Originated from Zambia and studying in Turkey Tapiwa Matoka has already spent almost 2 months at the Institute of Chemistry. Supervised by dr. Aleksei Žarkov and dokt. Dovydas Karoblis she is doing her internship in the faculty and says that it was a good advice by her friend to arrive to Lithuania.
„It’s my first time in Lithuania. I like the cozy, small city, it’s a good place to live. My impressions are really good,” – says Tapiwa. “I had a friend who went to Lithuania for Erasmus+ and she said ‘you’ll fall in love with it’, and I guess what she said is true, in a way.”
Tapiwa explained that she learned about Lithuania and Eastern Europe in history lessons at school in Zambia, and her university in Turkey is partner with Lithuanian universities. “So when I was invited for the internship by the Faculty of Chemistry and geosciences I knew where I was going.”
At the moment Tapiwa is in her 4th year of studies. She came to Vilnius with Erasmus+ programme in order to prepare for her Bachelor thesis. “My topic is ‘Molten salt synthesis of potassium ferrites’. We are doing research here, so hopefully if we get some significantly good results, I will be able to use it in my Bachelor thesis which I will write next year, and if not, then I will write it on something else,” – says Tapiwa.
Even if this plan does not work out, Tapiwa will not be disappointed with her stay in Lithuania. “I did want to get the experience before I graduate on how chemistry works outside of just theoretical part and get a view of what it is in the industry and in the field to give me better direction where I want to go,” – she explains. “Before I came here, I didn’t really know where I wanted to go, but I feel like now I have more understanding which direction I want to go to.”
Would you like to study abroad and newly discover your field of studies? Apply for Erasmus+ (until September 21) or ARQUS/Coimbra group (until October 1) exchange in Spring semester. More information: https://bit.ly/3BQmi0p