Once in Riga: RISEBA

ISS students studying journalism and PR at our Liberal Arts College spent almost two wonderful weeks in Riga this Spring. They took their chance to have the professional internship "Public Policy and Public Communications". Here are 4 reviews by 4 members of the group. Full of details and impressions.

Alexandra Strekalova

That it was amazing. I met a lot of fantastic and marvellous people and become friends with them! Also, pretty all the lectures were really interesting and I was glad to get a lot of new information for myself. A number of politicians delivered lecturers for us, and although I’m not that much interested in politics, I liked it all. Now I know what steps you should make to get success and solve some problems.

Also, I learned to make selfie right. Moreover, we have a lot of fascinating excursions. The 1st one was at the very beginning of our trip and it was so cold on the streets that we cannot be outside for a long walk, but the speaker... I can’t even find the right words to tell about how incredible she is. She told us a lot of stories about Riga and its architecture. Since that I was in love with this city, with these people and all of Latvia, I think! Also, it was an unexpected news for me that all citizens there speak, or at least understand, Russian and there was no misunderstanding between us. I can tell that Latvians are maybe somehow a little bit depressed, but they are open to you and will always help you if you ask! So, it was an amazing opportunity for me and I am happy that I went there!

Alexandra Chemodanova

In Latvia, anything could have happened, but what had actually happened was the best possible option.

So what makes this journey to Latvia unforgettable? The hours spent with the professors at their lectures or all night chatting with new friends? It's not that easy to name one thing. Well, now I know how to deal with some communication and advertising issues. I was taught how to make selfies properly (by the way, do you know this trick?). Beautiful architecture of Riga and coastal and mountainous Latvian nature gave me inspiration and remained in photographs and bright memories. Eleven cold and at the same time hot days put me into the special atmosphere I really didn’t expect to be in. Such a small (compared to Moscow) lovely city of Riga turned out to be ancient and modern, quiet and noisy, leisurely and at the same time rugged, a truly city of contrast at least as I saw it. Every single day each lecture and excursion, then walking and gathering in a café helped me to overcome the crisis of the second year of students’ life when studying seems to be useless and you feel like wasting your time and knowing nothing about your future. In Latvia, I have been given such a powerful impulse to go on doing whatever I do or will do someday. Now I am sure that I have chosen the right profession, I have realized that there are so many interesting people around me and what’s top important is that I am welcomed and accepted.

It is true that Latvia is an unfriendly country with gloomy people just for those who have never been to it. So is this internship which proved to be more than just learning new PR theories and getting to know the country.

Daria Kuntsevich 

Internship in Riga was held at a high level. We are student had the experience to study in Riseba during 11 days. During this time we were told lectures on topics: «History EC, Economic forecasts in the European Union and Monetary fund» — this is very interesting because unfortunately, we know little about the structure of the European Union and many  other factors which we learned at the lectures; “Image of political leaders”, “Nontraditional means of advertising” and many others lectures which were very useful for us and for our future profession. We visited 3 companies where directors told us about all the details and advantages of outdoor advertising, the Internet media and its PR, marketing and advertising departments work and they shared their experience and knowledge about Internet marketing tools.

This internship gave me a very good motivation and a great experience, and because of the students who were always with us, doing us tours, helped around, talked and shared experiences and University administration, who met us very warmly and friendly — our trip was great! 

And if there was an opportunity to go there again, I would gladly go!

Pavel Maiorov 

We returned from Riga a month ago, but I still have a strong impression, combining the city, country, people and, of course, RISEBA University.

The lectures turned out to be most useful. Intensive classes lasting for two weeks brought their result: I began to look at my profession differently, now I see great prospects and, thanks to the teachers of RISEBA, discovered many new qualities. 

The most important, perhaps, is that studying is not always boring, sometimes you just have to plunge your head into what you are doing and it will definitely drag you out.

We visited the creative agency New Black, in which really talented people work with soul, dedication and a smile. After talking with the agency director Arthurs Mednis, you understand that nothing is impossible. His young agency in just two years has made tremendous progress and gained worldwide recognition. In my opinion, this visit to New Black was not only useful in terms of professional growth, but also in terms of personal development and motivation. 

We also visited the First Baltic Channel, where I was impressed by the working environment and the staff. In such a relaxed atmosphere it is easier to work and to express yourself creatively. I want to say some gratitude to students from RISEBA. The guys were very attentive to us and our problems in a foreign country, in a couple of days we no longer alienated ourselves as strangers in Latvia.

I highly recommend this internship to all the students studying PR and communications, because due to this trip you would multiply the range of your professional competencies, look at the profession internally, communicate with the current practitioners and even re-realize yourself and your goals in a new way life.