Opinions of foreign students studying at Samarkand State University

Lee Lei
People's Republic of China
PhD student

    I am Li Leiman, a citizen of the People's Republic of China. Currently, in the Department of Uzbek Linguistics, we are conducting research on comparative linguistics, as well as publishing articles in prestigious journals.

    Language is a bridge of communication, the basis of exchange and cooperation between people, and language is a bond that strengthens relations between the peoples of two countries. The Uzbek language is one of the languages with a long history. I hope that I will learn this language well at SamSU, I would like to learn more about the local customs and culture, and jointly develop the pragmatic cooperation between China and Uzbekistan and the two peoples. I will try to contribute more to strengthen the friendship between them.

    The university provides good opportunities for foreign students to study and live. I am very happy to be doing research at SamSU, I would like to thank all the professors and teachers.

Kang Lina, Yu Xiang, Zhang Huaqing, Li Juan
People's Republic of China
Doctoral exchange program

    We are a delegation from Shaanxi Normal University in China, currently studying at the History Department of Samarkand State University. First of all, we would like to express our gratitude to the teachers of the International Office for their great help when we first came to Samarkand and for helping us to solve all the difficulties we encountered in our study and life. Secondly, we would like to thank the teachers of the History Department and the Library. Teachers were very enthusiastic, helped us to find the historical documents and archival materials we needed, patiently answered our questions, and taught us Uzbek and Russian in a serious and detailed way, so we learned a lot here. Finally, we liked the campus of Samarkand State University and the city of Samarkand very much. The campus is beautiful, and the local people are warm and kind and very friendly to us. As people who study the history of Central Asia, we are very glad to come here to experience the long and splendid history and civilization of Central Asia and the open and tolerant multiculturalism. All in all, we like Samarkand very much, and we are more than happy to be able to visit Samarkand State University, and this experience will be one of the most valuable treasures in our life.

Yan Zetao
People's Republic of China
60310100 – Economy (by industries and sectors)

     My name is Yan Zetao. I am 18 years old and studying in Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov.

    My major is economics at the Institute of Management of Human Resources and Mahalla development. I am very happy to study in Uzbekistan, a beautiful country.  My teachers are very responsible, they will be very patient to solve my learning problems, However, our institute is much more beautiful than others.

    It is also an experience of life is the process of growing up. In my institute, we not only learn knowledge, but also learn to think independently. I learned how to work as a team and how to deal with people. We think about the meaning of life in class. The Institute life makes us more tenacious, more confident, and more brave to face the unknown challenges. I have gained a lot of knowledge from here. I will take my studies seriously and I like it here very much!!!

Guo Xinyu
People's Republic of China
60310100 – Economy (by industries and sectors)

    My name is Guo Xinyu, a student from China, and now I am studying in Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov. My major is theory of economics at the Institute of Human Resource Management.

    University is not only a treasure house of knowledge, but also a melting pot of character. Here, we draw on the power of knowledge, explore the mysteries of the world, and open the Windows of the heart. As Einstein once said, "School is not the whole of life, but it is the source of knowledge and the cradle of wisdom." The thinking in the university class, the inspiration and guidance of the professors, let us constantly challenge ourselves and break through the boundaries of thinking. Here, we can delve into the fields we love, pursue excellence, and realize our academic dreams. I like here very much, because the teachers here are very responsible, patient and professional. I also like the environment here, the environmental protection is very good, everywhere is full of vibrant scenery, the air is very fresh, I like everything here.

Ma Si
People’s Republic of China
60310100 – Economy (by industries and sectors)

My name is Ma Si, I am an international student from China and I am studying the Economics direction at the Institute of Human Resource Management and Mahallah development of Samarkand State University. This is also my first time in this city. Samarkand is a city with a long history and rich culture. The scenery here is very beautiful, and the locals are very warm, often people will take the initiative to greet us. My teachers and classmates are also very friendly, the professors give easy-to-understand lectures with humor, and the students are very enthusiastic and will patiently help us solve all kinds of problems in study and life. I feel very lucky to be able to start my four-year college life in this school.

Koki Murooka
Japan
Academic exchange program

    My name is Koki Murooka. I am a third-year student at Soka University, and I am currently studying abroad at Samarkand State University to study Russian. My life here is very exciting. The professors are enthusiastic about their classes and all the students take their studies very seriously. When I first came here, I was taught Russian from the basics and had good classes to improve my understanding of grammar and to increase my vocabulary and ways of expressing myself. In addition to the language, we also learned about the history of Uzbekistan, and were able to visit actual sites and experience the history and culture firsthand. My friends in the class I am taking now are kind and teach me the content of lectures I don't understand. I can only express my gratitude to all the staff involved at the university.

Ekaterina Khvatalova
Russian Federation
Student on the academic mobility program in the direction of "Digital Economy"

    My name is Ekaterina Khvatalova, and I am a 4^th  year student at Samarkand State University. I believe that studying in Samarkand will strengthen and deepen my existing knowledge, and will also leave mostly positive emotions from my stay here. I am eternally grateful to SamSU teachers for the knowledge they invested in me.

    My choice was Uzbekistan, because this country has a great cultural heritage, rich history, diverse traditions and customs. Studying here is a wonderful opportunity not only to gain invaluable learning experience, but also to visit the oldest cities in the world, such as Bukhara, Tashkent, Khiva, Shakhrisabz. Each city has preserved luxurious architectural monuments that are considered world-class attractions.

    I was not mistaken when we decided to choose Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov. Thank you for the positive experience and the opportunity to gain new knowledge.

Krzysztof Kurtyka
Poland
Master’s degree, mobility exchange program

    My name is Krzysztof Kurtyka and I'm a Master’s program student from Jagiellonian University Cracow, Poland. It was my dream to come to Samarkand one day as it is one of those ancient cities you hear about here and there. As an enthusiast of ancient history in general and Sogdiana in particular I couldn't find a better place to go. Here you have countless possibilities to explore the great past of ancient Sogdiana (of which Samarkand was sort of capital), speak in Tajik, which was one of my goals and broaden horizons by learning Uzbek and developing skills in Russian.

    Although getting used to different administration is always a challenge you can always get through it thanks to the supportive teachers and International Affairs office. I find university campus very comfortable and really there is nothing missing here. The same may be said about the whole city which attracts you not only with its historical places but also its green parks, warm weather and hospitable people.

Itsumi Watanabe
Japan
Student, academic mobility exchange program

    My name is Itsumi Watanabe. I was born in Japan. I was studying at Soka University in Japan and now I'm studying at Samarkand University for one year to study Russian language. Since the fall semester, I have been attending classes with local students. I had originally planned to study in Russia, but due to the international situation, that dream did not come true. Although I was not able to study in Russia, my studies in Uzbekistan ultimately broadened my cultural interests. In addition, all my friends are very kind and teachers are always ready to respond to students' requests. I hope that the culture of this country will be carefully preserved in the future. And finally, I would like to thank my friends and teachers for supporting me during the year.