Scholar Testimonial: Mamura Abdullajonova

Mamura Abdullajonova of Uzbekistan received an Open Society Institute Centre National des Œuvres Universitaires et Scolaires (CNOUS) scholarship to study for an MA in political science at the University of Strasbourg. The following describes her experience of the OSI Pre-Academic Summer School in Istanbul.

Previously when I heard talk of Istanbul, I had only imagined a beautiful city with ancient mosques, museums, oriental bazaars, and of course, the sea. Now Istanbul is linked with unforgettable impressions which have stayed in my mind and in the minds of all the participants of the summer school organized by the Open Society Institute. Today I can say that it’s a city where I made many friends, and most of all, where I enriched my academic and personal experience—all those elements that are important when one travels abroad where one can find oneself in any situation where one needs to manage on one’s own.

The first week of our stay in Istanbul seemed as though a month had passed by! Everything was new, from the number and diversity of presentations and courses, led by instructors from different universities and countries, to the numerous assignments.

I found the assignments demanding academically since the system of teaching in Uzbekistan is completely different from that of France. Because of these differences, I experienced some difficulties. I found it was necessary to work, and to work constantly to keep up with the demands of the program.

At times we passed sleepless nights working on our assignments, analyses, and other exercises practiced at French universities. Each day we received new assignments with new demands, and although it was difficult, everyone got used to it and was ready for the exams. Moreover, the more diverse and difficult the tasks, the more they unified the students as they taught us communication and how to listen to others.

In view of the competitiveness of students at Strasbourg, I can say that thanks to those assignments, courses, and sleepless nights, I have encountered fewer difficulties with my coursework and communication with people in France.