Newsroom

‘Sea of red' makes an impression

By Bill Hafer/Daily Sun staff writer

Among the new experiences Anastasiya Saparalieva has encountered as an exchange student in Beatrice, one that sticks out the most is the sea of red that shows up for a Husker football game.

“It's great how everyone is for the Huskers,” said Saparalieva, who is taking classes at Southeast Community College-Beatrice Campus. “I was impressed, the whole town was red.”

She said sports are not as big in her country, Turkmenistan, a central Asia country slightly larger than California bordering the Caspian Sea between Iran and Kazakhstan.

But attending a Husker game, she said was quite an experience with the band, cheerleaders and dancers and everybody dressed in red T-shirts.

“And they were all so happy,” Saparalieva said.

She said watching football on television wasn't the same because she isn't familiar with the rules.

“But being at a game was amazing, I loved it,” Saparalieva said.

In Turkmenistan, she said she is studying political science at the American University of Central Asia and chose to get involved with the exchange program for the experience.

“It was a chance to try something new,” Saparalieva said.

She said she arrived in Beatrice in early September. Along with taking classes at SCC, the exchange program also requires her to get involved with community service and do an internship.

Having already completed the community service requirement, helping at the YMCA with its after-school program, Saparalieva is currently interning with the Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce.

“I basically help organize projects here, whatever they need help with,” she said.

Saparalieva said back home she lives in a bigger city, closer in size to Lincoln, and has missed having snow.

“I like snow, we went a long time here waiting for it to snow,” she said, but she isn't so fond of the cold Nebraska winds.

Saparalieva said experience with the English language is an important part of the learning experience.

“Being in an English speaking environment is a lot different from learning from a textbook,” she said.

Food, in particular their traditional bread, is one of the things she has missed while being here, Saparalieva said.

“Our traditional bread is made in special round ovens outside the house,” she said.

The loaves are round and the bread is not as light and airy as bread here is, Saparalieva said.

She said foods she has enjoyed trying here have been Runzas and turkey at Thanksgiving time.

The Christmas season was also an experience, Saparalieva said.

“Christmas is big here, in my country we don't have it at all,” she said.

She said she enjoyed seeing all the different sides to Christmas, from Santa, to the religious side to the commercial side.

“Every single house is lighted up so pretty,” Saparalieva said.

Her exchange program (UGRAD) runs through early June, when she said she will head back home to finish college. She said, depending on whether her credits from SCC will transfer, she has a year and a half to two years left before she graduates.

This article was originally published by Beatrice Daily Sun, Nebraska