SIERRA VISTA — For one academic year, Cochise College in Douglas is home to five students from the former Soviet Union.
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They charmed the daylights out of the dozen or so students, staff and interested citizens who came by to learn more about Georgia (the republic that borders the Black Sea), and Kazakhstan, to correct any false impressions left by a recent movie.
“He is not Kazakh,” assured Bauryzhan Razak, as a large photo of actor/writer Sacha Baron Cohen as “Borat” filled the projection screen. “And I tell you the truth.”
The 18-year-old political science major from Almaty, the nation’s largest city and former capital, smoothly led the audience through a fascinating, visual tour through his Central Asian homeland that is the ninth largest country in the world.
“We are a secular state,” Razak explained, “but Sunni Islam is the largest religion.”
In answer to a question, he informed the group that women are free and enjoy the same education as men.
“They don’t wear veils,” he smiled, having successfully searched for the word.
The five students living in the Douglas residence halls are here as part of the U.S. State Department’s UGRAD (Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program) which this year awarded fellowships to 300 young people from 13 nations.
“They’re a joy to have on campus,” said Rebecca Orozco, director of college’s Center for Southwest Studies and who serves as their adviser.
Upon arrival in the United States in August, the exchange students enjoyed a three-day workshop in Washington, D.C., before departing for their American colleges. The “Douglas five” take classes there but have already visited San Diego and attended a University of Arizona football game in Tucson.
“I never seen such a crowd. Or cheerleaders,” said Razak, who is developing an affinity for Mexican food.
His fellow student, Otar Antia from Georgia, played rugby before getting down to serious study. While in the United States, they will all have the opportunity to visit New York City and Antia hopes to finagle a trip to Boston. “I want to see Harvard,” he explained.
An economics major, Antia’s presentation included a look at the Georgian alphabet, developed in the third century B.C., stunning churches from the fifth century and villages from the Middle Ages.
Georgia is 88 percent Christian and he gave a quick timeline of the country’s domination by Russia that began in 1783 and didn’t come to a complete end until 1991.
“When we have independence, the country was corrupt. The living conditions were awful,” he said.
He seemed proud that the current president is a 36-year-old, American-educated progressive and that George W. Bush paid a visit to his country in 2004.
With an 8,000 year tradition of wine-making, its own language that has a variety of dialects, a strong literary tradition and ferocious folk dancing, the Republic of Georgia appeared to be a captivating part of the world.
“I want to come to America to study the market economy because you have the best tradition of this, starting with Adam Smith,” Antia said. “And to improve my English.”
Orozco is hoping to arrange an internship next semester with the college’s Center for Economic Research.
The other three UGRAD students will share experiences and knowledge of Azerbaijan and Tajkistan from 12:10 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday in the Student Union conference room on the Douglas Campus.
“And because I research Arizona before I come, I know that I can’t go here without seeing the Grand Canyon,” Antia grinned.
Ayaz Aliev and Aida Samadova of Azerbaijan and Kishvar Zarchabekov of Tajikistan will also give a Brown Bag Lunch discussion at 12:10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13 in the Student Union at the Douglas Campus. Aliev is a business major who plans to become a team leader on government projects or an entrepreneur. Samadova is studying international relations and would like to work as a diplomat or consulate. Zarchabekov is studying economics and would like to continue his studies in accounting in his home country.
The exchange students are part of the Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program, which was established by the U.S. Congress in 1992 to foster democratization and economic development in Eurasia. They are considered sophomores at their home institutions, and each speaks three to five languages. During their presentations, they will talk about their own countries and cultures, as well as their experiences in the U.S.
For more information, call the Cochise College Center for Southwest Studies at (520) 417-4772.
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