Jefferson Edwin Awong Mengu: “Russia is the best country to study chemistry”
In another publication in our Second Home series, a young man from Cameroon tells us about what drew him to the Eurasian giant.
About the scientific schools and KFU
Jefferson arrived to Russia on a scholarship. He prioritized Kazan University because of its plethora of outstanding scientists, “I want to be a chemist, and many famous chemists were born and worked here. Mendeeleev was Russian, and Karl Claus worked in our university. The Institute of Chemistry is named after Alexander Butlerov, who engaged in organic chemistry. Russia is the best country to study this sciences.”
The conditions were also an important factor, “I looked up KFU online and saw the modern dormitories. The university is high in the rankings. This is a federal university, and the best in the nation. The choice was easy.”
How the connection happened
Jefferson’s parents are both university professors – father teaches economics, and mother is a philosopher. His uncle is also an educator. Jefferson plans to continue the dynasty because he wants to be useful to his motherland, “I study physics and chemistry, and these sciences answer the question: what happens? I am always interested in how and why something works. Chemistry is everywhere. Even in the kitchen, I am interested in experiments. Nothing in this world is possible without chemistry.”
In practical classes held in laboratories, the student particularly emphasizes titration – a quantitative analysis method used to determine the concentration of a substance in a solution. Organic chemistry, he says, is the most captivating, and he finds working with carbon the most fascinating.
Second home
During his adaptation in Russia, the student, of course, has had to deal with the Russian winter and the Russian language. However, there is something in commong with his native land as well, “Russia also has many ethnic groups, like our country. You have a strong and unique culture. And Tatarstan has its own culture as well. Russians speak many languages and dialects, and in Cameroon it’s the same. For Russians, family is very important. I respect Russian people because they love their country. And they always show their strength.”
Russian classics
One of Jefferson’s main hobbies is reading. Among his favorites are the Bible, African writers like Chinua Achebe and Andr茅 Brink, as well as Russian literature. The young man likes Alexander Pushkin’s poetry. “Pushkin was born on the 6th of June, like me. And I know about his African ancestry,” he adds.
Do the right thing
Jefferson opines about his choice of alma mater, “The students here are very smart, and the level of teaching is high. And I also like very much that Russia is safe. The banking system is excellent, so you can transfer money quickly, even back home to Africa. So come here.”