Contents:

Volume 42 winter/spring 2009

F U T U R E L E A D E R S E X C HAN G E A L U M N I N E W S L E T T E R

Olena Fomina ’03 Kotsubinske, Ukraine/Lowellville, OH ofomina@msn.com

For many of us, the FLEX program was not just an exchange program, but as Hlib Pronskikh ’07 from Kirovohrad said, “FLEX is a ticket to an independent life.” At the age of 15-16, we found the courage to leave our protected nests – families, friends, schools, and communities – to go live in a completely dif-ferent world. How courageous, adventurous, and passionate we are!

Reflecting on how much we all learned in less than a year won’t fit into one book. Over these 15 years, thousands of lives have changed due to the FLEX program. What experiences we had: met and made life-lasting friendships with so many wonderful people, learned a new culture, started to appreciate our own more, became so patriotic and passionate about bringing change to our own countries. In the true essence of the FLEX word, we have became FLEXible in adjusting to any situations and solving any challenges our lives have to offer us. What was supposed to be an initial cultural and educational exchange grew into enormous intellectual and spiri-tual power that shaped, shapes, and will continue to shape brand new generations of young, proactive, smart and responsible leaders of our own lives and countries.

I remember receiving the issue of The Bradley Herald devoted to the 10th anniversary of the FLEX Program five years ago. It is hard to believe

that time flies so fast! On November 28, 2008 in honor of the 15th anniversary of the FLEX Program, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, with support from American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS, hosted the forum “FLEX, 15 Years: Results and Future.”

FLEX Start-Up Legislation

Nearly 60 FLEX alumni from all 15 years of the pro-gram and all regions of Ukraine participated in the celebration. The “father” of the FLEX program for-mer U.S. Senator Bill Bradley and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor were special guests of the event. The forum was aimed at highlighting the efforts of FLEX alumni as individuals and as a com-munity over the years, as well as the impact alumni have had on Ukraine’s development.

This gathering, quite different from the celebration of the FLEX 10th anniversary, had a more “personal touch,” according to alumni who attended. The forum started with a welcome from Bill Bradley. He invited us to look back to the origins of the FLEX pro-gram, to the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992, which the U.S. Congress passed to support the FLEX pro-gram. “The program started in 1993 after passage of the legislation allowing the program to happen. The Cold War was over and I thought that the best way for young people from just newly independent countries to get to know America is to go and live there. The program was designed to be a two-way street: for you, the young generation to learn about the U.S. and for American families to learn about you

FLEX 15th Year Anniversary: Reflecting the Past, Projecting the Future

14Theme of the issue: FLEX 15th Anniversary

Ukraine Forum

FLEX is My Second Nationality!

45FLEX Alumni Grants Program

Arts and Crafts Classes for Disabled Kids

American Institute on Political and Economic Systems

Street Law Summer School

6 FLEX Family News

7 Memoirs of a Dinosaur

8-9 Colors of FLEX

1012 Bradley Bits

1314 News and Essays

Russian Managers’ Association

America, Motherhood, and Beef Production

Euroclub in Sambir

15 Profiles

Anton Borisov ‘02 Kharkiv, Ukraine

Dmitry Plyushev ‘95 Moscow, Russia

Marzhan Doszhanova ‘07 Almaty, Kazakhstan

Senator Bill Bradley (wearing Ukrainian traditional scarf “rushnik”) and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor celebrate FLEX at 15 with active alumni in Kyiv

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Dear FLEX Alumni,

As this issue of The Bradley Herald goes to print, spring is in the air. The newest FLEX finalists are receiving those life-changing phone calls - maybe you’ve heard the screams - as they learn that they have been selected for the FLEX Program and are headed to the U.S. this summer. Pre-departure orientations and re-entry seminars will take place in June and July. And a new team of recruiters will soon be hired to promote the program and test candidates this fall! On behalf of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and American Councils for International Education, we extend a special thanks to the hundreds of you who promoted FLEX, and assisted the FLEX recruiting teams when they came to your cities last fall. Alumni are key to the success of this program year round!

In this issue, we invite you to join with us in celebrating the 15th anniversary of the FLEX program. In reading the cover story on the Kyiv Forum with Senator Bradley, you’ll learn about the many achievements of FLEX alumni in Ukraine, as well as the launch of the Traveling FLEX Flag project. First, let us note that if we could convince Senator Bradley to travel to each of your countries, we would certainly collect similarly inspiring reports on your profes-sional advancement, your charity efforts, and your community out-reach projects. And second, we are glad to announce that between December and August 2009, the 15th Anniversary Traveling Flag is visiting each of the ten FLEX countries! FLEX alumni coordinators are organizing special gatherings to which you’ll be invited to add your thumbprint to this symbol of FLEX alumni unity! Don’t miss your chance to leave your mark. Contact your Alumni Coordinator to find out when the flag is coming to a city near you!

The FLEX Traveling Flag is just one part of the larger Colors of FLEX Anniversary Initiative. In this issue, you’ll read about this Eurasia-wide effort from each of the six alumni coordinators responsible for one of the program directions. They’re organizing blood drives, shooting movies, conducting clean ups and tree plantings, working with disabled youth, setting up orphan pen pal exchanges, raising money, and much more. All of these colorful initiatives give you more ways to be involved and give back to your community!

And the FLEX Alumni Grant program can help! Again in 2009, the State Department has provided funds to support you through the FLEX Alumni Grant program. In this anniversary year, we received more than 60 proposals from alumni ready to carry out projects. On pages 4-5, we invite you to read several of our 2008 grant winners’ grant projects descriptions to get ideas on the range of activities that can be supported with these grants. 2009 winners will be announced in May. Watch for updates at www.americancouncils.org.The global financial crisis came upon us quickly and has created new challenges for us all. At the same time, the election of U.S. President Barack Obama has given us hope. His words and actions demonstrate his commitment to needed international cooperation and he invites us to get invovled. In the next issue of The Bradley Herald, we will focus on the crisis. We ask all of you - bankers, inves-tors, students, managers - to share your observations, hypotheses, and solutions! We want to you how you, alumni in Eurasia, are facing this crisis. Please send your articles to Bradleyherald@actr.ru.Let me close with a humble request: stay in touch! Send us your new email addresses and phone numbers, tell us about your work, studies, and families! Propose ideas for alumni initiatives! Write to us at fsaalumni@actr.ru.

Mary SheaEditor

Letter from the Editorand your cultures,” shared Mr. Bradley about his vision of the program. Ambassador Taylor also has a personal connection with the program, as he worked as a member of Senator Bradley’s staff in the U.S. Senate. Mr. Bradley shared some additional pages of the FLEX program’s his-tory, “…and later, thanks to this experience, Ambassador Taylor nudged the FLEX program forward at some critical moments, when he was working in the State Department.”

Sharing our Most Memorable Moments

Mr. Bradley was very pleased to hear what we, alumni, are doing after coming back to our home countries. He was impressed to learn how involved we are and see how we carry our FLEX year with us. After telling a little bit of the FLEX history, Mr. Bradley asked us to introduce ourselves and share our most memorable FLEX experience. As we listened to one another tell those stories, an atmosphere of closeness and excitement encircled us, something special that often happens at FLEX gatherings. Among the most popular was the Civic Education Workshop in DC, which it turned out, enormously influ-enced the choice of career paths for many of us. Other stories were as valued and important: for one it was a senior trip to a Broadway show, for another a Christmas celebration and meeting 50 members of the family at once, playing football (without knowing any of the rules), living in the family of a Mormon bishop, and trying a new sport like tennis, football, or rafting. As Oleksiy Kharchenko ’02 vividly put it, “The whole year was like a real Hollywood movie!”

Professional Success

It’s no secret that the FLEX program helped many participants shape their professional career paths. Oleg Tudoran ’95 from Izmail in the Odesa region said that exactly during his exchange year he under-stood what he wanted to do in the future: edit movies. Currently Oleg works for one of Kyiv’s private production studios “VIATEL,” where he has already achieved significant professional success as an editor of the TV Show Eurovision Song Contest 2007 and a documentary film on the history of St Michael’s Cathedral. The 15th anniversary forum proved once again that people from every year of the program are making valuable professional and personal contributions to society. Just new to the FLEX alumni family, Sviatoslava Vlasyuk ’08 from Reshetylivka, Poltava oblast, shared her fresh reflection on the year in the U.S.: “I am the first FLEX alumna in my community, so I’m trying to make a differ-ence. I haven’t been home for long, but I am very FLEX energized. I was in the U.S. not only for myself, but for other people too. I’m mak-ing as many presentations as I can, and organizing different projects and school parties.” Valeriia Zasiedatielieva ’03 from Kyiv realized why the program is called “Future LEADERS Exchange” soon after her return from the FLEX year. “It is amazing to realize that FLEX alumni are playing a significant role in Ukraine’s formation as a democ-racy as it continues the difficult process of Euro-Atlantic integration. I know FLEX alumni who work in politics, international organizations, free enterprise, mass media, etc. And what is even more refreshing is that our community is growing every year and is therefore making an even greater contribution to Ukraine’s renaissance.”

Alumni Events through the Years

FLEX Alumni Coordinator for Kyiv and Central Ukraine Iryna Shadeyko ’05 had the honor of highlighting outstanding alumni activities through the years 1995 to 2008. Projects focused on personal and professional development, including the organization of numerous seminars and trainings. Countless social projects were implemented, such as the annual Race for Life, holidays in orphanages, FLEX Alumni blood drives, and many others. Artem Sokolskyy ’05 presented events from Eastern Ukraine and Volodymyr Bilay ’03 from Southern Ukraine, while Alla Myshalova gave information about the Race for Children,

Ukraine Forum

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organized in Western Ukraine, to support maternity wards. Maryna Gaidak, FLEX alumni assistant for Central Ukraine in 2006 – 2007, talked about the FLEX Alumni Benefit Balls (held 2001-2007), through which alumni attracted nearly $30,000. Money collected helped many needy organizations: Kyiv Internat #14, Kyiv Regional Oncology Center, Orphanage “Malyatko”, Children’s Department of Zhytomyr Regional Tuberculosis Hospital, and others. Olha Panchak ’03, a FLEX Alumni Grant winner and youth activist, presented the project “Active Youth of Noviy Rozdil.” In that tiny town in the Lviv Region, she and others in the FLEX Alumni Association decided to bring positive changes in their community through creative and diverse projects, such as SAY semi-nars (Seminars for Active Youth), Our Future in Our Hands, Charitable Halloween Party, and “Let’s Tell People the Truth! Human Trafficking Exists!” and a summer school for Active Youth.

Launch of the FLEX Traveling Flag

Alumni organizers launched the 15th Anniversary Colors of FLEX Project at the Ukraine Forum. They introduced the FLEX Traveling Flag, a huge banner on which a map of Eurasia is depicted in blue and white, the tra-ditional FLEX colors. All present were then invited to place their thumb prints on the map, in the region of Ukraine from which they come. This Traveling FLEX Flag will take a long journey over the next nine months, being transported to all the FLEX countries so that alumni across Eurasia will have the opportunity to gather and add their thumbprints. This idea originated at the September Eurasia FLEX Alumni Coordinators’ Training Conference. The FLEX Traveling Flag will show the united power of FLEX alumni and represent both the real and symbolic mark of FLEX alumni in history. Ruslan Tykholaz ’03 shared his impression of the project, “It’s fun to make these fingerprints and be part of this colorful project, which shows the unity of all FLEX people. I am proud it started with U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, U.S. Ambassador William Taylor, and us in Ukraine.”

Remembering the Past

Senator Bradley’s visit to Ukraine provided him the opportunity to celebrate FLEX at 15! But Ukrainian alumni also used his arriv-al to acknowledge the Senator’s tremendous efforts to help the world recognize the Ukrainian tragedy Holodomor of 1932 - 33. In 1984, Senator Bradley sponsored legislation, which created the U.S. Congressional Commission on the Ukrainian Famine. This body rec-

ognized Holodomor as a crime against humanity at the hands of a totalitarian regime. Iryna Ogay ’04, Southern Ukraine alumni coordina-tor, presented Senator Bradley with a Ukrainian “rushnik” - a traditional embroidered towel - signed by all alumni present at the Forum as a gift. Ulyana Skorupska ’05, this year’s Western Ukraine alumni coor-dinator, thanked Mr. Bradley “for keeping the candle lit in honor of millions of innocent lives.”

Educational Opportunities

As the Forum drew to a close, FLEX Program Associate Brad Miller, shared news of educational opportunities open to alumni. He announced the 2009 Legislative Education and Practice Program (LEAP), and invited alumni interested in government and public service to apply for this fellowship program. Olena Fomina ’03, currently serving as an interna-tional director of the American NGO Students for Liberty, made a pre-

sentation about her organization and invited all students to participate in the annual Students for Liberty Conference in Washington, DC. Alla Myshalova ’03 and Ruslan Tykholaz ’02, current and former participants of the Parliamentary Development Project Internship at Verkhovna Rada also invited alumni to apply to become interns for the highest legislative body of Ukraine.

FLEX Alumni – “Father’s” Pride

Mr. Bradley closed the forum with an inspiring statement, “I just want to tell you how proud I am of you all, FLEX alumni, and to see the self-confidence you have about your future and your country’s future. It is the biggest satisfaction for me to see how patriotic you are and committed to other human beings!”

FLEX is My Second Nationality!Alexandra Solomatova ’05 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan/Denver, CO asolomatova@gmail.com

From Kyrgyzstan to Azerbaijan, from Russia to Turkmenistan, and from Ukraine to Georgia, we are all united by the most international, the most talented and the most dedicated to fun and service family in the whole world. “I am FLEX ‘05,” Ana from Georgia told me when I first met her at Berea College. “I am FLEX ’05 too! Where did you stay?” I asked her impatiently. “I stayed in Denver, Colorado,” she answered with a welcoming smile. I could not believe that we lived in the same state, dur-ing the same year, on the same program and now we met each other in a totally strange place, but we are not strangers anymore. We are FLEX! FLEX changed my life and has sent me on a mysterious journey where I have been explor-ing the world, people, and opportunities. This

journey has a unique mission for every FLEX traveler: to make an impact that can change the world and people who live in it. Every FLEX voyager is well equipped with different tools and is well trained to adjust to any situation. I have been very much enjoying the journey that FLEX granted me. I have gained life skills that helped me to pursue my further studies and careers. As I travel this road, I have met various fabulous people, thus expanding my network. Every traveler can get tired after an adventurous experience. When FLEX travelers are tired, they can stop with other travelers and have fun in a friendly atmosphere in a local club or by visiting a local orphanage and interact together with youngsters, while try-ing to have a positive impact on them. When one of us is in trouble, the whole FLEX family is ready to help. After being on the road for several years, usu-ally FLEX alumni understand that this voyage is a life journey and only the most deter-mined, the most passionate, and the most dedicated alumni will be able to overcome all obstacles and reach the furthest finish line. By becoming a part of the great FLEX team, orga-

nization, family, and finally FLEX movement, it has opened every closed door on my way. In opening these doors to personal, profes-sional, spiritual, and career growth, I opened the door “Who am I” and was embraced by all my talents and dreams, all the passions I found within myself. FLEX program is unique. It is hard to find any analogy. It is a dream for every girl and boy to try this once in a lifetime opportunity and to be assimilated into the community of talent-ed citizens that is the FLEX world. It is the wish of all brave teenagers to live on their own and make their own choices and decisions. It is a hope for every young changer-of-the-world to learn how to make these changes and develop all the necessary skills for this chal-lenging mission. Wherever I am, the FLEX program is always a big part of my life! I meet FLEX fellows in dif-ferent parts of the world and usually they are the most active and successful people. FLEX made me who I am today and, gripped by an overwhelming feeling of hope and joy, I can loudly say “I’m proud to be FLEX”!

Ukraine Forum

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FLEX Alumni Grants Program

Doing Small Things with Great LoveGrant award: $2650Omina Sanginova ’07 Khujand, Tajikistan/Onalaska, WI Omina_89@yahoo.com

During my stay in America, I was impressed by the willingness of people to help others. I was amazed that people actually devote themselves to the service of needy people. Many people taught me by their actions how a person can be an activist in his/her society and participate in changing the world for the better. After being involved in several actions that were held to fight poverty, I was inspired and encouraged to continue it. And happily, with the help of my devoted friends we are doing it.

On my return home, several FLEX alumni friends, Gulnoza Yakubova ’07 and Nadezhda Kogay ’07, and I organized an initiative group “Our Kids” that contributes to the develop-ment of education, youth empowerment, and community development. Our main goal was to attract youth to be activists in their community and help in solving global prob-lems, such as poverty and lack of educational opportunities -- two of the biggest problems in Tajikistan. We chose the neediest school or orphanage in a rural area and helped them by providing education supplies, clothes, food, and most important ATTENTION!

We started by discussing our ideas with dif-ferent NGOs working in these spheres, but after feeling that they were not taking us seriously, we decided to start on our own. We also presented our ideas at our univer-sity. Through our presentations, we attracted more and more people. First we went to local companies to explain our goals and ask for their financial support. We actually attracted several companies that donated some money

(200 TJS = about $70). We also held fund-raisers ourselves. Our best fundraising action was “Buy one hot-dog, help one kid.”

After we had collected some money, we start-ed helping orphanages, but we also contin-ued to make presentations and involve more people in our group.

Before long we had more than 20 people in our group and all of us were making pre-sentations and spreading the word about

our goals. In the course of the research we conducted to find the neediest schools in Tajikistan, we learned about a school for the disabled in a rural area of Pahtakor. We started helping this school by organizing a cloth-ing drive, but soon we figured out that the school had many kids who were talented in drawing, but who couldn’t develop their skills because they didn’t have anything to draw with. Unfortunately there wasn’t even a teacher who could help them develop their skills. That’s how we came up with the idea to create an Arts and Craft class. But we knew we could never gather the required amount of money by fundraising it ourselves.

Alumni Grants Program 2009American Councils for International Education announces the FLEX Alumni Grants Program 2009, funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), to assist past participants of the Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) of the program years 1994-2008. Alumni who are citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine may apply for individual (up to $250) or group grants (up to $3,000) to conduct projects that will contribute to the social, economic, and civic development of their countries.To participate in this program, alumni must (1) be successful participants of the FLEX program; (2) be in compliance with the two-year home residency requirement following the program; (3) update their information in the alumni database at any American Councils office or electronically; and (4) con-duct their project and currently reside in one of the countries in which the FLEX program is administered. Possible projects include:

Community service projects;Projects to promote civic participation; Professional development activities; Projects to support and promote knowledge of English language and understanding of American culture;Any other projects judged to be in the spirit of the program by the selection committee.

Deadline: February 28, 2009.Grant winners will be announced in May 2009. Read about this year’s grant win-ners at www.americancouncils.org or contact the Eurasia FLEX Alumni Office: fsaalumni@actr.ru.

Street Law Summer School Grant award $2,087Shamay Zurayeva ’04 Zagatala, Azerbaijan/Frankfort, KY satifsa11@yahoo.com

The societies we live in have different prob-lems. In Azerbaijan we suffer from corruption, non-observance of the laws, and absence of sufficient knowledge about rights. Anyone who believes in democracy and civil society intends to do the minimum by complying with the laws and obeying them. But, you can do a little more if you want to participate in the civil society building process. Street law is a tool to achieve this goal.

Street Law is a unique educational program that prepares law students to teach non-lawyers about the rule of law, democracy, and human rights. In Azerbaijan this program is carried out by the Legal Education Reform Program of the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative. I was involved in the Street Law program in Baku and taught six grade pupils about their basic rights while demonstrating how they can identify issues of democracy, equality, and justice in their daily lives.

The Street Law program is implemented in Baku, but not in the regions. In order to extend the program to Zagatala, located in the north-west region of Azerbaijan, I applied to the FLEX Alumni Grant Program and was awarded a grant to conduct a Street Law Summer School in the School of European Languages of Zagatala.

My team and I carried out the week-long summer school in Zagatala in August and involved about 60 sixth and seventh graders. Law students introduced sixth grade children the concept of rule of law, equality, criminal liability for wrongdoings, and some basic human rights. Sixth graders were very willing to learn as they were obtaining information about their rights such as right to education, right to appeal to the court, consumer rights, for example the terms when they are entitled to return the product bought back to the shop, etc. They were especially interested in the issue of equality, and tried to understand equal rights for men and women and the concessions provided to refugees and inter-nally displaced persons in the framework of equality.

Omina Sanginova ‘07 and her team renovate the arts and crafts classroom for disabled pupils

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by Georgetown University, is designed to explore the political, economic, and cultural issues of the world as it grows under demo-cratic principles. My main aim was to take as much as possible from the institute and bring it back to the people I interact with in Georgia. I strongly believe that the informa-tion acquired through AIPES will allow me to become a successful diplomat.

As the youngest participant of AIPES 08, I worked to show everyone my knowledge in these fields, realize myself, acquire new skills, and interact with other students and leaders of the program.

Listening to the American policy makers and scholars was the most rewarding part of the program. Professor Roger Pilon, who had held five senior posts in Ronald Reagan’s administration, spoke to us about the U.S. constitution and policy making. His valuable firsthand experience in U.S. policy making was unique and particularly inter-esting for me.

In Prague I met people with whom I not only hung out throughout the program, but who also showed me that our friendship is ongoing. Right after they heard of the dam-ages in my town, AIPES President Matthew Kwasiborski together with American and Polish alumni opened an account for AIPES alumni from Gori and raised approximately $1,000. This very action was really inspiring. I will never forget how happy I felt knowing that somebody out there cares for me.

As well as successfully passing the exam and receiving three credits from Georgetown University, I have met students of different professional and ethnic backgrounds. Creating links with students from different places always makes me feel a broader connection to the world. Meeting so many interested and engaged citizens inspires me to acquire more knowledge and implement it. Consider taking part in AIPES. Believe me: it is an experience of a lifetime. www.tfasinternational.org.

It was our good luck to learn about the FLEX Alumni Grants Program. Without a moment to waste, we started to write a project proposal “An Arts and Craft Class for Disabled Kids,” which was approved and awarded a grant in the amount of $2650.

The main idea of our project was to create a convenient, comfortable art class with mod-ern drawing supplies. Basic supplies were critical, as that school couldn’t even provide paper on which the kids could draw. But the school did give us one of its old empty class-rooms. With the help of our grant funds, we repaired and furnished it, and provided draw-ing supplies that meet modern day standards. We were also able to hire a professional art teacher from the University of Design, who taught the kids art skills over a period of four months. Now even after the project has ended, students have a class and supplies that will give them a chance to develop their draw-ing skills further. Our kids and FLEX alumni do want to make changes, and we are definitely doing it, even though it’s very small change. As we love to say “We can’t do great things, but we do small things with great love!”

The seventh grade program mainly concen-trated on the issues of corruption and ways to confront corruption, as well as other issues such as education and the legislative process. We introduced the school children to the con-cept of corruption by helping them cite exam-ples from their daily lives. For example, pupils talked about the cases when one enters the university without having taken any exams or getting good grades by paying bribes. We also explained to them that if they fix their grades by paying money in order to get a red diploma (school diploma with honors) that is bribery and they are participating in corruption.

We also examined with the pupils the short- and long-term effects of corruption. We con-cluded that the short-term effects of corrup-tion in education would be that the student

would not obtain knowledge at school, his/her family would have to pay extra money, and the student would not know what it is to achieve goals by hard work. And the long- term effects of corruption would be that the society would be full of poorly educated people and a state without high-level edu-cation would not flourish. For example, one of the students accurately mentioned that a doctor who received his diploma by payoffs will not be able to cure people. By describ-ing the negative outcomes of corruption, we tried to discourage pupils from participat-ing in corruption. Overall, I think Street Law Summer School played a role in enlightening the pupils about their rights in daily life and in the long run assisted in making the society a better place.

American Institute on Political and Economic Systems (AIPES)Individual grant award: $250Tornike Zurabashvili ’07 Gori, Georgia/Albuquerque, NM toto161989@yahoo.com

I am grateful for the individual grant I received from the FLEX Alumni Grant, which allowed me to participate in the American Institute on Political and Economic systems this July in Prague, Czech Republic.

The program offered a unique educational environment: 140 students from more than 25 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the United States partici-pated. This academic program, conducted

Doing Small Things

Pupils in Zagatala, Azerbaijan show the certificates they received for completing the Street Law Summer School, led by Shamay Zurayeva ‘04

Tornike Zurabashvili ‘07 (L) relaxes between classes with friends at the AIPES Summer School in Prague

Street Law Summer School

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FLEX Family News

Long Awaited Family ReunionEvgeniy Gribov ’94 Bryansk, Russia/ Stanwood, WA eegribov@gmail.com

It’s been 15 years since my American experi-ence and finally I was able to introduce my Russian and American parents to each other. Once, ten years ago, we almost made it hap-pen. We even received our American visas and were ready to fly across the ocean, but the ‘98 financial crisis in our country ruined those plans.

So this June, while celebrating my father’s birthday at our summer “dacha,” as I took in the beautiful fields, haystacks and watched the larks flying overhead, the decision came to me spontaneously - the time had come. My parents, I must say, didn’t expect this from me, and to be honest, neither did I. However, somewhere in my cerebellum I wished to go and, of course, the idea was accepted by the family with great enthusiasm.

All the rest seemed really easy. I asked for the vacation at work, we received visas in all of three days -- which compared with the pro-cedures in 1997-1998 was nothing -- bought tickets over the Internet, packed lightly, and we were ready. Only one thing didn’t go quite right. Just before departure day, my father was offered a good new job and he stayed behind. So my mother and I headed off to the USA.

The moment we arrived in San Francisco and saw my host parents is one I shall remember all my life. First of all, I was in the U.S. last in 2003, so it’d been a while since I had seen my Mom and Dad. I should also add that my Dad is 77 years old now and my Mom had heart surgery a few years ago. And you can’t imag-ine for how long my mother had been trying to imagine this meeting with my American family. She was so thankful to my Mom and Dad for everything they have done for me. All these years we have been writing letters. My parents always tried to say a few words in English on the phone -- it truly felt like they were part of our Russian family.

So imagine the scene: my American Mom and Dad met us with bunches of Hawaiian flowers in their arms. They had received these flowers that very day from Hawaii - the place where they had first met many years ago - and were eager to greet us with them. I won’t share all the details of how it happened: there were hugs, tears, and all the emotions you could expect from humans who are not acting, but truly love each other and are glad to be togeth-er. What to add? All the rest are the details. We spent a wonderful time: talking, hanging around, visiting the coast, seeing friends and family, shopping, cooking, and making pres-ents for each other. Truly, during these ten days in the USA we lived a small life. As for me, I understand now that I have done something very valuable and satisfying. In making this visit happen, I was able to compensate a part of the good that the FLEX Program gave me. In those ten days that my big American family spent with my mom and me, many times I felt like we are not only people interacting, but we are two mentalities, two countries, two nations which are able to be very friendly, loving, and attentive to each other. You know, while writ-ing everything above, for a moment I found myself again in the States with my Mom and Dad, on their porch, with the candles burning, talking about life… Thank you for this oppor-tunity!

Vekoslav Koshkin ’06 took first place in the All-Russian English Language Olympiad in 2008 as an 11th grade pupil in Volzhkiy. With the help of this victory, he entered Moscow State University, where he is currently studying in the Faculty of World Politics. vekoslav@mail.ru

Sisters: Mashhura and Karissa I have always dreamed of having a sister, someone with whom I could share my girly stories and just have fun. FLEX gave me this oppor-tunity in 2005. I was hosted by the Stein family in Aberdeen, SD. That’s where I met my sister Karissa. She wanted a sibling as well. Moreover we were born on the same date, August 27! She became my little sister, because we are exactly one year apart. The Stein family became part of our big Tajik fam-ily. Karissa talks on the phone with my parents in Tajikistan, even though their English is not very good. They all manage well, though. FLEX was a unique experience and has given a lifelong friendship between our families.

This year Karissa graduated from high school and we decided to meet and celebrate. Since I am living and studying in Finland right now, we decided to meet here. My sister traveled all the way from South Dakota to Europe to see me. We explored Europe together and she learned a lot about Finland as well. We even celebrated our birthdays together, just like we did three years ago in the U.S. Now we both are in college: she is in Oregon and I am in Turku, Finland, but we keep in touch and look forward to our next get together. Mashhura Sidikova ’06. sidikova@hotmail.com

Evgeniy Gribov ‘94 (right standing) and his mom Viktoriya relax on the porch with their big American family

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Memoirs of a DinosaurAliona Gorenco ’94 Chisinau, Moldova/Vancouver, WA alcdirector@americancouncils.md

The FLEX Program, just as any other phenom-enon existing for more than a year, generates its own slang. Thus, in the Chisinau office all newly returned FLEX are called “baby FLEX” and have their own defining characteristics: they travel in groups, spend most of their time in the American Councils office, and volunteer for anything and everything. When the term “baby FLEX” caught on so well, we were faced with a tricky undertaking of what to call the alumni of the 90s. Since “older,” “senior,” “gran-nies,” and plain “old” alumni seemed kind of boring and frankly insulting, a new term was created: “dinosaur.” A dinosaur is someone ancient, strong, intelligent, and almost impos-sible to find, which perfectly describes the alumni of the 90s.

Being the oldest dinosaur there is (FLEX 1994), I have come full circle from being a FLEX final-ist in a country just opening its borders to working in the American Councils Chisinau, Moldova office. And even though I truly hate the “excited archeologist” looks of “baby alum-ni” when I tell them what year I was a FLEX finalist, it is kind of exciting to think of the fact that you were a part of FLEX being born.

The year I became a FLEX finalist, Moldova was not even two years into its independence and a year after the bloody conflict with Transnistria. We were still a very sheltered, 2 TV-channel -nation, and even though we had an extensive PDO in Kyiv, I do not think any-thing could have prepared us for the wealth

of opportunities, freedom, and the intricacies of a foreign culture. But, I found that having two huge host dogs and a half (so tiny I did not notice it half the time) and an obnoxious, irritating and very funny host brother helps you get over the culture shock pretty quickly. As a FLEX participant I took all advice offered at PDO: I sought out every opportunity I could to have as many academic and social activi-ties as possible, taking part in all interesting classes, making American friends, and going on trips. But I still made all the classic FLEX mistakes, like feeling so homesick during the holidays that I spent all my money on phone calls, trying out for cheerleading (I don’t know what I was thinking), and forgetting about my curfew – for which as a punishment, I was made to eat two helpings of vegetables.

On my return to Moldova, I experienced the déjà vu feeling of yet again a vast area of opportunities. Just this time there was a need for people who would create them. I went through a classic “baby FLEX” routine of orga-nizing charity events, English Clubs, and work-ing with Peace Corps volunteers on different educational projects. My primary goal was to modernize and develop English teaching in my university and I ended up working as a university instructor for several years, before becoming a Muskie finalist in an International and Comparative Education Program. Yet another U.S. State Department program gave me opportunities of a lifetime to study in the Education Administration Department at Iowa State University along with high school and university administrators, to have my intern-ship at Boston University, and to do volunteer work with the “Beyond Welfare” program.

I realized I came full circle when I became the

director of the American Language Center at the American Councils office in Moldova. And although my work is challenging, interest-ing, and allows me to use the knowledge I gained through the Master’s program, it is my involvement in the FLEX English as a Foreign Language (EFL) camp for physically challenged FLEX participants that I am most proud of these days. The program, which takes place every summer in Moldova, is growing each year. This year’s group of 20 students included partici-pants who are vision and hearing impaired or have cerebral palsy, as well as participants who are not physically challenged, but need extra English language instruction before going to the United States.

Having coordinated the camp for two years now, I can say that there is nothing more grati-fying than working with these kids and being lucky enough to be a part of their lives for a month. The 24-hour days, frantic planning, and complete exhaustion at day’s end are a very small price to pay to see the physically challenged FLEX participants’ daily show of courage, intelligence, and positive outlook on life. After witnessing the positive impact this month alone makes in their lives and person-alities, I came to see the immense importance of this year in the U.S. for these participants. Through this month-long camp, I am proud to observe how FLEX is evolving and involving more and more physically challenged teenag-ers, who are truly worthy of the program.

Although, as I have said, I have come full circle from being a baby FLEX during its first years to a FLEX dinosaur, working for American Councils, it feels like FLEX is only starting for me with its wealth of opportuni-ties and potential.

FLEX English as a Foreign Language Camp participants take a group photo during their American lunch break.

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Colors of FLEX

American Councils announces the Colors of FLEX Initiative, a Eurasia-wide effort during 2008-2009 in honor of the 15th anniversary of the FLEX program. This idea was born at the Alumni Coordinators’ training conference in Moscow in September and continues to evolve. At present the initiative involves six program directions, based on FLEX program goals and priorities. Each of the six initiatives is being led by an Alumni Coordinator. FLEX Communities across Eurasia have incorporat-ing these initiatives into their activity calen-dars for 2008-2009.We hope that this Colors of FLEX Initiative will help alumni celebrate the program in many ways: Through Colors of FLEX, we will increase the opportunities for alumni to organize and participate in FLEX events. Alumni coordina-tors will also be working all year to develop opportunities to share this effort and more broadly the FLEX story with alumni, friends of the program, and the public.Here are short descriptions of each project. As this is still a “work in progress,” we really wel-come your comments and suggestions!

FLEX THE MOVIE. INTERNATIONAL EFFORT: Alumni Coordinator Shamil Valiev ’04 - Orange moscowflex@gmail.comThe “orange” section of the Colors of FLEX Project will involve collecting and compiling visual material (both videos and photos, edit-ed or raw) from each hub of their best alumni activities, and then loading onto a collective online server, for the Project Leader to make into a complete film. Materials should be uploaded by a series of deadlines every two months through the spring. Watch for details.

THE TRAVELING FLAG: Alumni Coordinator Samir Khalilov ’06 - BlueA flag created by FLEX alumni from multiple hubs will be circulated in each Eurasian FLEX country between November 2008 and August 2009. During the time that the flag will be kept by each country (a period of approx-imately two weeks) alumni will add their fingerprints/thumbprints to the flag. These prints will be symbols of the uniqueness of each alumnus/alumna, and at the same time of the cohesion of the alumni community. The first thumbprints were made on November 28 in Kyiv, during the FLEX 15th anniver-

sary forum with Senator Bill Bradley and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor. Now the flag is in Russia and thus far has trav-eled to Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, and Rostov-on-Don. To read about the Siberian FLEX reunion that was held December 19-21, visit the new Siberian FLEX blog, FLEXTouch at www.siberianflex.blogspot.com.

GREEN ACTIVITIES For Global Youth Service Day Alumni Coordiantor Valeria Svart ’07 - GreenThe “Green” segment of the project will involve raising environmental awareness through a series of integrated “green-thumb” events to go along with Global Youth Service Day. Beginning with the viewing of the movie “An Inconvenient Truth,” if possible dubbed by alumni into local languages, participants will move on to give their own seminars fea-turing the movie at schools and universities. Debates, best-idea competitions, and volun-teer recruitment will take place as part of the viewing session, to raise awareness of GYSD. Each hub will select and implement at least one project. Between April 24-26 volunteers and alumni will plant trees together.

A DRОP CAN SAVE THE WORLD: Blood Drives Alumni Coordinator Artem Sokolskyy ’05 - Red

Blood drives were held on and around December 1 to support HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. FLEX alumni Kharkiv, Baku, Bishkek, Yerevan, and Moscow rallied around this first event to organize blood drives in December. Others are planning to hold them in coopera-tion with larger university-based drives this spring. Many alumni had their first experi-ences as blood donors while in the U.S. on the FLEX program. They are now trying to share this positive volunteer experience with people in their home countries.

PEN FRIEND PROJECT Alumni Coordinator Kseniya Shilina ’06 -Yellow

The Pen Friend Project links children from one orphanage in each country participating in the project with children from another orphanage to establish a long-term pen-friend project. It began with the mailing of cards and photos in February. Later the participants may decide to

use email as well! Alumni organizers see the goals of the Orphanage Pen Friends project as an opportunity for orphans to exchange information about different cultures, and to have a “hands-on” experience with what had previously been only a geography lesson to them. They hope that the children who partic-ipate will find new friends from a completely different country, who will understand them fully as they share a lot in common.

AIMING HIGH FOR DISABLED Alumni Coordinator Aizat Jakybalieva ’07- PurpleWe believe that all people have equal rights, including those with special needs and disabilities. The project “Aiming High for Disabled” promotes greater awareness of dis-ability issues within society. The following projects have already been implemented:December 3, recognized as International Day of Disabled Persons, was first announced by the United Nations on March 5, 1993. In Bishkek FLEX alumni organized a fun day, during which disabled children participated in different games and tournaments, played balloon and basketball games, and watched music and dance performances. During this event alumni set up donation boxes, where participants, observers, or guests could make their contributions. All money raised was spent on New Year’s presents for these chil-dren.Later in December, they held Disability Awareness Week, during which alumni orga-nized seminars with high school and univer-sity students to raise disability awareness. They hope these meetings will develop into new projects, conducted in cooperation with those students. Children with disabilities can also participate in the FLEX program. To help them to improve their English language and leadership quali-ties, it is necessary to organize English classes for disabled children on an ongoing basis. This is currently being done in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Arkhangelsk, Russia, and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

For more information about the Colors of FLEX Initiative, please contact the Eurasia FLEX Alumni Office at fsaalumni@actr.ru.

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Colors of FLEX

“An Inconvenient Truth” Seminar for Global Youth Service DayValeria Svart ’07 Chisinau, Moldova/ Manchester, NH flexalumni@americancouncils.md

Alla Svart-Gazzaeva, active volunteer of NGO Environmental Association for Children and Youth of Moldova teacher of biology of the Sport Lyceum No. 3

What can a simple person do to make a con-tribution to Global Youth Service Day? A FLEX alumna/us can involve other alumni friends, NGOs, schools, universities, and other volun-teers and create a wave of intensive activities that influence society.

I watched Al Gore’s famous documentary An Inconvenient Truth in 2006 during my exchange year in the U.S. After this experience I couldn’t remain a passive observer, and decided to show this movie to as many people as I could. Every reasonable human being should hear and see this, and if truly reasonable, he/she would feel compelled to do something. As a new member of the alumni community, a stu-dent of environmental science at university, and the vice-president of an environmental NGO, I had an ardent desire to keep advanc-ing the idea of environmental awareness.

Global Youth Service Day is a wonderful opportunity to realize your potential, learn new priceless skills, and make an impact on your community. But it is important to exam-ine which actions are truly effective and which are futile. In combating environmental prob-lems, I long ago understood that the root of all ecological problems is peoples’ lack of consciousness. Clean-ups, conservation pro-grams, saving polluted regions is great; but such actions alone do not cure the cause of the disease of humanity. They only cure the symptoms. In order to make a real change in the world today, we need to raise human consciousness to a higher level. Eco-ethical thinking soon will become natural for human beings of the 21st century. Such people can-not remain indifferent towards global prob-lems, because they consider themselves a part of the Biosphere.

This higher and more responsible way of think-ing can be transmitted through education. And this was what we aimed at through our project: the eco-ethical education of youth.

So, the project was quite simple. Together with alumni and NGO volunteers we planned everything step by step. We went to different schools and universities and

also held a seminar in the Alumni Resource Center. In each location we presented the movie, and then held debates about envi-ronmental problems, particularly global warming. Participants were challenged to seek practical solutions. Before and after the seminar, the participants filled out a survey that later helped analyze the impact of the project. Only 6% of the audience had a somewhat clear idea about the essence of Global Warming. The vast majority knew nothing, or their knowledge was superficial. They’ve heard random facts, but didn’t have a full picture; 14% of attendees left blank spaces in the survey before watching the movie. It means they neither knew what to write nor had any desire to reflect upon this topic. After the presentation and a produc-tive discussion, all the spaces were filled in. More than 70% gave reasonable answers. There were participants, who surprised us with innovative ideas. Some people came up to me, expressing their gratitude and desire to participate in environmental activ-ities. People who were most interested were invited to come together and take a prac-tical step by planting trees. This project reached more than 400 people; many trees and shrubs were planted. A single mature tree can absorb carbon dioxide at a rate of 48 pounds per year and release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to sup-port two human beings. So, each of us can even through a small effort make a sig-nificant change, by improving our life style, recycling, being more careful with natural resources, educating ourselves about the environment and becoming more conscious human beings.

In his movie, Al Gore said: “Future genera-tions may well have occasion to ask them-selves, “What were our parents thinking? Why didn’t they wake up when they had a chance?” We have to hear that question from them, now”

Editor’s Note: Valeriya’s project led to making environmental projects a key element in the Colors of FLEX 15th Anniversary Initiative. And she explains, anybody can take the idea of this project (it has no copyright) and use it in his/her home country. The official website for the movie is www.climatecrisis.net. There is a lot of useful information, trail-ers, downloads. You can purchase a copy of the DVD or find it in your local resource centers then translate and dub the movie in your local language or even use subtitles for translation. The next step is finding presen-tation equipment and preparing additional materials (flyers, evaluation forms, charts, posters). Then choose a number of schools or/and universities, and get permission from the principal or the dean. After the presenta-

tion those who are interested can be invited to a practical activity, like planting trees, or cleaning a park. There are no limits for creativity here. We’d be happy if someone could replicate this experience, adding his/her own more advanced ideas and building up the effectiveness of this project. We will gladly assist and share any prepared materi-als with a truly motivated alumna/us.

ALUMNI PROJECT RECIPE1st ingredient is a WISH. You need to really want to do something, sincerely and be con-fident of it.2nd ingredient is COMMUNICATION. Only with its help you can find people who would be willing to participate, volunteer, share their connections, or provide some help. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. 3rd ingredient is OPENNESS. One should be open to learn many new things, methods, approaches, details, and facts.4th ingredient is PERSISTENCE. It can be hard sometimes, at some point you might even consider it impossible to bear so many responsibilities, especially as sometimes not everything goes the way you want. But remember, it’s only temporary. Persistence is the key to solving most problems!5th ingredient is CLARITY. When you do a project, you deal with exact dates, specific people and places; you plan and manage a budget, prepare a report. It all has to be done and kept in order, in a clear and honest way.So, mix all these ingredients, sprinkle them with OPTIMISM, and decorate everything with your personal CREATIVITY. The dish is ready. And the best thing is that you can share and share and share it, and it will never end.

GLOBAL YOUTHSERVICE DAY

www.gysd.netApril 24-26, 2009!

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Your successes help American Councils gain new support for the FLEX Program! Tell us the stories of how you are making an impact in your communities. Let us know where you are working and/or studying! Please update your contact information at www.americancouncils.org or at www.flexalumni.net. Thanks!

Class of ’94AzerbaijanTogrul Korcharly became the executive director of Caspian International Investment Company in June 2008. Prior to accept-ing this position, Togrul worked in Austria, most recently as associate director of Vienna Capital Partners investment fund. He was also the youngest graduate in the 2002 class from the MBA Program at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He was recognized for his achievement in business at the Azerbaijan Alumni Association’s fifth anniversary celebration in Baku in November. Togrul writes, “my company is interested in bright Baku-based FLEXers with interest and general understanding of finance and invest-ments, and they are welcome to contact me. togrul@gmail.com

Class of ’95RussiaMarina Verenikina is a singer and songwriter in Los Angeles, CA. She recently released her new album Modern Fairytale and performed at the Russian Cultural Center in Washington, DC.It’s part of her cultural mission to improve U.S. – Russian relations at all her concerts. Read about her and her tour schedule at www.marinav.com.

Class of ’96AzerbaijanMinai Massimova ‘96 currently represents Azerbaijan on the board of Roteract - Rotary in Action - Europe, an organization for which she helped establish a branch in Baku in 2002. She was recognized for her achievement in community service at the Azerbaijan Alumni Association’s fifth anniversary celebration in Baku in November. Minai, who has years of hotel management experience, began work in December as a sales manager at the Landmark Baku Hotel. minashka@yahoo.com

MoldovaOlesia Sholpan Fortuna graduated from the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova and currently works as the Open World coor-dinator at American Councils in Chisinau. openworld@americancouncils.md

Class of ’97ArmeniaHeghine Kotoyan was accepted in the Master of Theological Studies Program at Harvard Divinity School and studies religion, culture, and literature. heghushik@yahoo.com

GeorgiaSopho Chonishvili was awarded an Erasmus Mundus scholarship to study for a Master’s degree in management at the International Hellenic University in Thessaloniki, Greece. sopi81@hotmail.comsopho_3@hotmail.com

UkraineOksana Pidufala (Lviv) is working as an opera-tions analyst in the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency of the World Bank in Washington, DC. Previously she worked as a research fellow in the Wolfensohn Center for Development of the Brookings Institution. oksana.pidufala@gmail.com

Class of ’98RussiaYelena Verenchuk is an associate in the HEALTH@WORK program of Transatlantic Partners against AIDS (TPAA) in Moscow. Prior to that she worked as a consultant for the Health Department of the international NGO «SDA», served on the faculty of the Russian-American Christian University, and was an assistant to the executive director of GeminiFilm movie distribution company. As a registered nurse, she has two years of work experience in American hospitals. Yelena obtained her B.S. in Nursing from Southern Adventist University, TN, and is currently working on a Master’s degree in Psychology. yverenchuk@tpaa.net

Class of ’99RussiaAleksey Katukhov completed a degree in nuclear physics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Engineering in March 2006, and then continued post-graduate studies at the Russian Research Center Kurchatov Institute in the area of nuclear power installations. He was involved in a joint USA-Russia project, which has had several strategic objectives, including the creation of the Generation IV Very High Temperature Reactor (GT-MHR). In 2007, he won a national contest among post-gradu-ate students and young scientists to pursue a Master’s degree in international affairs at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. alexkatukhov@hotmail.com

UkraineLyudmyla Suprun ‘99 (Kharkiv) moved to Tashkent, Uzbekistan in November to work for a leading Uzbekistan mobile operator “Ucell.” Lyudmyla started to work in telecom-munications field three years ago for Nokia, which is the general contractor building the third leading mobile network in Ukraine “Life.” In Tashkent Lyudmyla is working as an accep-tance manager for the Israeli subcontractor company Bartec Engineering. Lyudmyla will be happy to hear from anyone eager to share Uzbek culture with a Ukrainian guest. lyudmila.suprun@gmail.com

Class of ’01GeorgiaGiorgi Tsaia is a senior specialist at the National Bank of Georgia in the department of Foreign Exchange and Monetary Operations. giorgitsaia@hotmail.com

RussiaOleg Kurnosov (Kazan) is the chief execu-tive officer at FlatSoft, LLC Flatsourcing Inc. Company, one of the first RubyOnRails IT services providers in Russia. oleg.kurnosov@gmail.comTumen Saganov (Ulan-Ude) is employed at Buryat State University in the International Students Programs. The alumnus assists students interested in taking part in study abroad programs. tum4ik-1510@yandex.ruElena Verbitskaya Wisely (Volgograd) was accepted to the freshman class of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine with a four-year full scholarship for medical studies. Elena’s husband Chris was accepted to the same school. They will start classes in El Paso, TX in the summer of 2009. termojader@yahoo.com

TurkmenistanOksana Hodjaeva (Dashoguz) graduated from St. Petersburg State University Water Transport Department. She works as an export manager at Tana Gold Forwarding in St. Petersburg. oksana.hodjaeva@gmail.com

Class of ’02RussiaMaria Vasyukova (Kaliningrad) volunteered at the New York Film Festival this fall and devel-oped contacts for prospective American film festivals in Russia. She is the international proj-ects manager at “Universal” Cinema Zarya. mariavasukova@yahoo.com

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Class of ’03RussiaPolina Makova (Yoshkar Ola) graduated from the Higher School of Economics in Moscow with honors. She accepted a teaching posi-tion at the Converse School, a private school in Land O’ Lakes, WI, where she is a residen-tial intern. Her responsibilities allow her to explore diverse areas of secondary school management, including administration, ath-letics, academics, and residential life. in.fatherz.hands@gmail.comAnastasiya Nerovnaya (Petrozavodsk) is the director of Art Agency «Antré» in her city. The agency evolved from her work to unite the efforts and talents of students at Petrozavodsk State University (PetrGU). The goals of the agency are to develop the artistic potential and organizational skills of young people and raise cultural involvement in the region by organizing the public events in the Republic of Karelia. Art-antre@mail.ru

UkraineOlha Tsar graduated from the Danylo Halytskyy Medical University in Lviv. olga_tsar@yahoo.com

Class of ’04KyrgyzstanAliya Suranova was a paid intern at Times of Central Asia newspaper in Bishkek this sum-mer and fall. She studies print journalism at American University of Central Asia. asuranova@gmail.com

MoldovaLilia Fusa was elected president of the Moldova alumni board at the Sixth Alumni Congress. lilia_fusa@gmail.com

UkraineNataliya Dovhopol assisted in organizing a photo exhibition Another Look aimed at breaking stereotypes about lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender women in Ukrainian society. The alumna worked as the press secretary and assistant director of video-coverage for the event. natalia.dv@mail.ru

Class of ’05KyrgyzstanAkram Tursunov opened his own Internet service business in Osh. at_tursunov@yahoo.com

RussiaAnton Konovalov (Komsomolsk-na-Amur) won a scholarship to study for two years

in Spain at La Universided de Acela near Madrid. This grant program is sponsored by the Spanish government, and Anton was rec-ommended for participation by his professors at Far Eastern State University.

UkraineLyalya Chorna (Mariupol) participated in the Study Tours to Poland Program, organized by the Education for Democracy Foundation and administered by the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe from Wrocław. She also serves as the FLEX Alumni City Representative for Mariupol and Donetsk.Lily5el@rambler.ruMariya Moskovko is a project assistant for the Legislation and Human Rights Department at the Council of Europe. She is currently work-ing on a project entitled, Transparency and Efficiency of the Judicial System of Ukraine. She traveled to the U.S. in October as an Open World facilitator with a rule of law group. marie2005ukraine@yahoo.comIryna Shadeyko was awarded a personal stu-dent allowance authorized by the President of Ukraine for outstanding academic perfor-mance and active participation in the socially oriented projects held by the Kyiv National Linguistic University Student Council. writeira@yahoo.com

Class of ’06ArmeniaAnna Vardanyants participated in the 51st meeting of the International Association of Judges, which took place in Yerevan, Armenia for the first time. Anna worked as a judges’ assistant, and was attached to the presiden-tial committee. cool_anchik@rambler.ru

KazakhstanElmira Shakenova (Uralsk) has been elected president of the Debate Club of the Kazakh-British Technical University in Almaty. elma_cool@yahoo.com

KyrgyzstanAizada Marat kyzy was appointed director of the public foundation Youth Initiative. aizada888@yahoo.com

RussiaVekoslav Koshkin (Volzhsky) won the all-Russia English Olympiad, which allowed him to enter Moscow State University without having to take entrance exams. vekoslav@mail.ruAnna Abramishvili (St. Petersburg) works as the American Corner Alumni Assistant. As well, she and Yelena Sorokina have devel-oped an English language theater club, which brings together enthusiastic people and

helps them develop communication skills, creative problem-solving strategies, a posi-tive self concept, social alertness and empa-thy. Last year they presented a scripted play, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, to raise money to organize a New Year’s event for the children at the Nikolsky orphanage. This year, they developed short skits on the topic of freedom, which will be performed at the State University of Higher School of Economics and the Mayakovskaya City Library. This FLEX Theater has received unprecedented levels of participation and it has now become an ongoing project for its members. anna.abramishvili@gmail.com

Class of ’07ArmeniaIrakli Chikava participated in three youth exchanges this summer including Peace through Photography, which took place in Stepanavan, Armenia, ‘The Role of Religion in Youth Life,’ held in Chisinau, Moldova, and finally Different Religions - Same Values, in Lusakert, Armenia. iraklichikava@yahoo.com

GeorgiaJaba Shalamberidze received a scholarship through the Open Society Institute to study at the American University in Bulgaria. jabakokolo@yahoo.com

KyrgyzstanKarlygach Nurmanbetova was hired by the Bishkek City High School to teach English and leadership classes part-time. 8kate@mail.ru

RussiaSergey Kononenko (Magadan) and Yan Naumkin (Yelizovo) became two of four del-egates from Russia selected to represent the country during the “Junior 8” Summit, an equiv-alent to international G-8 Summit, in July. sergo1990@list.rujannaumkin@rambler.ru

UkraineAlina Beskrovna (Mariupol) entered Kyiv National Mohyla Academy School of Informatics and won a national competition to receive free admission at the Academy. beskrovna@hl.net.ua

Class of ’08ArmeniaKarapet Murandyan was competitively select-ed to represent the South Caucasus, first in London, then in Davos, Switzerland in January 2009 in the Global Changemakers project. He

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was one of 60 young activists and global and regional leaders between the ages of 16 and 19, representing the voice of their generation when they met at the Guildford Forum. They discussed the challenges that their commu-nities face regarding issues such as climate change, education, intercultural conflict and the devastating impact of poverty. Karapet then went on to the World Economic Forum to share the group’s platform with world lead-ers. karmur92@yahoo.com

AzerbaijanNijat Ahmadov and Kamran Mammad-zada participated in the Azeri Boys Leadership Experience Camp in Gabala by assisting Peace Corps volunteers with logistics and mak-ing presentations about the FLEX Program. nijat.ahmadov@gmail.com kimokikm@gmail.com

KazakhstanAlmas Kebekbayev (Shymkent) taught chil-dren with disabilities English for a month this summer to help prepare them for the first round of FLEX testing. On Kazakhstan’s “Day for the Elderly” on October 6, Almas and Shymkent City Representative Olga Samofalova paid a visit to the local “Disabled House.” They were so deeply moved by the tragic stories of the residents that they decid-ed to work with the house on a regular basis. almasi77@gmail.com

KyrgyzstanAlbina Ibraimova studies at Moscow State University in the Department of Law.

aidarova_ado@mail.ru

Ukraine Bohdan Onyshchenko made a presentation at Kharkiv Gymnasium for Blind Children about U.S. rehabilitation programs available to blind people. bog91@bk.ru

All ClassesUkraine Stand up Against Poverty Initiative: This initiative, supported by the UN, took place for the second time in Ukraine, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In different cities around Ukraine, 2,915 people symbolically stood up to sup-port the global movement against poverty and set a new Guinness World Record. Olha Panchak ’03 (cornflower252@yahoo.com) organized students from different universities and FLEX alumni in Ivano-Frankivsk. Kateryna Kucherova ’07, Tetyana Morozovska ’08, Roman Pervak ’08, Iryna Postranska ’08, and Andriy Struk ’07 took part in the initiative.

Global Village for Leaders in Business and Industry 2008 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA.

The following alumni received scholarships from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Iacocca Institute at Lehigh University. 2009 Scholarship winners will be announced in the next issue of The Bradley Herald.

Armenia: Magda Markosyan ’02 magdamarkosyan@yahoo.comAzerbaijan: Mina Huseynova ’04huseynova_m@yahoo.comBelarus: Ekaterina Stolyarova ’99 estolyarova@yahoo.comGeorgia: Giorgi Gogishvili ’01 ggogishvili@tbcbank.com.geKazakhstan: Marzhan Serekova ’04marzhan_s@hotmail.comKyrgyzstan: Asylgul Alymbaeva ’00 nomadicfever@gmail.comKyrgyzstan: Masmasadyk Bagyshov ’99 mbagyshov@gmail.comMoldova: Tiberiu Scutaru ’99 tscutaru@gmail.comRussia: Ksenia Kovbasyuk ’99 kkovbasyuk@gmail.comTurkmenistan: Gyulaiym Kolakova ’95 julianne779@gmail.comUkraine: Maryna Skomorokhova ’99 ms@cfc.com.uaUkraine: Anastasiya Perebyynis ’01 anp@cci.lg.ua

KyrgyzstanMemorial Prabhakar Hersh Chadha Scholarship Program Winners: Said Abdullaev ’08Asem Asfandiarova ’08 Aijamal Djanibekova ’07DianaDurusbek kyzy ’08Aizat Jakybalieva ’07Bermet Jumakadyr kyzy ’08Gulnaz Kydyrmaeva ’08Jazgul Madazimova ’07Akjoltoi Maratov ’08Aiperi Otunchieva ’07Sanjar Sadykov ’08Aijan Sydykova ’08Ibrohimjon Ulmasov ’08Natalya Zaharchenko ’07 These alumni received $1,000 scholarships to continue their studies. This scholarship program was recently established by Dubai-based Hersh Chadha, a prominent entrepre-neur and accomplished photographer, in the name of his late son. The students received the scholarships, which cover nearly half of their tuition bills, based on their academic achievements and financial backgrounds.

American Councils Teams Up with Russian Conservation NewsWe are proud to present to FLEX alumni the 43rd issue of Russian Conservation News, which can be downloaded from the American Councils website in English or Russian at the following URL: http://www.americancouncils.org/newsDetail.php?news_id=MTg1

For more than a decade, Russian Conservation News (RCN) provided a forum for Eurasians and Americans interested in supporting the protected areas of Eurasia -- unique natural habitats of global significance for preserving bio-diversity and combating climate change. This quarterly journal has also been a testi-mony to the enduring strength of grassroots collaboration between Russian and American environmentalists stretching over two decades.

American Councils agreed to take over pub-lication of RCN, working with Eurasian part-ners, in order to support our educational misson and help educate a new generation of young people about responsible stweardship of global natural resources. Future articles will be bilingual, with some articles in English and others in Russian. Each article will be accompanied by a detailed summary in the other language and a list of vocabulary. This will give language teachers a new readable and easily accessible pedagogical tool for language learning.

American Councils hopes to engage alumni of our programs in Eurasia to contribute your thoughts, experience and environmental expertise. If you would like to contribute an article to the next issue of RCN, please send an e-mail to RCNEditor@americancouncils.org describing your topic and your expertise (no more than three paragraphs) and we will send you guidelines for articles. We pay $100 per article accepted for publica-tion. Articles may be submitted in Russian or English.

We welcome comments, suggestions, ques-tions, offers of collaboration, and letters to the editors, but do not pay for them. They should not be more than one page. All correspon-dence should be addressed to: RCNEditor@americancouncils.org

Page 13 The Bradley Herald

Professional Links

The Russian Managers’ Association (RMA) is an independent public organization which provides support to the Russian business community in its move towards international standards and ethical ways of conducting business. Through our activities we aim to further Russia’s integration into the global economy and engender a positive attitude towards Russian business both at home and abroad.

The Russian Manager’s Association currently has more than 2,500 company leaders from 56 regions of Russia as members. Membership of the Russian Manager’s Association is of interest and benefit not only to leaders of the largest Russian companies, but also to representatives of the small and medium business sectors. At the moment there are two kinds of membership offered to join RMA: corporate and professional. Corporate membership is designed for the top manage-ment team of a company and allows each top manager to participate in the RMA’s activi-ties and benefit from a wide range of RMA services. Professional membership is aimed at an individual top-manager, interested pre-dominantly in professional development and networking opportunities, and much less in public advocacy.

The Association’s public face is the various business events which it holds - interna-tional forums, conferences, topical round-tables, expert seminars and business break-fasts. Participants in these events are busi-ness administration professionals, represen-tatives of government bodies, acclaimed experts, and leaders of public opinion. The Association’s events have a particular style which is recognisable by many of those who have ever taken part, namely a detail-oriented approach to researching topics for discussion and an exchange of practical experiences and expert opinions on the key aspects and current issues of how business functions in Russia and abroad.

The main activity of the Association takes place in committees which are expert and analytical discussion panels of Association members who meet on a regular basis. The Association currently has committees work-ing in the following areas:

corporate responsibility;•government relations;•public relations and mass media;•

human resource management;•innovations and technologies;•corporate governance and investments;• promoting the interests of Russian business •abroad;pension system;•marketing and corporate strategy;•working with business associations.•

Large-scale research, in which leading analyti-cal centers and expert institutions are invited to participate, is what binds the Association’s various activities together. Research topics are suggested by the Association’s members and, as a rule, cover questions of particular concern at a given time. The results of the research are published in accordance with their content: as national reports, analytical overviews, books, or study resources.

One of the most in-demand topics for Association members is that of corporate social responsibility, an area which embraces investment in staff, development of areas where company operates, social programs, and the issue of demography and quality of manpower. The Russian Managers’ Association is rightly considered to be the acclaimed

leader of research in this area having a whole series of published program and analytical documents to its name.

Much attention is paid to a special proj-ect of the Russian Managers’ Association not only by the business community but also by representatives of the government, this project having originally been drawn up by the Association as a set of proposals for the

agenda of the elected president of Russia. This project is now known as “Proposals of the business community on the objectives of Russia’s socio-economic development for the period 2008-2012”.

Two particular analytical tools of the Russian Managers’ Association, produced for many years in conjunction with the publishing house “Kommersant”, are the monthly Index of Business Activity and the annual list “Top 1000 Russian Managers”, an assessment of the professionalism and reputation of Russian business leaders. This rating assessment shows how a manager should best structure his professional activity, which aspects of his activities are successful and which are in need of improvement.

In 2005 the Russian Managers’ Association founded the “ARISTOS” award which is now considered to be the most prestigious profes-sional award in Russia and which names the best Russian managers from 18 industries.

Nearly ten years of the Russian Managers’ Association’s existence has seen a whole ple-iad of talented managers emerge with a com-mon understanding of the main issues. These are managers who are ready to lead from the front and drive the development of proper managerial decision-making.

For further details on the Russian Managers’ Association’s activities please visit our website at www.amr.ru.

RUSSIAN MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION

Ekaterina Ivanova ‘96Graduated from State University - Higher School of Economics, Master of Science Degree in ManagementDirector, Strategic Studies Department at Russian Managers Association 2002 – presentProject Manager Assistant, Translator/Interpreter at TACIS DELPHI Project 2000-2001Account Executive at Maxima Communication Group 1997 – 1999FSA FLEX Exchange Student, Muenster, TX 1995 – 1996

Ekaterina Ivanova ‘96, Director, Strategic Studies Department, Russian Managers’ Association

In this new column the FLEX Eurasia Alumni Program will publish your proposals for ways to link alumni professionally. Here you can read about the work of the Russian Managers’ Association, for which Ekaterina Ivanova ‘96 has been working since 2002. Ekaterina invites you and the companies you work for to consider becoming members of this association. The Bradley Herald plans to publish information about professional opportunities in upcoming issues. Send your suggestions to Bradleyherald@actr.ru.

The Bradley Herald Page 14

America, Motherhood, and Beef ProductionNataliya (Klimenko) Godfrey ’96 Krasnodar, Russia/Beaverton, OR nsgodfrey@gmail.com

I spent 1995-96 in Oregon, and attended Newberg High School, where I graduated with a diploma. It’s not easy to put the experience and knowledge I received in the U.S. into a few words. First of all I have to say that America is not a place, it’s an IDEA. Anybody who goes there wanting to achieve something in life will get the fruits of his/her work, good or bad.

I can’t say that I loved my school in the U.S., but it taught me the important lessons of independence and self-sufficiency. In the first months my grades were way down. But I caught up quickly as my language skills improved. My host family was very good to me. They helped me with the language and showed me a lot of different and interest-ing things. Oregon is a very beautiful state. Though it rains often, the nature is fantastic.

Coming back to Russia was more of a culture shock than going to America. I graduated from International University in Moscow with high honors from the department of Law. During my university years I went to the U.S. again, and took part in the Camp Counselors program. It helped my language skills and allowed me to do a lot of traveling.

I met my husband Dwight Godfrey, and American businessman from the state of Georgia, in Russia. And we met thanks to my English. When I started to work for him, he was my boss. Now he is my husband and together we have a good family with three wonderful kids: Orion, Caris and Noah. They speak both languages. Orion is 6.5 years old and goes to the Krasnodar International School. I make sure that Orion speaks English

at home, because the rest of the world speaks Russian around him. We order a lot of books and DVDs in English. Caris is 2.5 years old. She is a unique child. I believe that every mother can say that about her child. Noah is almost 11 months old - a big Russian boy.

We work in the area of agriculture. Russia has a good financial, political and geographical climate for it. Our main business is in storing forages and importing Canadian Heifers onto the Russian market. We have already brought over 2000 head of cattle to one of the major agro-holdings in the south of Russia. The cows are doing really well. At the end of September, we received a delegation, which included the president of Amity Ag Enterprises Inc. They reviewed the situation on the quarantine and visited a lot of farms to explore future business opportunities. We see the need to teach about beef operations here in Russia. Presently we are starting a new beef produc-tion project. Many of you probably know that you can’t find good beef in Russia and that it is almost impossible to order a good steak, like a T-bone or a sirloin. We believe that by importing good Angus cattle and raising them in Russia, we can give Russian buyers a high quality, good tasting product. Of course we deal with bureaucracy both in Russia and Canada, as we draw up contracts. My husband Dwight has very valuable profes-sional experience. When we met he trained me to become a true professional, working according to western standards. Now we have a good team and are developing a prosper-ous business. The main thing is that we love our business. We have a passion for it, and we love to see how the farm people change their mentality and start counting and thinking in a different way. We give Russian farmers not only a product, but maintenance, marketing, and management. I invite you to visit our web-site: www.agristar.ru.

Sometimes I miss the U.S. very much. I miss Americans, good roads, smiles on the streets, hot coffee and breakfast in the morning. Starbucks is my favorite. I miss that unique feeling of independence!

I want to finish up my short story with a tes-timony. When I met my husband Dwight he led me to the most important person in my life: Jesus Christ. I am grateful to him and the United States for bringing me to the peace I have found. I want you to know that I feel strongly about my faith and that this is how my family and I live.

Friends, climb and reach the top of the moun-tain. You can do it! If you want to be different, if you want something important out from your life, if you want to give your kids a good life, make sure you learn English and go to America with the FLEX program!

Euroclub in SambirYana Holovko ’08 Sambir, Ukraine/ Williston, FL holovko_91@mail.ru

It all started in 2006, when our English teach-ers, along with other teachers from Ukraine, attended a teacher training program in Poland. Polish colleagues made a proposal to create a network of Euroclubs in the Lviv region. In just a month we created the first Euroclub in our town, and over the next year, Euroclubs appeared in every Sambir school.Every spring each town has its own Euroclub competition, during which clubs make pre-sentations on one of the European countries, draw a poster and take part in a contest. Last year we attended the regional competition as the winners from our home town. This region-al forum is held annually in one of the towns of Lviv region. Though the task was harder than at home, we managed it. We presented the activities that our club has organized and made an advertisement of the Euroclub.Also last year we attended the third interna-tional seminar “European Measure of Ukrainian Education,” where students became acquaint-ed with educational programs, and learned about possible relationships between teacher and student at school, as well as about violence at school. Representatives of the U.K. and the U.S. also attended the seminar.Continuing to build on our experiences, in 2007 our Euroclub, again with the help of our English teacher Tetyana Romanivna, found out about the CiS project. The European proj-ect Challenges in School involves 12 coun-tries. In Ukraine our school was among the six winning teams, along with schools from Kyiv, Kherson (where I believe there are FLEX members among them), Lugansk, Vinnitsa, Smila and Sambir. As the first step, we attended a conference in Prague, where schools were divided in clusters. Each cluster has its own forum on the website. Our “cluster2” consists of stu-dents and teachers from Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. Our first task at school was to organize a small fair. Everyone who wanted to participate was invited to bring different sweets to sell. During the breaks we sold cupcakes, cookies, candies, apples and grapes in the hallways. Other students and teachers showed their appreciation for this lunch option, so our “business” earned some money,. We used it to improve the school can-teen. We redesigned the place a bit, by buying new curtains, posters, flowers, etc. One of the coolest ideas was to let kids draw on the walls of the canteen. The walls turned into colorful masterpieces! Soon there will be a conference in Northern Ireland, and our teacher and two of our class-mates will represent us. We are proud of them and sure that they will show their best. Natalyia Klimenko Godfrey ‘96 finds time for family

and entrepenurial agricultural projects.

Page 15 The Bradley Herald

Profiles

Anton Borisov Home town: Kharkiv, Ukraine U.S. City and State: McPherson, KS Year returned home: 2002 Email address: borisov.anton@gmail.com

Current place of work and title: I currently work at Capital Strategy Ltd. as a project analyst. Our com-pany specializes in helping clients develop comprehensive business strategies for new projects and existing enterprises.

Highlights of your work: Through work I gain knowledge from various busi-ness spheres. Our company works in such industries as real estate, health care, food, telecom, etc. In order to be successful, I have to learn and analyze new information from these and other industries. At the same time I must constantly develop a deeper understanding of marketing, economics, finance, and other business functions. These opportunities for all-round development make me strongly appreciate my employer-company.

The global issue of greatest concern to me and why: Naturally, the global issue of greatest concern to me is the global economic crisis. Nowadays it brings or might bring hard times to almost everybody in the world; it touches many nations, Ukraine being one of them.

The local issue of greatest concern to me and why: The local issue of greatest concern to me is the Ukrainian economic crisis. Many people and businesses are being influenced by it through the loss of employment, higher prices and curren-cy exchange rates or growing loan interest rates. Hardly anyone in Ukraine may stay completely unaffected by the crisis. The good thing is that we do not have fundamental flaws in our economy. Our crisis is the consequence of the world crisis, so recovery should start in less than a year, according to most analysts.

Right now I’m reading: I’m mostly reading lots of professional information – books on economics, financial accounting, investments, marketing, analytical articles and researches from the brightest businessmen and economists of the past and present. Among the fictional authors I’ve read recently I would point out Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Stoppard and Joseph Brodsky. Being simple to read, their works carry profound ideas about life, societies and the environment we live in.

How I have made use of my U.S. experience: My actual U.S. experience was so important overall because it taught me to be on my own early in life. It has provided me an understanding that there are times, when I am the only person who can influence each part of my life: work, studies, habits, environment etc. So I got to start improving it as hard as I can if I want to achieve the best pos-sible results. All my life after that is concerned with using this experience.

The FLEX Program is important because: On one hand it provides each of the participants with the experience I’ve mentioned above. On the other hand American Councils’ employees do a great job in creating the network of alumni. Communication with other alumni allows each participant to start fulfilling one-self more effectively in families, universities, businesses. Each undertaking is more easily implemented with the help of others, who share similar views and ideas.

Dmitry Plyushev Home town: Moscow, Russia U.S. City and State: Colorado Springs, CO Year returned home: 1995 Email address: pluschev@gmail.com

Education: Moscow State University Economics Department, and Oxford University, England.

Current place of work and title: Publisher at Gameland, a fast growing media company mainly represented by 31 special interest

magazines, over a dozen web portals and a TV channel targeted at young creative audiences enthusiastic about sports, video and computer games, entrepreneurship, digital technology, photography, automobile tuning, life-style trends, etc.

Highlights of your work: I have developed several businesses – a popular Internet cafe chain, marketing consulting company, and mobile news media company. I am always looking for fresh talent. I have successfully hired younger

FLEX alumni to work for my enterprises, and recently offered alumni internships and career exploration opportunities at Gameland.

A personal achievement I’m proud of: I am married to fellow FLEX alum Irina Romanova, whom I met through the alumni club back in 1995. We are busy raising three children in Moscow and enjoy spending our weekends in Sergiev Posad.

The FLEX Program is still relevant today: In a more global economy, when what happens in the world shows once again, this time very vividly, that we need glob-al multicultural governing bodies, that we need global ties and workgroups that can appreciate, relate to, and take responsibility for each other’s people and cul-tures. I will send my children on this program, even if I had to pay for the service.

What I’d like to share with fellow alumni: FLEX memories came flooding back this summer. I was at a trade show and training course in publishing at Stanford University, and squeezed in a visit to my host family Bob and Naeda Wardwells, whom I hadn’t seen in ten years. It was especially breathtaking to hike out to the family cabin high in the mountains and to meet my host sisters’ kids. The town of Colorado Springs has grown a lot… but too fast. I already saw signs of the financial turmoil: there were whole new residential streets for sale. All empty. I also spotted changes in how Americans choose cars. My old school buddies drive Japanese hybrids. In Stanford, people drive their electric golf cars all the way to downtown Palo Alto!

Marzhan DoszhanovaHome town: Almaty, Kazakhstan U.S. City and State: Ionia, MI Year returned home: 2007 Email: marzhand.kz@gmail.com

Education: I anticipate starting higher education in fall 2009.

Educational, professional, and/or personal goals: I want to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and dedicate at least two years of my life to serving in a third world country.

A personal achievement I’m proud of: Being a successful alumna of FLEX program.

How I feel about the future of my country: I believe that in a future we will become more democratic and open-minded country.

The local issue of greatest concern to me and why: Corruption, because, well, it’s everywhere in Kazakhstan.

An interesting FLEX alumni activity in which I took part/organized: I was one of the organizers of a professional development program for students. We gave presentations at local universities on resume writing and interview skills. I believe that our education is strong academically, but we lack prac-tical skills, which are needed in building our careers.

A volunteer/community service activity in which I take part: I have been teaching nearly blind girls how to knit at a boarding school.

Right now I’m reading: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin

How I have made use of my U.S. experience: I learned how to connect to my new acquaintances, became more open-minded and communicative.

The FLEX Program is important because: It helps us overcome cultural dif-ferences.

What I’d like to say to fellow alumni: One honest voice can be louder than a crowd, and we can change a little world around us step by step.

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The Bradley Herald Page 16

Future Leaders Exchange Offices in Eurasia

Alumni OfficeRussia, 119049, Moscow, P.O. Box 1 (for mail)Leninsky prospect, 2, office 503 (for visits)+7(495) 638-4582, 638-4544, 956-7806(fax)fsaalumni@actr.ru www.flexalumni.netwww.americancouncils.org

AlmatyKazakhstan, 050000 Almatyul. Seifullina 531, office 604+7 (727) 272-08-03, + 7 (727)272-09-04+7 (727) 279-80-96 (fax)flex_coordinator@americancouncils.org alumcoord@yahoo.com

AshgabatTurkmenistan, 744000, Ashgabat48a Gorogly Street+993 (12) 33-10-15/16, 33-10-21/22 +993 (12) 33-06-96flexalumni@mail.ru turkmenistanflex@gmail.com http://americancornerstm.org

BakuAzerbaijan, AZ1065, Baku44 J. Jabbarly str.Caspian Plaza 3 (6-floor)+994-12-4367529/30/31, +994-50-2258178Flexalumni@americancouncils.az

BishkekKyrgyzstan, 720040, Bishkekul. Tynastanova 98, apt. 1+996 (312) 66-48-38, (312) 621584 (fax/phone)flexalumni@americancouncils.kgkyrgyzstanflex@gmail.com http://flexalumni.org

ChisinauMoldova, MD 2012, Chisinau37 B Tricolorului Str.+373 (22) 22-58-60; 21 12-53 (fax)flexalumni@americancouncils.md flexalumni.moldova@gmail.com http://www.americancouncils.md/

DushanbeTajikistan 734003 Dushanbe86 Tolstoy Street+992(372)21-21-03; 21-17-9524-14-57 (phone/fax)flexalum@americancouncils.tjtajikistanflex@gmail.comhttp://www.actr.org/eic/dushanbe

Kazan – Upper Volga Regionkazanflex@gmail.comamanova_yuliana@mail.ru

Kharkiv – Eastern Ukraineflexaa_kharkiv@americancouncilskyiv.org.ua easternflex@gmail.com

Kyiv – Central UkraineUkraine, 04050, Kyivvul. Melnykova, 63+380 (44) 482-0221, 482-0222482-0220 (fax)flexalumni@americancouncilskyiv.org.ua kyivflex@gmail.com http://www.americancouncilskyiv.org.ua

Lviv – Western Ukraineflexaa_lviv@americancouncilskyiv.org.ua westernflex@gmail.com

Minskreiling@amcenter.by

NovosibirskRussia, 630090, NovosibirskProspect Lavrentieva 17,1st floor,4th entrance, rooms 1-3+7(383)330-39-43 (phone/fax)alumniki@gmail.com novosibirskflex@gmail.com http://actr.nsk.ru

Sevastopol – Southern Ukraineflexaa_odesa@americancouncilskyiv.org.ua southernflex@gmail.com

St. PetersburgRussia, 199004, St. PetersburgTuchkov per, 4Tel: (812) 323-43-80, (812) 323-12-99Fax: (812) 321-70-26flexalum@americancouncils.spb.ru st.petersburgflex@gmail.com www.americancouncils.spb.ru

. TbilisiGeorgia, 0179, Tbilisi16 Taktakishvili street,+995 (32) 25-21-06 (phone/fax)flex_alumni@amcouncils.ge georgiaflex@gmail.com www.americancouncils.ge

Ufauralflex@gmail.com

VladivostokRussia, 690091, VladivostokOkeanskiy prospekt, 15a, 3rd floor+7 (4232) 40-82-13 (fax/phone)flexalum@vlad.ru aleksandra.kulik@gmail.com

Volgogradsouthrussiaflex@mail.ru, volgogradflex@gmail.com,kornikhina@yahoo.com

YerevanArmenia, 0019, YerevanBaghramyan 1, apt. 1Tel: (+374 10) 560045, 544012, 544015Cell: (+374 94) 722235f_alumni@americancouncils.amwww.americancouncils.am

The Bradley Herald FLEX Alumni Newsletter sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State is produced and edited by American Councils for International Education:ACTR/ACCELS.

Email: bradleyherald@actr.ru

Editor Mary Shea

Design and Printing Production – Comline Groupul. Poteshnaya 6, Moscow, RussiaTel.: (+7 495) 2216776Email: sales@comline.ruwww.comline.ru