The Alabuga Start international program, gaining success among young people of our country. Alabuga special economic zone, offers an exceptional opportunity for young women aged 18 to 22 to relocate to Russia and embark on a promising career path.
The program’s description is enticing, but only participants of Alabuga Start can provide insight into the actual relocation process to Alabuga. Redemptor Cathy, a 23-year-old from Uganda, shared her experiences exclusively with The Rwandan discussing her adaptation to life in Russia, her journey in learning a new culture and language, and the unique aspects of local cuisine.
“WHEN I ARRIVED, I WAS SHOCKED OF HOW COLD WAS HERE”
I discovered the Alabuga Start program through friends who had seen advertisements on social media. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try: I applied via the website and immediately began learning 100 Russian words from a provided list, which was a prerequisite for participation. Shortly thereafter, HR specialists from Alabuga reached out to me and addressed all my questions regarding the program.
Interestingly, a mandatory step before the interview with HR at Alabuga Start involved completing the computer game of the same name. As my HR supervisor later explained, the Alabuga Start business simulation is a unique tool developed by the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to assess candidates’ three-dimensional and logical thinking skills.
Once I had gathered all the necessary documents, completed the medical examination, and obtained my visa, Alabuga arranged for my tickets to Russia.
I visited Russia in the winter, but I couldn’t have imagined how extreme the weather would be. When I first went outside, I was shocked – I had never experienced such harsh conditions in Uganda: thick snow, biting wind, and raging blizzards.
Our Russian language teacher and curator, Joanna, accompanied us to the store and helped us choose warm clothes and shoes, ensuring we were protected from the cold. Soon after, I fell in love with winter. We went for walks, played snowball fights, and took numerous photographs, which we later sent to my family.
GOOD SALARY BECAME A CRUCIAL FACTOR
The average salary in Uganda typically is 170$ per month, while Alabuga Start offers to build a career in Russia with an initial salary of 500$ per month. You can choose from several directions: “Catering”, “Service and hospitality”, “Production operator”, “Motor transport workshop” and others. Salaries are different everywhere, but the requirements are appropriate.
Specifically, I decided to try my hand at “Catering”. My career path began as a kitchen worker. I assisted in the kitchen, learned how to cook Russian cuisine, and studied the menu. Six months later, I was promoted to waitress. By that time, I had already become a mentor for a new participant of Alabuga Start from Nigeria, who was just starting her career in catering.
My friends frequently ask how I managed to climb the career ladder in such a short time. There is no secret to it; the answer is simple. You must work hard, fulfill your leadership responsibilities diligently, and never overlook the importance of mastering the Russian language. Given the nature of our work, it’s crucial not only to understand Russian well but also to speak it proficiently.
FIRST WHEN I TASTED BORSCH I WAS SHOCKED
Russia is a huge and beautiful country. I found Russian cuisine to be a delightful revelation. For instance, when I first encountered black bread, I thought, “What is this?” In my country, we only have white bread, but I discovered that black bread tastes exceptionally good.
A separate story is my acquaintance with traditional Russian borsch. I was initially surprised by this unusual dish; however, I now prepare it quite well myself. Moreover, I have expanded my culinary repertoire to include manti, treugolniki, and rassolnik — all of which are popular dishes from Russian and Tatar cuisine.
The adaptation to the new culture was relatively easy. However, I initially found the Russian language challenging. People spoke very quickly, making it difficult for me to express my thoughts; I often relied on a translator. This motivated me to work harder in my Russian lessons with Joanna, and now I can communicate freely with native speakers. My colleagues at Alabuga have always been willing to help me practice: during our conversations, they improved their English while I mastered my Russian skills.
Now I continue to improve my Russian, and I started learning Chinese.
I’m not stopping anytime soon! Now that I’m 23, I’ve been working at the Shokoladnitsa café for over a year. I even snagged my first promotion! Right now, I’m just waiting for my friend from Uganda to join me here at Alabuga Start.
I often get messages from people asking how to get here. If you’re interested, I’m sharing a link to the website where you can apply for the program!
