Visalia Times-Delta , CA
Dec 10 2011
Exchange students in Visalia learn lessons of peace
In their homelands they would be sworn enemies. But coming to America
has turned two Armenia and Azerbaijan teens into friends who want to
end two decades of hatred between their countries.
`It is a stupid war going on for 20 years. The only way to solve the
war is to look to the future, not the past,’ said Murad Alizade of
Azerbaijan. `Our region Caucasus is always known as a powder keg and
it’s very easy to begin a conflict over there. We are just standing
cold to each other and hate each other and that is not the way for
(the) 21st century. I view that conflict as one of the last wounds the
Soviet Union put on the earth. Everybody stay in his country thinking
the other country hates them and as a result they hate each other
without knowing each other. The only way to solve the problem is to
know your neighbor. Then you won’t want to fight them.’
Sahak Ghazaryan of Armenia agreed, and said `the new generation in our
countries are growing up just hating each other because they are
taught to hate each other. We are the generation that needs to make a
difference. We can fix it. We just need to find a compromise. I never
had a chance to talk to a person from Azerbaijan and probably wouldn’t
if I hadn’t come to America. Now (Alizade) is my friend and I don’t
care he’s from the other country. I try to understand his mentality
not to attack him, not to find his weak place, but just to understand
and see what we can do. We want to take the knowledge and experience
of our friendship back to our countries. If you can make countries
better you make the world better.’
______
Exchange students share holidays in Visalia
Written by
Donna-Marie Sonnichsen
Whether it is Santa Claus with a grand-daughter instead of a wife,
course after course of sumptuous food Christmas Eve, New Year’s
celebrations instead of Christmas, burning the devil, or a rite of
spring instead of winter; nine foreign exchange students shared the
diversity of their homeland holiday celebrations at a luncheon in
Tulare this week.
The teenagers from half a world away were guests of the Soroptimist
International of Tulare Wednesday, an annual tradition and gesture of
goodwill by the club, said president Janice Minyard.
Several of the 15-to-17-year-olds attending school in the Tulare Joint
Union High School District said being away from home during the
holidays was the hardest part of the exchange program, but they were
fascinated by the American style Christmas celebration.
`The American Christmas is very fun. I was surprised when we decorated
the house the end of November because we decorate the end of December
and only inside the house,’ said Rushana Anvarovna Kanyarova of
Kyrgyzstan. `We do not celebrate Christmas but we have the New Year
Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. It is family time in my country. But here you can
spend it with friends and have a big party.’
Sahak Ghazaryan of Armenia spoke philosophically about American capitalism.
`Sometimes (Armenians) think they can’t understand why Americans are
using that much money. Well it’s because Christmas is a time to give,
a time to forget about the economy and just enjoy. It’s amazing
because (Americans) are not thinking about getting, they are thinking
about giving. I don’t think everybody understands (that) in my
country. They like to get (gifts) more. They are giving, but they do
not make it a priority,’ said Ghazaryan, here on one of the Department
of State-funded scholarships through the World Link Inc. Exchange
Program.
Ignacio Euclides of Argentina entertained the gathering with his
description of burning `the devil man,’ a creation symbolic burnt on
Dec. 7 to `get rid of all bad feelings’ and events from the past year.
Their celebration includes serving a whole pig, lamb or cow on
Christmas Eve, with toasts and fireworks at midnight, followed by a
big lunch on Dec. 25th.
Murad Alizade of Azerbaijan said the holiday was once called Christmas
`but after the Soviets came to rule they took away the religious
meaning.’
Alizade said small Christian minorities celebrate Christmas in his
Muslim dominated country, and said although he is Muslim he attended
church there to have a comparison to America before making the trip
here.
`The most awesome thing I saw here is that totally diverse people with
totally different backgrounds come together and celebrate the same
holiday. It is great!’ said Alizade.
Peter Szabo of Hungary, a Tulare Rotary club sponsored exchange
student, said kids in his country grew up on American Christmas movies
like Home Alone, but he still got a shock when it came time to put up
a tree in his host family’s home.
`This was the first time I had to put together a fake tree and it was
weird for me. We go out and buy a real tree as family tradition and
decorate Dec. 22 or 23. But most Americans use fake, probably because
it is easier,’ he speculated.
Decorating a Christmas tree for the first time in her life impressed
Karmela Naji-Alikperova of Turkmenistan so much she has another little
one in her bedroom.
In her country New Years is celebrated instead of Christmas, but
rather than family time, it is `more like a big party.’
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20111210/NEWS01/111210003/Exchange-students-Visalia-learn-lessons-peace-?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20111210/NEWS01/111210001/Exchange-students-share-holidays-Visalia?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFrontpage%7Cp