked me again what is the latest handset we are using, i replied Nokia N-series, the man was surprised and said so CNN have been feeding them with lies.

The Russia/Ukraine conflict has really open the western power propaganda about Russia, calling it under developed countries but today everyone can see who is right and who is telling lies.

If u get mind post pictures make we see

U no dey fear for your life?

Spanishmilf:
Will you create another thread again if this post hit fpp? And you get tons of mentions and dms??

LoL nah...I think I will just stop here...the guy above me is one of the problems of Nigeria.
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Honestly I just want people to see Russia for what it truly is. But I will continue to love the western people too till tomorrow.

mushroomFarm:

LoL nah...I think I will just stop here...the guy above me is one of the problems of Nigeria.
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Honestly I just want people to see Russia for what it truly is. But I will continue to love the western people too till tomorrow.

I thought I meant well for you with my statement.

those guys are fighting a serious war.

Unless you are friends to their govt, or their govt think you are cool. The wise thing to do is not to get on their nerves.

Pls you don't need to answer them again. Just move on and furnish us with relevant information that requires in schooling there. Thank

Well

mushroomFarm:

LoL nah...I think I will just stop here...the guy above me is one of the problems of Nigeria.
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Honestly I just want people to see Russia for what it truly is. But I will continue to love the western people too till tomorrow.

nice
I’m enjoying your write ups and your pic

You don't need to answer them... Just continue

madridguy:
@OP, I don't think it is necessary for you to be replying some mentions. The western powers have done enough damage to we Nigerians more than what I can describe.

While we are growing up, the major foreign movies we are used to are American movies [/b]where one actor " Commando " will face a whole country and finished them So till date it is very hard for many of us to believe many countries are as powerful as the USA.[b]

I used to laugh when some people will be attacking people here if you dare choose Russia visa if you are to choice between USA/RUSSIA Visa.
The US/UK make sure they painted every other countries black that it is only few people know the truth.

I can recall in the year 2008 during the time of yahoo chat room, when one American man asked me if we have any upstair in the whole Africa, i laugh tire and I told him uncountable. He said it is a lie that we are still living in mud and grass house, he asked me again what is the latest handset we are using, i replied Nokia N-series, the man was surprised and said so CNN have been feeding them with lies.

The Russia/Ukraine conflict has really open the western power propaganda about Russia, calling it under developed countries but today everyone can see who is right and who is telling lies.

@bolded
That's funny but you're right

@ mushroomFarm, i have some questions for you please.,
1. Apart from this $1,500, is their any other fees one will pay in each year like we have in nigeria university like sug, departmental fees etc?
2. Does this 1,500 dollars covers hostel fee and feeding?
3. If i apply to study medicine in that your university, how long will it take for everything to be ready for me to leave nigeria?

QUESTION THRE
please op @muchroomFarm, attend to my questions above. I wanna come over there to further my studies and i want to get the first hand legit info from you.
Thanks and i wish to be like you one day.

PeaceNation:
Pls you don't need to answer them again. Just move on and furnish us with relevant information that requires in schooling there. Thank

exactly my thought.
due to distractions in the previous post, op could not answer people with relevant questions about schooling there.

mushroomFarm:

LoL nah...I think I will just stop here...the guy above me is one of the problems of Nigeria.
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Honestly I just want people to see Russia for what it truly is. But I will continue to love the western people too till tomorrow.

pls op, answer my question before they will flood this thrend like they did to the previous one.

Just open a thread on the Diary section on air a land and update your experience there. Nairala dees will bumbardlbllll you will questions upon questions.

mushroomFarm:

LoL nah...I think I will just stop here...the guy above me is one of the problems of Nigeria.
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Honestly I just want people to see Russia for what it truly is. But I will continue to love the western people too till tomorrow.

How you dey cope with that kind of cold?
-33°C...my God!!
That's way toooo cold man
Inasmuch as I like that place, the fear of that kind of cold would not even let me think of coming there...

Any job application website?

OP, i can relate to everything you just said.

Comparing Russia to Nigeria is an insult to Russians. We Demand an apology for this

@OP,
There is a difference between Russian people and the Russian system and government.

No doubt ordinary Russian people are nice. Ordinary Iranian people, north korean people, Afghanistan people are all nice. These ordinary people are like the rest of us, we just want to live a free life.

What makes a good country is not just the people but their system cos even good people will not save you in a bad system.

Let me remind you that you are in Russia so whatever you do, don't ever suggest that you don't support the Ukraine war. You have to support the war whether you like it or not else you will e putting yourself at risk. Top Russian elites who have opposed Putin or the war have been dieing like flies mysteriously either by poison or by jumping from their balcony, 2 of them just died in the last 4 days alone in India, check the news. The Russian state no dey play ooo. It is not like the west where you can openly say your mind against the state so be careful.

There is nothing interesting about a one man powerful country where the citizens are constantly being watched by the state for any dissent. One would have thought that China, Russia Iran will be the top migration destinations among the Chinese,Iranians, Russians citizens since they are friendly nations but No , the citizens of these countries still prefer the western countries despite the bad relations among their countries. What does that tell you?

Mr mushroomfarm, thanks for the explanation - one day, I'll travel round the world too. If i get richer enough to go back to university, I'd like to continue my education, abroad.

Thanks for this update. Some people like doubting for no reason

This thread is ridiculous, I'm starting to see why nigerians think the rest of the world is just paradise.

Come on, russia?

I wouldn't be surprised if your next thread was about antarctica being the best beach holiday destination the world lol.

Get real, I've been there and I have a friend there who wants to desperately get out because it's so depressing, cold and the people are unfriendly.

Calvilman:
This thread is ridiculous, I'm starting to see why nigerians think the rest of the world is just paradise.

Come on, russia?

I wouldn't be surprised if your next thread was about antarctica being the best beach holiday destination the world lol.

Get real, I've been there and I have a friend there who wants to desperately get out because it's so depressing, cold and the people are unfriendly.

Russia is big have you been in all parts

ariesbull:
Russia is big have you been in all parts

I've been to Karelia which is one of the poorest parts and Saint Petersburg which is one of the richest parts, even richer than the capital.

I've also lived in an ethnic Russian territory, Narva which in the baltics.

I've done business with Russians in Estonia and I know many Russians personally.

I like many things about Russia and Russians but this thread is just blatant lies or someone being overly enthusiastic and not seeing below the surface, I'm not entirely sure which but the information here is very inaccurate and there's no proof of anything whatsoever to back any claims.

Nigeria is big have you been to all parts?
This is a very stupid argument ^

I found a video of nigerian students protesting in russia because they were tricked into working and not getting paid:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS5TG7fQhl8

It's not just easy money like they claim here.

Mixed opinion:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ4tJUe_Wsg

And one big nigerian youtube chann called tayno aina made a coverage about nigerian students getting scammed by these agencies in russia:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJJwBOYSH-E

I'll ask a russian native about this tomorrow, be careful.

EDIT:

"So I asked my friemd about this.

We both came to the conclusion that the issue with this thread is that OP is in a very sheltered position and only experienced russia from a very priviliged point of view.
Also OP seems to only compare everything to nigeria which suggests that he is overexaggerating how good things are because anyone who has traveled a lot knpws that many things that are said to be grwat and amazing is mediocre at best when compared to many other countries.

Apparently russia is generally ok for black people and western europe is more racist because there are too many immigrants there.

I can personally confirm this, however I have experiemced racism by russians but only when they speak russian and I understand basics of russian.
Specifically working class people tend to be racist, the issue here is that OP hangs around academic and well to do people which is not average for russia.

Russian police are corrupt, in fact my friemd said that the biggest issue with russia is corruption.
Failed potential, could be one of the richest countries in the world but it's just extremely corrupt.

Russians are depressed people and this caused by lack of oppoturnity as most people feel like they've failed in life as russia is a very judgemental society so when they see an academic person like OP of course they put him on a pedestal.
I can personally confirm that russians are not happy people based on my experiences.

My friend said that a huge issue with russian people is generational trauma caused by neverending oppressive regime, if you criticize the government you do get in trouble and people have no slirit to fight against it because they think the battle has always been lost.
Everubody knows how corrupt and oppressive the country is but they choose to ignore it.

Putin is not popular, he's seen as a corrupt and oppressive dictator but people feel like that's just how it is and nothing can be done about this.
I've personally never heard russians say good things about putin.

Russian society revolves around working, people don't really express themselves and day to day life can be very meaningless and depressing.

Russians drink heavily, alcoholism is socially acceptable and it's how a lot of leople cope with depressing life there.

My friend said that unlike what OP said, young and middle aged russians are the rudest, most
unfriendliest and that russians are generally rude.

Based on my personal experiences russian children and teenagers are very rude and nasty for some reason but I think middle aged people are ok, I've only had issues with young people.

I think OP is sincere here but I think this point of view is extremely biased.

So to all people reading this don't think that living in russia would be this amazing because OP is treated based on his special position, his experience is comparable to a european tourist going to a luxury holiday resort in nigeria thinking that's what the whole country is like.

This is a good thread but I think it lacks perspective, there's no research or stepling out of the lane to see what is outside this catered student circle.

So basically OP's experience may be amazing but russia is not amazing, if you think that going to russia will automatically make your life amazing this is wrong.

I wish OP a wonderful experience but be careful what you're feeding to nigerians her because this type of storytelling on social media makes peopls think that nigeria is a hellhole and every other country is paradise.

Funny how nigerians start loving their country once they go and live abroad properly.

This is why I always make sure that when I tell epople what my experiences of a country are like, I focus a lot on the context.

For example when I was in switzerland and people were smiling and friendly but then I asked swiss people and immigrants about it and they said that it's just being polite but they're not actually helpful or friendly people and a lot of them usffer from depression but they hide it with superficial smiles due to cultural standards.

OP:

"know foreigners are being watched but trust me, you are being watched in Nigeria more than in Russia. Contrary to popular opinion, president Vladimir Putin does not 'hunt down' his perceived enemies. People have freedom here but at least 90% of Russians I have met, love him.
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9. President Vladimir Putin is very friendly to Africans. Russian immigration laws makes it easy for Africans to come study in Russia and when you are here, they don't harass nor bully you and they don't treat you like second class citizens."

Ask yourself, do rich nigerians and white european exchange students feel like they're being oppressed in nigeria?

Would university employees who get paid for making sure that exchange students will enjoy being in the country tell these white exchange students that buhari is terrible and nigeria sucks?

Are foreign exchamge students treated as second class citizens in nigeria?
Or are they perhaps treated as first class citizens?

What if OP was an uneducated labourer working at mcdonalds for minimum salary and he spoke russian, would this affect his experience in any way?

An ignorant person knows everything, a wise man knows nothing.
If you know everything you have no reason to question anything."

To anyone thinking of going to Russia. Do your research properly. There is a reason lots of blacks, Indian, Chinese e.t.c are bombarding US, UK, Germany, Sweden e.t.c with visa applications instead of Russia. Even the OP said the Russian embassy wasn't busy with less security, and their visa seems easy, yet nobody wants to go.

Best to stay away from Eastern Europe (Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus e.t.c) if you can.

jimetagambo:
To anyone thinking of going to Russia. Do your research properly. There is a reason lots of blacks, Indian, Chinese e.t.c are bombarding US, UK, Germany, Sweden e.t.c with visa applications instead of Russia. Even the OP said the Russian embassy wasn't busy with less security, and their visa seems easy, yet nobody wants to go.

Best to stay away from Eastern Europe (Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus e.t.c) if you can.

Russia can be ok, I don't think it's a terrible idea to go there to study.

The point is that people shouldn't choose russia because of this thread thinking that it's the erfect country just because an overenthusiastic person says everything there is perfect.

In fact I don't think it matters where you go to study, every countru has pros and cons but the decision on where to go should be made based on your personal preferences and position and not because a person in a special position said it's perfect for everyone.