This project examines the role of scholarships in shaping state socialist East-Global South relations between and , with a particular focus on the experiences of students from the Global South who pursued higher education and their language teachers. During this period, students—primarily in the fields of engineering, medicine, and the natural sciences—arrived in Eastern European universities, where they were strategically placed according to the needs of their home countries, with the expectation of contributing to socialist development upon their return.
For most of these students, it was their first time leaving their home countries. While existing scholarship has made significant contributions to understanding the structures of these student mobilities, particularly in terms of the years spent at university, my research explores a less examined part of their experiences—the preparatory year that preceded university enrollment, specifically in Hungary. Focusing on the experiences of predominantly women language teachers, this chapter sheds light on how the first year of study was organized, with an emphasis on Hungarian language instruction.
Drawing on oral history interviews with both former teachers and students, I investigate the emotional and affective dimensions of teacher-student relationships during this formative period.
The project highlights how language instructors navigated multiple roles, serving as both educators and trusted mentors to young people from diverse backgrounds.
Through a gendered lens, I argue that these interactions were crucial in shaping patterns of attachment and identity formation, and that the emerging history of student mobilities should incorporate these affective legacies.
