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After spending two semesters at Charles University in Prague, on the Erasmus + student exchange program, I wholeheartedly recommend all students to seize the opportunity and spend several months studying abroad. Student exchanges are an unforgettable experience that will broaden your horizons and enable you to learn first-hand what it looks like to live and study outside your country at minimal cost. I will use this text to share my experience of the entire process of going on an exchange abroad. I hope that it will be helpful to those who want to apply for some of the exchange programs, but I also hope to encourage those who have not thought about exchanges to do so. University selection and application process The first step is to research the opportunities for student exchanges at your faculty. In our country, Erasmus+ is currently the most popular exchange program and almost all faculties in Serbia participate in it. Through the Erasmus + program, students can spend a semester or two in one of the countries of the European Union. There is also the CEEPUS program for the countries of the region and Central European countries, as well as some other less popular programs. For the Erasmus+ program, there is a website mobion.bg.ac.rs you can use to research which universities there is an open call for, at least 6 months in advance. At the Faculty of Political Sciences, where I study, we have a coordinator for exchange programs who helped me a lot with preparing the application and choosing the subjects that will be recognized as substitutes. Some faculties have Erasmus+ coordinators, but unfortunately not all of them do. The application consists of motivation letter, “learning agreement,” transcript of grades, certificate of English language proficiency, professor’s recommendation, and some other documents. All that needs to be obtained on time, and something needs to be translated by a court interpreter. The application should be sent via the MobiON site, the instructions on the site are clear and the application is not overly complicated. You will find out if you were accepted a few months before the start of the exchange. I was informed that at the beginning of November, and the semester started in mid February, so you will have enough time to prepare, get a visa and organize the trip. The whole process depends on the university and the country you are going to. In my case, they sent us documents from Charles University in time to get a Czech visa before traveling. Visas are required for stays in the European Union longer than 3 months for citizens of the Republic of Serbia. Accommodation: apartment or dormitory? Before you go on an exchange, you have to decide where you will live. The main question is: apartment or dormitory? When it comes to Prague, the rooms in the apartments were three to four times more expensive than the dormitory, so my friends from faculty and I decided to take the dormitory. This turned out to be a great decision, because the dormitory is irreplaceable when it comes to meeting new people and socializing with students from all over the world. I met a lot of new people in the dorm, some of whom became my closest friends. I am still in contact with most of them, and we are planning a reunion in Prague this summer. Although living in an apartment is more comfortable, it cannot provide such an experience after all, so my recommendation is definitely a dormitory. From preparing breakfast in the morning in the shared kitchen to partying in the rooms in the evening — dormitories are great accommodation when you go on an exchange. The bonus is that at most universities that have their own dormitories, exchange coordinators organize and book accommodation for you, so you don't have to go through the process of looking for accommodation. My friend from college and I were allowed to be in the room together, so there is that option if you go on an exchange with another or a friend. The application consists of motivation letter, “learning agreement,” transcript of grades, certificate of English language proficiency, professor’s recommendation, and some other documents. All that needs to be obtained on time, and something needs to be translated by a court interpreter. The application should be sent via the MobiON site, the instructions on the site are clear and the application is not overly complicated. Studying: recognition of subjects and differences in systems Speaking of studying itselft, it all depends on the faculty. I was very lucky with both faculties, because the FPN did not require the syllabuses of subjects in Prague to match to a large extent in order to recognize my grades and transfer the ECTS. However, some colleges are much stricter in this regard, so you may have to take subjects that you missed once you return from the exchange. The application also includes a document called the Learning Agreement in which you suggest which subjects from the receiving faculty would replace the subjects you are missing that semester at your faculty. However, some subjects may not be available once you arrive there, so you have a deadline to replace them, apply for others, and get approval from your college. The teaching system is different to the one in our country. At the Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University, lectures usually lasted an hour and a half, student participation was important and they were held in small groups. I especially liked that difference in relation to the lectures in our country, because it gives the professor more opportunities to communicate with students, and students can more easily get involved in the discussion. There were no practical classes in the sense in which they are organized in our country — lectures and practical classes were one and the same. Some lectures were held in blocks, but in any case, for all the obligations on a weekly basis, it took me less time than at my home faculty. For most of the subjects, I wrote essays or seminar papers, which either carried a large part of the grade or were a substitute for the exam. I didn't spend days studying endless information from hundreds of pages for the exams, like I did for most exams in our country. I prepared for the exams using notes from classes and texts we read before each lecture, so I basically prepared for the exam through continuous work throughout the semester. I must admit that it was difficult for me to get used to the way of working at my faculty again when I returned from the exchange, although there are professors here who implement this "Bologna" principle more than others. On the other hand, although I liked the system at Charles University more, I got the impression that some "difficult" subjects from FPN really provided me with a broad education and knowledge in various fields that I applied in all lectures. That breadth and in-depth study of certain scientific fields is not a feature of the system in which I studied during those two semesters, the subjects are rather conceived as courses. Student life in Prague It is completely different to visit a city for a couple of days as a tourist and live in it. Student exchanges are great because they provide an opportunity to experience life in another city or country for a few months, with the costs covered. The Erasmus+ scholarship I received in Prague was more than enough for all my living expenses. Two years ago, Serbia became a program country in the Erasmus+ framework, which unfortunately means that scholarships are now lower and for the Czech Republic amount to 470 euros per month. However, that is enough if you live in a dormitory and do not overdo it with Uber eats. Information on scholarships for different countries can also be found on the MobiON website. Prague is a great city for students — it has everything students need and a student card offers a lot of different benefits. From discounts on food in many restaurants, all the way to cheaper transportation. Speaking of restaurants, I have to recommend Einstein pizzerias, which are located in several locations in Prague and whose owners, as we have heard, are from our region. Here you can get two meals for the price of one with a student card, and their food is great. We talked to the waiters several times in Serbian, and we also ate excellent ćevapi there. Train and bus tickets with a student discount are very cheap, so you can travel to any place in the Czech Republic for a few euros (100-300 crowns). Of all the places we visited, I liked Češky Krumlov the most, a town in the north of 13,000 inhabitants, 3 hours away from Prague, where you get the impression that you travelled a couple of centuries to the past. Unfortunately, during most of my stay in Prague, there were restrictions due to the corona virus, so I was not able to visit all the places I wanted. When it comes to museums, one you should definitely visit is the National Museum, whose magnificent building is located in the center of Prague. Clementinum is another of my favorite places — the view of the baroque library is like a movie scene, and when you climb the Astronomical tower you will have the whole of Prague at the palm of your hand. Žižkov Tower is one of the symbols of Prague, which can be seen from almost every part of the city. It is located in the neighborhood of the same name and the view from it is breathtaking. When it comes to nightlife, Prague does not lag behind Belgrade. My favorite place to go out was the Lucerna Music Bar, which is located in the palace of the same name, which also contains a cinema and some shops. The whole club looks like a disco from the 80's, and many musicians and DJs often perform here. Of the alternative places, the most interesting is Vzorkovna or as it is popularly called - Dog bar. The districts of Holešovice, Vinohradi and Žižkov are also full of interesting places to go out, as well as to have breakfast and coffee. As everything was closed due to the corona virus for a most of the time I was in Prague, we spent a lot of time walking around the city and visiting different parks. Prague is full of beautiful parks - Letna has a beautiful view of the city, as well as Rieger's Gardens (only from another hill). I would need many more paragraphs to describe all the charms of Prague, so I here I will draw your attention back to the main point of the text — go on a student exchange for at least one semester, it is probably the best decision you can make. Not only will you meet many friends from different countries, but you will also gain an irreplaceable life experience, as well as the academic one. Prague is a great choice for exchange students, but I'm sure you'll have as good a time as I did wherever you go. 
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I loved drawing ever since I was a kid. I created my first more serious work of art that didn’t consist of randomly sketched concentric circles and made me very proud of myself when I was 5 years old. One summer afternoon, I took a white paper and a pencil and this is how I drew a goat in nature. On her left side, there is a flying butterfly bigger than the sun that smiles from the right corner of the paper. I remember being thrilled with my goat who looked like an amateur mix of Picasso and Dali. My mom was fascinated as well – the drawing is still part of our art collection in our corridor. Little did I know that one of the most important symbols in works of art of March Shagal, the artist who later came to be one of my favorites, is precisely a goat. Two and a half months ago, just a few days after my arrival in Milan, I heard that Chagall's works would be exhibited in the Mudec gallery from the 16th of March onwards. I was anxiously waiting for the first wave of crowds to clear up so that I could enjoy the exhibition in peace (although it is never peaceful in Milan) and get to know Chagall more intimately. Little did I know that one of the most important symbols in works of art of March Shagal, the artist who later came to be one of my favorites, is precisely a goat. The exhibition space was in blue, green, and red – recurring colors in Chagall's work. While you are passing from one room to another, chronologically following his artistic and personal development, the background is filled with silent notes of Nach Aktion, a song from the movie Schindler’s list. Family portraits and scenes, religious elements, Jewish suffering in the Second world war, and his wife Bella who was an inspiration for many of his works are just some of the main themes that make Chagall's work memorable and recognizable. It is useless to describe the whole exhibition and each painting, but what is worth describing is the feeling Chagall left on me – love. Love that doesn’t recognize war, famine, poverty. Love that is above anything else, and flies above the destroyed city, love that floats next to the goat playing violin because only love can do such a thing. Love for human beings and nature as the omnipresent motif and guidance in life. Cliche, you might say, but you cannot escape its truth. Very few artists can actually impart such a pure and ingenuine thought about love and happiness and this is where Shagall’s geniality lies. As Anna Scot (Julia Roberts) says in the movie Notting Hill: It feels like how love should be. Happiness isn’t happiness without a violin-playing goat.
The „Migration“ program is held in Novi Sad from February 1 to March 20 and includes more than 300 events and performances by over 100 artists from 42 countries. This program presents migration of the population as an inspiration in art and shows the positive angle of the consequences of migration and their impact on us and our culture. One of the main events of „Migration of Souls“, a unique pavilion of literature, combines visual and performing arts and represents the impact of migration on the individual. The creation of Novi Sad through migration is the topic of exhibitions in the field of cultural heritage. The concept implies that the past is viewed from the angle of the present so that we can imagine a new future. Prejudices about migration are presented in a humorous way and greet those who have returned to their home town to contribute to society. Famous artists and new hopes of the European art scene through the theme of migration, an inseparable part of European identity, present different types of art e.g. contemporary art. Art and cultural programs will deal with the topic of departures and arrivals, wandering and finding onself, but also existential issues and understanding of migration. Some of the best world and domestic names are performing in Novi Sad, this year's European Capital of Culture. Original Enigma Voices, one of the most famous German music projects, then Anthropoceno, project of members of the French-Argentine band Gotan Project, Barcelona Gipsy balKan Orchestra, Japanese guitarist and singer-songwriter Miyavi, composer and pianist Vasil Hadžimanov, best sevdalinka representative Božo Vrećo, representative of traditional and ethno music scenes Bilja Krstić and Bistrik Orchestra and many other quality performers. All these artists have a common theme - migrations and their positive impact on inspiration, which is reflected in all performances. Watching these inspiring artistic performances, I realized that we are all united and that we and our culture cannot be separated by thousands of kilometers. Migrations help us gain experience and get to know another culture and customs, and that also builds our identity, but the whole identity is also what we carry within us. That is the image that actually represents us. We leave all the values we adopt during migrations to our country when we return permanently or just stay for a while. One has to wander sometimes in order to know oneself and to find oneself in an environment. It is not important where we are, but what we have to offer someone and what we are like as people and as personalities. Anyone who has a desire to move away, or has already moved away, has probably encountered resentment from the environment, and it is this manifestation of "Migration" that gave me hope and support that we should follow our goals and carry the „home“ within us. „Home“ represents everything that makes us ourselves and what we always come back to, without the need to go somewhere physically. A special program that left a strong impression on me is the play „B(j)egunci“ (Fugitives). „B(j)egunci“ is an optimistic theater project which, through examples of migrations of young people, explains the reasons and circumstances of these migrations. „Refugees are a world offered to dive into.“ Characters from the displaced community on the border of Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia are mostly returnees from abroad with different backgrounds. Viewers themselves choose whose story to follow. The stage is shown as a village of 7 houses, with the main square, streets and the nearby forest. Viewers are free to change positions, go outside, go home, return, stay in one position and follow the story of one character from start to finish. They can also follow the stories of different characters. What is special and specific about this play is that we can identify with real stories of young people and hear how they coped with problems during migration. These stories offered me answers to questions and dilemmas when I needed it most. In periods of nostalgia and identity crisis, when we find it difficult to cope in a new environment, we just need to hear that there is always a solution. The most important thing is to accept our personality and strive to be the best possible version of ourselves and always consistent with ourselves, wherever we are. Being a „citizen of the world“ is what I want to achieve when I move away and when I return to contribute to the society that raised me ... to show that everything was worth the effort. Novi Sad is the European Capital of Culture in 2022, and various cultural and educational events and exhibitions are held throughout the year. You can find out more about all the events on the novisad2022.rs website Teodora Šiklošić The scholarship holder of the "Studenica" Foundation, Đorđe Ogrizović, is currently a master's student in Engineering for Sustainable Development at the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge student in sustainable development engineering at the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. He decided to share with us interesting details about social life at the University. The university is located in the city of Cambridge, which has about 125 thousand inhabitants, 25,000 of which are students. All students belong to one of the 31 colleges, which have administrative, social and educational roles. Colleges often have the role of dormitories. However, they are much more than places where students can sleep. Special, formal dinners, concerts, exhibitions and other events are often organized. "The college I belong to is called Girton, founded in 1869, and it is the first institution in Great Britain where women were provided with higher education. At the very beginning of the academic year, new students are introduced to the college, relevant services and a tutor - a professor who is in charge of monitoring our progress. The goal of all events at the college is to encourage the exchange of ideas and the establishment of lasting acquaintances", explains Djordje.  He points out that Oxford and Cambridge are recognizable for organizing formal dinners that are held several times a week and last about two hours. "On that occasion, specially prepared dishes are served. At Girton College, there will be about a hundred students and several professors at one such evening. At the beginning, the president of the college (Master or Mistress) greeted all those greets and blesses the dinner. During such a gathering, students are expected to be elegantly dressed, with the obligatory wearing of gowns, which differ corresponding to the wearer’s acquired academic degree", says Djordje.  Special attention is paid to the holidays, Djordje explained to us what the celebration of Christmas looks like and what the atmosphere is like among people in those days. "This is a national holiday here, regardless of the religion to which the person belongs. Numerous charity concerts were organized. I also attended a big Christmas concert in St. John's Chapel, one of the most famous Christmas services in England. During the service, the St. John's College Boys 'Choir sings, which along with the Vienna Boys' Choir is among the most famous choirs, and the concert / service was broadcast by the BBC. A special service was also organized for the children, where the pastors explained the meaning of Christmas, gifts were distributed, and for those of us who are no longer children, cakes and mulled wine were distributed."   Numerous student competitions are also organized in Cambridge, and those related to environmental protection are very common. In one such competition, our scholarship holder achieved an excellent result. "I am very happy to be in the group together with Filip Bosković, a doctoral student at the Department of Physics who led the group, and with Campbell Matthews, a doctoral student from New Zealand. We won the St. John's Climate Crisis Award for the project „The hum of bees is the voice of the garden“: Increasing College's impact on wildlife diversity via pollinator housing."  Cambridge also has a number of student associations specializing in various fields. One of them is the Association of Serbian Students, which consists of about thirty students, including Djordje. They carefully nurture the tradition. "Recently, we organized the celebration of St. Sava's Day, preparing a feast cake and wheat, and I had the opportunity to hold a solemn speech on the occasion of this our biggest holiday", Ogrizovic proudly points out. Learning is better when it is enriched with an active social life, and that is one of the characteristics of Cambridge. "Our students come to the University of Cambridge every year, and here they have the opportunity to improve and advance, and it is especially nice when those who left Serbia for education decide to return. However, this often depends on a number of circumstances, not just the good will of the graduates. However, as Mihajlo Pupin, who also studied at Cambridge, said „Where there is a will, there is also skill!", concludes Djordje Ogrizovic. Almost a century ago, Virginia Woolf published one of her famous works, A Room of One’s Own. It is precisely this room that she defines as a crucial step for a woman to become a writer. The room has a double, symbolic meaning – it gives the woman some time for herself and her thoughts but also represents her freedom to possess a property, which wasn’t ( and still isn’t) a reality for women in the past. In the last century, a lot has changed regarding women’s rights, especially in the Western part of the world, where women who aspire to become writers mostly have their space from which they create new worlds and share them with their loyal readership. However, during my bachelor studies in languages and literature, I have noticed that the books in our curriculum were mostly written by male writers. During my three years at the Faculty of Arts, the total number of books written by female writers on our reading list was five. Shockingly low number for the Faculty attended mostly by female students. The situation is not much better in Serbia where Isidora Sekulić is the only female author for the course of Serbian modern literature. I have recently read a book dealing with this problem – why do women’s voices in literature remain silent even after acquiring a room of one’s own? The title of the book is How to suppress women’s writing, by Joanna Russ, who uses her sarcastic but pungent tone to enlist 11 ways female authors have been ignored, judged or belittled throughout history. The book is not available in Serbian, but I strongly recommend it to all of you who speak English. It all starts with formal prohibitions that limited women’s possibility of even getting paper and pen or any other means of writing, up until the informal prohibitions such as socially inflicting the way of life for women that wouldn’t allow her to engage in intellectual activities. If somehow some women do manage to avoid the roles of a good mother, devoted wife and respectable lady, then the next step is to simply deny the fact that a woman wrote a book. For a long time, it was believed that Frankenstein, a book that gave birth to modern science-fiction, was written by Percy Shelley, husband of its real author Mary Shelley, only due to the fact that he wrote a preface for the book and also because the critics from the time couldn’t imagine a woman was able to write such masterpiece. There are also other mechanisms of patriarchal defense: one can always label women as immoral if they are engaged in artistic activities or regard male experience more important than that of a woman. As Russ herself mentions in her book if a man describes anger, he simply shows revolutionary emotions, whereas a woman is frustrated and hysterical. Falsely categorizing women is yet another mechanism: that is how Marie Curie was known as "laboratory assistant of her husband Pierre", while English poetess Elizabeth Barret Browning was defined as "wife of a famous poet Robert Browning", automatically isolating her work to Sonnets from the Portuguese she wrote to her husband. Elizabeth is not the only one whose work faced isolation. Many women writers were faced (and still are) with the literary community defining their works as worthy, but isolated and sole successful cases. That is how the only noteworthy novel of Charlotte Brontë became Jane Eyre, Silvia Plath became reduced to her poetry with elements indicating her mental condition, and Amy Lowell limited to her work portraying her as an old spinster. Some examples of Russ will make you laugh, others will sadden you or awake feelings of powerlessness and anger. And that’s a good thing. The feeling will allow us to question ourselves and the prejudice we had towards literature created by women and show us that we are ready to stop the long tradition of discrimination against women writers. Let the reading of this book on this very 8th of March be your small change that will make the female written word equal to male literature. Happy international women’s day!  |
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