Photo © Nadezhda Ermackova
Portrait - NOMINEE: Nadezhda Ermackova
Strangers
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SERIES “STRANGERS”
Around twenty years ago international students started coming to Tambov to get higher education. At first, they were just a few and they drew a lot of attention. In the course of 20 years the number of students has significantly increased and now around 2,000 people from Africa and Maghreb countries enroll into local universities annually. They manage to intertwine with colored thread into a monochrome pattern of the local population, but integrating into the population of a small provincial town isn’t easy. So, what makes them different from the local population of the small Russian provincial town and are they at all different? What do they like and how do they live?
1.Rocky Mataruusse
From Libreville, Gabon
International Relations major
Sports is as important for me as education is. Rugby, boxing are my true passions. I do rugby professionally. I used to play for the national team in my home country. I’m a strong player and I need to train hard to improve my skills. It’s difficult in Russia to get into the team that suits my skill level beacause of the color of my skin.
2. Alima Kambi
From Bakota, Gambia
Civil Engineering major
I spend all my time studying, and that means a lot to me. Sadly, I’ll have to take a leave of absence next year due to financial issues, but I will do anything possible to complete my education.
3. Christiane Fleure
From Abidjan, Ivory Coast
International Relations major
Overall, I like studying here. If I ignore some of the little things, like some of the habits of the locals, it’s a cozy little town where everything is affordable. I’m missing African food though.
4. Israel Premier
From Brazzaville, Cameroon
Medicine major
I was shocked when I saw our dorms: dirt, cockroaches, there wasn’t a lock on the doors. I fixed the room myself: put up wallpaper, bought a refrigerator, curtains and other little things. No one else has a room like that.
5. Landry William Yao
From Yaounde, Cameroon
Medicine major
I am very proud of my cup. We got it for winning a university football competition. I can’t live without sport. Also, I’m an amazing cook, my friends call me “Le Cordon Bleu”. (That’s what the French call a virtuoso culinary, after a prestigious culinary school.)
6. Owolowo Akorede
From Nigeria
Management major
This painting is one of the few things I bought here in Tambov. I liked how realistic the depiction of the woman is. She is very beautiful. Many of our guys want to be friend and hang out with the local girls, but they aren’t very friendly. That upsets me.
7. Catalea l'Or Ngiia
From Libreville, Gabon
Business Informatics major
I find blending in the local society difficult. I feel like a stranger. Girls in the university laugh when they see me. We’re in a strange situation here; we were promised great education and clean dorms. What we got is cockroaches in the rooms and lectures in Russian. We don’t fully understand the language and that’s a big issue that we ended up paying a lot of money for.
8. Abina Zoua Bertrand
From Yaounde, Cameroon
Management major
I pay for my education myself and can only count on myself - my parents passed away a few years ago, that’s why I work as a loader part time. It’s extremely difficult but I don’t have a lot of choice, since there’s not many job opportunities for people of color. I need to get a degree so I hustle.
09. Sandrine
Dshang, Cameroon
Management major
About author:
NADEZHDA ERMAKOVA
Moscow, Russia
33 y.o.
+7-916-4249590
ermackova.nadezhda@gmail.com
https://resternormal.myportfolio.com
Education:
2002 – 2007 Saint Petersburg State University,
Faculty of Philology,
Specialty “French Language and Literature”.
2017 - 2018 School of New Photography of Elena Sukhoveeva
and Victor Khmel.
Oct. 2018 – participating at portfolio review, Photovisa, Krasnodar, Russia
Nov. 2018 – publication of my series «Strangers»: https://takiedela.ru/2018/11/inostrannye-studenty-v-tambove/?fbclid=IwAR3zjVGSk3nuohrLpVoOHloOtQap9Snibr23dB9WgHHU9FiOaOjy-r7f33Q
Dec. 2018 – another publication of my series “Strangers”: https://lenta.ru/photo/2018/12/15/wolf/?referrer=longgrid_16&fbclid=IwAR37fmVUHsI6c_pWVGsuf54XPf4cJoSckjwYLA4ZlW29DvmF9MkOmaUZP-8
Around twenty years ago international students started coming to Tambov to get higher education. At first, they were just a few and they drew a lot of attention. In the course of 20 years the number of students has significantly increased and now around 2,000 people from Africa and Maghreb countries enroll into local universities annually. They manage to intertwine with colored thread into a monochrome pattern of the local population, but integrating into the population of a small provincial town isn’t easy. So, what makes them different from the local population of the small Russian provincial town and are they at all different? What do they like and how do they live?
1.Rocky Mataruusse
From Libreville, Gabon
International Relations major
Sports is as important for me as education is. Rugby, boxing are my true passions. I do rugby professionally. I used to play for the national team in my home country. I’m a strong player and I need to train hard to improve my skills. It’s difficult in Russia to get into the team that suits my skill level beacause of the color of my skin.
2. Alima Kambi
From Bakota, Gambia
Civil Engineering major
I spend all my time studying, and that means a lot to me. Sadly, I’ll have to take a leave of absence next year due to financial issues, but I will do anything possible to complete my education.
3. Christiane Fleure
From Abidjan, Ivory Coast
International Relations major
Overall, I like studying here. If I ignore some of the little things, like some of the habits of the locals, it’s a cozy little town where everything is affordable. I’m missing African food though.
4. Israel Premier
From Brazzaville, Cameroon
Medicine major
I was shocked when I saw our dorms: dirt, cockroaches, there wasn’t a lock on the doors. I fixed the room myself: put up wallpaper, bought a refrigerator, curtains and other little things. No one else has a room like that.
5. Landry William Yao
From Yaounde, Cameroon
Medicine major
I am very proud of my cup. We got it for winning a university football competition. I can’t live without sport. Also, I’m an amazing cook, my friends call me “Le Cordon Bleu”. (That’s what the French call a virtuoso culinary, after a prestigious culinary school.)
6. Owolowo Akorede
From Nigeria
Management major
This painting is one of the few things I bought here in Tambov. I liked how realistic the depiction of the woman is. She is very beautiful. Many of our guys want to be friend and hang out with the local girls, but they aren’t very friendly. That upsets me.
7. Catalea l'Or Ngiia
From Libreville, Gabon
Business Informatics major
I find blending in the local society difficult. I feel like a stranger. Girls in the university laugh when they see me. We’re in a strange situation here; we were promised great education and clean dorms. What we got is cockroaches in the rooms and lectures in Russian. We don’t fully understand the language and that’s a big issue that we ended up paying a lot of money for.
8. Abina Zoua Bertrand
From Yaounde, Cameroon
Management major
I pay for my education myself and can only count on myself - my parents passed away a few years ago, that’s why I work as a loader part time. It’s extremely difficult but I don’t have a lot of choice, since there’s not many job opportunities for people of color. I need to get a degree so I hustle.
09. Sandrine
Dshang, Cameroon
Management major
About author:
NADEZHDA ERMAKOVA
Moscow, Russia
33 y.o.
+7-916-4249590
ermackova.nadezhda@gmail.com
https://resternormal.myportfolio.com
Education:
2002 – 2007 Saint Petersburg State University,
Faculty of Philology,
Specialty “French Language and Literature”.
2017 - 2018 School of New Photography of Elena Sukhoveeva
and Victor Khmel.
Oct. 2018 – participating at portfolio review, Photovisa, Krasnodar, Russia
Nov. 2018 – publication of my series «Strangers»: https://takiedela.ru/2018/11/inostrannye-studenty-v-tambove/?fbclid=IwAR3zjVGSk3nuohrLpVoOHloOtQap9Snibr23dB9WgHHU9FiOaOjy-r7f33Q
Dec. 2018 – another publication of my series “Strangers”: https://lenta.ru/photo/2018/12/15/wolf/?referrer=longgrid_16&fbclid=IwAR37fmVUHsI6c_pWVGsuf54XPf4cJoSckjwYLA4ZlW29DvmF9MkOmaUZP-8