The first year of study was preparatory. A basic engineering education is given, after which the student chooses a specific direction and specialty. I initially wanted to study mechatronics, but just a year later the Egyptian-Russian University with TPU opened a joint program in nuclear physics. In 2015, Moscow and Cairo signed an agreement on cooperation in the construction and operation of the first El-Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt. In the future, local personnel would be needed to work there. Russia helped to train them. Those who wished to enter the program had to sign a document stating that they were obligated to study in Egypt for three years and then go to Tomsk for another 2.5 years.

Tomsk is similar to my hometown; here too, there are many universities and many young, friendly, and open people. If you have questions, they will always help. Winter is not a problem for me. I don’t get cold at all and walk in ordinary sneakers. Merida is located in the mountains, at an altitude of 1630 meters above sea level.The temperature here is +16..+24 degrees all year round. There is season diversity in Tomsk; there is winter, and spring, and summer, and autumn. Summer is even too hot. I remember that in 2013, it felt like I was dying from the heat! And I still can’t get used to the fact that in summer the sun rises very early; it’s impossible to sleep.

I saw TPU in the QS World University Rankings. There was a School of Earth Sciences & Engineering with a good rating. I needed a specialty "Drilling Technology", so I’ve decided to come to Tomsk.I should say that the rating in QS turned out to be real; I found TPU to be a really very good university. I knew nothing about Tomsk except that it was in Siberia. I have known about Siberia since childhood. When we had winter (then I considered it winter!) and the temperature dropped to +10, adults said, "It’s cold like in Siberia!".

I would like to thank staff members of the Division for Material Sciences. Professor Buyakova after lectures always asked whether we understood everything and whether she should explain something in details, asked what language we were writing lectures. Even when my research supervisor, the associate professor Olga Vaulina, was on a business trip, she still helped me to correct grammatical mistakes in my graduation work

I saw that University had hight rankings positions and decided to apply here. In addition, as the first student from Algeria, I was offere to study free of charge. Tomsk ia a quiet and cozy city, students feel here at home.