Nuriza Begalieva: "There are a lot of things I have to discover in life"

November 30, 2015

Nuriza Begalieva, a Senior in the European Studies department, spent an exchange semester this spring at Sciences Po, Reims, in France. There she studied the politics of France and the European Union while also improving her French.

“Honestly, before entering AUCA, I did not know where to go and who I wanted to be.  I just remember taking English classes outside of school, since it was the only thing I was interested in. Getting accepted into AUCA, I really felt a unique spirit. In high school, all my courses were conducted in Kyrgyz. The relationship between between teachers and students, the code of conduct, and uniforms were very strict at my high school. Definitely, studying at AUCA I felt the freedom that I was lacking before. I became more open and active, freely expressing my opinions, and participating in various events like Diversity week.

Studying in the European Studies department helped me define my future career aspirations.  I have enjoyed every class whether it is in politics or arts. At some point early in my academic career, I received a link from my department about the exchange program at Sciences Po, Reims, in France. Since I was learning French as a second language, I was very excited about this program. I would not say that selection process was very difficult because we were the first two students applying to this program. I have never been abroad and so I experienced a lot on this trip. I really liked my stay in France; I had the chance to meet a lot of interesting people and visit many places. Like everyone, I had certain stereotypes about the people and culture of France. This experience helped me develop a more nuanced understanding of the people. The pedagogy at Sciences Po was totally different from what we have here at AUCA. For example, they have a different style of writing research papers, presentations and essays. I took very interesting classes like the politics of France, the politics of the European Union, and humanitarian aid and development. I liked most that we often had guest lectures by representatives from the European Union and by lecturers who were directly related to our field.   

Moreover, I was able to improve French by practicing it both on and off campus. French people there wondered about my nationality. Many thought that I was from China, though I told them all the time that I came from Kyrgyzstan. They were surprised to find out I speak Russian.

It is important to note cultural differences. I come from a traditional Kyrgyz family and more than a few of my perspectives did not align with everyone’s. One time, on a visit to Nantes (a city in the west of France), I was traveling by train and suddenly noticed a older man, probably 70-75 years old, standing in front of me. For me, it was necessary to give up my seat for this person; so, I got up. From the strange look he gave me, I understood that we were not on the same page.

Generally speaking, this experience helped me understand many things: first and foremost myself. Being abroad, we learn more about our weaknesses and strengths. Being the eldest in the family, I thought I was quite independent, but in France I had to face several challenges. I learned how to be responsible for my own actions and how to be tolerant of people from different cultures. I realized that there are still a lot of things that I have to discover in life. I am grateful to the people who gave me this opportunity, an opportunity not only to study abroad, but also to broaden my worldview.”

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