Academic Year in USA - Uzbekistan

05/12/2022

We all know that food is a great way to enjoy and get to know a new culture. When you go to Colombia you eat arepas. When you are in Uzbekistan you have to have the shashlik. But what do you eat in America? What is American food, anyway?
America is a country of immigrants. As you have probably noticed, you can have Chinese food on Monday and Italian on Tuesday, and Thai on Wednesday. While it may be difficult to identify something that originated in the US, we have put our spin on many traditional dishes from all over the world. Have you tried any of them?
2 meals to have before you go
Before your time is up in the US I suggest you engage in two of our most popular and unique eating experiences. The first is:
The American Barbeque cookout. Getting together on a warm summer day and grilling burgers, hotdogs and chicken is a tradition in the US. There is usually potato salad, corn, and pie. With summer rapidly approaching, see if you can join some friends for a barbeque, or throw one of your own! Here is a link to help inspire some recipes. Remember, if you are attending a cookout, it is customary to bring a dish with you. Be inspired by these recipes, or bring a taste of your home! You will delight your friends and coworkers. https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/memorial-day-cookout-recipes/
The second meal you simply must have, is a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Thanksgiving is traditionally thought to commemorate the first year the first settlers in the US successfully grew enough food to harvest and survive the winter with the help of the Native Americans who taught them to cultivate the land and store their food. While there are many other thoughts and opinions on this tale, (and what happened between the settlers and Native Americans in the years following) it remains a time to gather with loved ones and reflect on the things for which we are thankful.

Traditionally we eat turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies, corn bread, cranberry sauce and pies for dessert, but there are no limits to what you can bring to a Thanksgiving table. Thanksgiving is celebrated in November and marks the beginning of our "holiday season." But there is no rule that says you can't have Thanksgiving in July. See if you can gather some coworkers to throw a "Thanksgiving in July" dinner. Again, everyone is expected to bring a dish to the feast. It is supposed to be full of abundance and merriment. https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/thanksgiving/g3023/traditional-thanksgiving-menu/
What are some traditional foods from your country?

You can't beat the classics.

07/08/2020

The letter I wish I didn't have to write:

Dear President Trump,

I am sitting in my office, having just laid off 33 wonderful, hardworking employees ...

READ NOW full letter link in bio:
Please, share!!

01/23/2020

CHI is turning the Big 4-0 this year! In honor of this occasion, we are excited to announce an inspiring initiative: 𝟒𝟎 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.

This project encourages and illuminates 40 different acts of kindness – one for each year that CHI has been bringing people together. Each generous gesture will celebrate our efforts to bring about a kinder, more peaceful world through people-to-people cross-cultural exchange and interaction.

We are inviting our staff, program participants, host families/companies, loyal supporters and 𝐲𝐨𝐮 to demonstrate that 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 are the hallmark of CHI and the most motivational way to make positive change.

This spirit is the common denominator of everything CHI has been doing since our founding in 1980.

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟰𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱!

CHI is turning the Big 4-0 this year! In honor of this occasion, we are excited to announce an inspiring initiative: 𝟒𝟎 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.

This project encourages and illuminates 40 different acts of kindness – one for each year that CHI has been bringing people together. Each generous gesture will celebrate our efforts to bring about a kinder, more peaceful world through people-to-people cross-cultural exchange and interaction.

We are inviting our staff, program participants, host families/companies, loyal supporters and 𝐲𝐨𝐮 to demonstrate that 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 are the hallmark of CHI and the most motivational way to make positive change.

This spirit is the common denominator of everything CHI has been doing since our founding in 1980.

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟰𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱!

01/22/2020

Academic Year program Graduate who is from Uzbekistan and currently studies in St. Petersburg reunited with his AYP friends from Belgium and Germany in Russia to celebrate New Year together. They met in Centralia High School, Il and became very good friends. So much time has passed but they kept in touch and finally now met celebrated the most celebrated holiday in Russia in one of the coldest cities.

10/27/2019

Religious freedom is a foundational American value. It is a universal and unalienable right that should be afforded to all, not just a privileged few.
October 27 serves as International Religious Freedom Day, which marks the passage of the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act. The protection of human dignity and religious freedom is a priority for the United States – and a message we must all advance globally to increase awareness and drive change.

09/30/2019

Featuring Azim Khasanov (2009, Bukhara/Raymond, NE). He recalls his best memories of his academic year in the USA.

Dedicated to !

In all its honesty, I never have thought that my dream to study in the USA would come true in such an early period of my life. In 2008, I was ecstatic to find out that I successfully passed all the steps of the FLEX program and was granted a year of studies in high school. After a long flight full of unforgettable moments with other FLEX students my host family met me at the airport and took me to my future American home in the suburbs of Raymond, NE. My host dad Robert is probably the kindest person I have ever met in life; always smiling and caring. Robert and his wife Becky and their 4 children became my life-long relatives.
I clearly remember all the challenges I went through in the first couple of weeks. No one really understood my English and I didn’t understand their way of speaking, but what shocked me most was that they didn’t do the handshaking the way we do here in Uzbekistan; so that was the moment when I realized that I didn’t know much about the American culture. I also missed drinking hot tea in the mornings and our food in general. But it took me approximately a month to adjust to a new culture; very soon I fell in love with their cereal and peanut butter and jelly sandwich and real pizza that I still believe you can find only in America.
From the first days of my school, I joined the American football team. I think anyone who is interested in American culture, movies, and sports would love to join a real American sport where athletes get pushed and chased and where the human power and energy can make a big difference in the final outcome of the game.
In one year in America, I had done so many activities and took part in dozens of events that I wish every school kid could experience in life because as an adult and college students, there won’t be enough opportunities or time to have those crazy moments of teenage life that are full of joy and amusement.
My experience in the U.S had a valuable impact on my life and broadened my vision into the world. Experiencing life in the United States in such an early period of my life molded my personality and showed me life from a different perspective. When I returned home, I was surprised to see everything from a different point of view. I felt like I returned home as a more mature and independent person with unforgettable memories.
FLEX Program

07/18/2019

by Kami Fz World is full of magic when a teeny wonder woman (aka my daughter Samira) hi-fives the Queen of Hearts ❤️. Here’s why this photo means a lot to me. My first exchange program, I’m 16 year old Uzbek girl with awful English in a small town of Farmersville, Texas casting for a play in my high school 🎭. I can still feel goosebumps when I think about the moment I had to get on stage and present a piece to be accepted😅. Brain blocks traumatic experiences so I don’t even remember what I presented, but I saw my name on the list of cast and my role was..yup..the Queen of ♥️! They said with my Russian accent it was a perfect fit. It was hard, the rehearsals would finish late and I couldn’t understand most of the script so I just memorized words. Many months of preparations later we performed in front of theater critics. Unfortunately, we didn’t win ANYTHING!! The critics said to my face that the Queen of Hearts didn’t need to fake her accent 🤦🏻‍♀️ but we performed again in front of little kids many times. As a thank you they wrote us cards. I only got a few and most of them said “Off with your head, queen of hearts‼️”, but they all had cute drawings of me and some said they liked me most and that I was beautiful. And honestly, it is the BEST and purest recognition I could wish for!

04/02/2019

Tuesday Trivia: The Statue of Liberty stands tall in New York Harbor and symbolizes freedom. Atop her head rests a crown with seven spikes. Do you know what each spike represents?

Tuesday Trivia: The Statue of Liberty stands tall in New York Harbor and symbolizes freedom. Atop her head rests a crown with seven spikes. Do you know what each spike represents?

03/20/2019

Happy Navruz!

Spring brings warmer weather, longer days and Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The celebration of Nowruz begins the moment the sun crosses the equator on the vernal equinox.

12/05/2018

A few outtakes from our upcoming holiday video. Coming soon to a Holiday near you! ❄️⛄️

https://youtu.be/xMWxCNt21Oo

It's not easy making a holiday video! A few outtakes from our upcoming holiday video. Coming soon to a Holiday near you!

11/22/2018

Happy Thanksgiving!