Young Reporter Polina Gladkaya: “Nervous, but so excited!”

The ‘youngest’ Young Reporter Polina Gladkaya (RUS) (Photo: C. Pierre)

KAZAN – Sporting a rainbow-stripe t-shirt and a long, blonde ponytail, Polina Gladkaya, walks into the FISU Young Reporters Programme room in the Main Media Centre in the Kazan-Arena during the 2013 Summer Universiade eager to learn. 

Gladkaya, the youngest member of the YRP and a Kazan native, says being here and meeting international students is a dream coming true. “I’m so happy,” she said. 

In May, Gladkaya saw an ad in the newspaper about the opening of a new school. She and 87 others attended the school’s eight-day journalism programme where they heard lectures about journalism, practiced their skills and touched up on their English.

After the eight days, twelve students were chosen to attend the 2013 FISU Summer Universiade as journalists, based on their articles, their videos and their test scores. “We were the best of the whole school,” said Gladkaya. “That’s why they’ve chosen us.” 

Gladkaya, who lives at home with her parents, says she was nervous about the new experience at the Universiade. “I have no experience …”, she said “… and my English is not that good.”

Gladkaya says Russia is very different than Canada when it comes to the idea of education for journalists: “If you have talent, if you can write, you don’t need an education in Russia.” 

In college, Gladkaya hopes to go to Moscow or St. Petersburg to study foreign languages. “I am so excited to be here”, she said. “Nervous, but so excited!”

Kelcey Wright/FISU Young Reporter (CAN)