As an exchange student from Kyrgyzstan, I've been lucky to experience a school system in the United States that opened my eyes to new possibilities - as well as appreciate what I've had back at home from kindergarten through high school. Having experienced both systems, I can see some upside and downside in each. For example, here in South Florida, I‘ve been attending a public high school since August 2008 that has offered me a very different classroom experience than I had back home. At South Fork HS in Stuart FL, for the first time in my life I've been allowed to choose my own courses. I've been given a chance to interact with different students in a variety of classes during each school day. It's been a great pleasure to be surrounded by so many different students and making friends with many of them - in school and out. Also, the school's diverse student body - ethnically, racially and linguistically - is very unusual. It helps demonstrate that teenagers from different cultural backgrounds have more in common with each other than some might believe and that this diversity is one of America's greatest assets - especially in a world gone global.
Another unusual phenomenon for me has been the incredibly strong school spirit in a public high school. It's amazing, especially when it comes to sports and competition with other schools. It brings the whole school together and makes each game or event special for both players and fans. Personally, I enjoyed playing for the school's varsity soccer team and competing with other schools for the championship. Student athletes have very busy schedules. But no matter what, the academic part comes first; because students can't participate if they don't have a satisfactory GPA.
As you can imagine, the educational scene in Kyrgyzstan and in my private high school in particular is very different from the experience I've been having in America. Back home, the academic part is more difficult and demanding because of the significant difference in the number of the courses you take each year. Students usually don't choose their classes and go all the way from elementary school through high school as a fixed group. There are no true electives, and non-core courses are few in number. In general, the athletic or non-academic aspect of school life is not well-developed.
The flip side of this comparison is that in my country, students have to win scholarships by excelling in academic Olympiads rather than sports. Students who win first place in national competitions are rewarded by a "golden free pass" to any university in Kyrgyzstan. Moreover, those who go ahead and succeed in a world-level Olympiad might gain entry to any college in the world. In my Kyrgyz-Turkish high school, classes are taught in four languages by both local and foreign teachers, giving us an exposure to a more international style of education. Teachers are very serious and demanding, and it makes students try to do their best. Of course, the social distance between student and teacher is greater than here at my American school. And sometimes that can be a lost opportunity - especially for a teenager with lots on his or her mind. Here in the States, students seem to kid around with many of their teachers and feel free to say almost anything, as if they were neighbors or your friends' parents. At South Fork, my weightlifting teacher made we work, but he also made me feel welcome.
Yet, there is something to be said for keeping things serious. American students are not strongly encouraged to learn foreign languages - or even to know where to find Kyrgyzstan on the map. They're fortunate to speak English - a language spoken and read all over the world - but that's not enough. Nor is it enough to know where to locate only one country or one continent - even if North America has been pretty important for the past hundred years (World Cup soccer aside). I hope I've helped spark some interest in Central Asia, by showing them a DVD from my country or introducing them to a simple Kyrgyz shepherd's hat.
Also, many American students don't appreciate how lucky they are to live in such a diverse country, with people from all over the world. A lot of students have cars, computers, and other expensive things, and I think it may diminish their hunger to accomplish something on their own. I came to the U.S. and was very surprised that high school students drive to school in their own cars. Back home, it rarely works that way, because few can afford such a luxury. Most students have to find other ways to get around. Typically, they use public transportation and thereby narrow the social distance between students. In general, the youth in my country need to do their best in order to gain the benefits many affluent American students already have. To my way of thinking, this struggle makes their possessions seem more valuable.
What more can I say? I've loved my senior year here at South Fork HS - my fellow students, teachers, administrators, my soccer teammates and coaches, the football team's mascot and cheerleaders. Yea! Go Bulldogs!! My host family and many others at school, in the neighborhood and around town have made this 10-month joy-ride a dream come true. These guys rock! And I can't thank the U.S. State Department and my sponsoring organization - the Center for Cultural Interchange (CCI - www.cci-exchange.com) enough for all they've done to help get me here, show me the best time a teenager could have and, hopefully, send me back to my dear family and friends in Kyrgyzstan so I can begin sharing this experience with them as well.
Watch for my next blog post as I describe my anticipated culture shock on returning home - the national exams, my high school's exams, more exams to gain entrance to a university, and finally waiting for an acceptance letter and financial support from the school of my choice. I hope I have good news to report. And thank you, The Public Manager, for letting me share international exchange experience with your readers. I encourage them to volunteer and host a student like me during the next school year. They won't be sorry.
