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Olga Pavolva (Roness)
Female, 22 from Kemerovo, Russia
Joined TIG: May 29, 2005
My name is Olga. I grew up in Kemerovo, Russia, and I have never been anywhere abroad. It is a little strange for a person who has been learning and studying languages for about 11 years, but it is true. Moreover, I have never been anywhere in Russia, except in one neighbouring city. However, I think it’s possible to stay at home and, at the same time, to communicate with people from other countries and even continents or to learn about other places right from your armchair.
When I was a child, I heard a story by Jules Verne. As far as I know, he never travelled anywhere, yet he wrote long novels about the most amazing and incredible trips, using only his inquisitiveness and his imagination. This changed my perspective of a person living and acting on the global level. When I entered university, I got Internet access from home and I was given a lot of opportunities to prove that this “Verne’s pattern” can be successfully followed today. There are a lot of virtual communities, such as TakingITGlobal, which bring people together just as well as any real workshop or organisation!
I learned about TakingITGlobal by accident in 2005. A lecturer at my university mentioned different online communities for youth and in particular, the TIG Global Gallery, during a class. I liked the idea and decided to register. At first, I was not very involved in the community. About a year after my registration, though, I became more active through the discussion boards and the Global Gallery. There are great opportunities to communicate with other people who have similar passions on TIG, and I remember in particular connecting with Hayk, a fellow TIG member and a discussion board moderator. In 2006, I posted a thread on the discussion boards about the European Day of Languages and how it could potentially be celebrated on TakingITGlobal. As a result of the discussion, I got acquainted with Hayk, with whom I also developed a concept plan. Last year, TIG was seeking a new staff member and Hayk referred my name, and in October 2007, I became the Russian Language Coordinator on TIG!
This position is an absolutely new experience for me. As a philologist, I am passionate about the “linguistic” issues of the world. Most of all, I am concerned about mutual understanding and problems of translation and interpretation, as well as the issue of cultural and linguistic diversity. There are a lot of languages and cultures that are on the verge of becoming extinct today. However, through supporting language and translation, people can promote their unique culture and share experiences with other nations! My dream is to contribute to this process, and TIG, which is now available in 12 languages, has been a great platform to support this goal. For me, it is wonderful that I can contribute to the content on TakingITGlobal in Russian and translate the information and resources on the site in order to make them accessible to Russian-speaking members, who can then use them to get informed and involved.
Personally, I have learned many things through TakingITGlobal. I am an assistant lecturer and what I read at TIG is a source of new ideas for teaching. Now I am trying to inform my students about global issues, ask them to share their views, and make them think about problems and challenges that concern the world’s youth. TIG helped me to broaden my mental horizons to a great extent: living in Siberia does not mean living in isolation, and learning does not mean cramming for exams. My students can become a part of the world by getting involved and using their knowledge and abilities to contribute to solving global problems. Information means empowerment!
TIG has also changed my perspective of how people react to diverse cultures and countries. For example, I participated in the Global Gallery contest dedicated to the world’s indigenous peoples. I wished to show everybody the uniqueness of Kuzbas’ indigenous culture and the measures that are being taken to preserve it. However, I did not really expect anyone to pay much attention since this particular subject is not exactly “popular” or well known abroad. Frankly speaking, I was surprised that I was the first runner-up! It showed me that people are not as indifferent towards the “new and unknown” as I had expected them to be. In addition, I was also glad to learn that visual art can influence people. It is so great that we can send messages through artwork, without using any words. They are so expressive that might say much more than even a splendid poetic metaphor!
I am inspired by the general atmosphere of the TakingITGlobal community. The individuals on TIG are friendly and supportive, and they believe firmly in the ability of youth to affect change. Although I personally have not orchestrated any “huge” change in terms of organizing an event or initiating a project, I try as much as I can to promote cultural and linguistic diversity. I translate everything I can, especially when it is a literary work, and try to spread information about Russia and its culture through communicating with people from other countries, both through TakingITGlobal and through other means. I hope it can make a difference, at least a little bit!
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Olga
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