Coming to America Foreign students study at ACC

It was a dream come true when Elvira Avdeyeva and Anna Mammedova were given the opportunity to study in America.
The two friends met at the American Embassy in Turkmenistan while studying English. Turkmenistan is in Central Asia and is bordered by Afghanistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
The two women, both 18, lived in Ashgabat, the country’s capital. The embassy had a free program, which permitted students to learn English and prepare for foreign exchange programs. They began learning English just three years ago.
“Our country is very traditional,” Avdeyeva said. “It is very different here in America.”
In the summer of 2012 Avdeyeva came to America for the first time through the Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute. She stayed with a host family in Virginia and studied at George Mason University. After returning home she was determined to come back.
“I was here only one month but I fell in love with it and wanted to go back,” she said. “That September I found Allen. It was a perfect match.”
She wanted to study at a small school in a small town for her first few years. In December 2012 she came back to America with a scholarship and enrolled at Allen Community College.
Mammedova traveled to Russia for her first exchange. After returning to Ashgabat, she traveled to Iola with a scholarship as well. While in Russia Mammedova read books on marketing, sales and promotions. She heard speakers at forums and knew she wanted to study marketing.
Avdeyeva is studying communications.
“I know Russian and English and I’m learning Spanish,” she said. “I wanted a job I could use my languages and I love talking to people.”
Mammedova said Allen has opened many opportunities for the both of them.
“I wake up and thank God I’m here and I ended up in this place,” she said. “Here I can be a part of Student Senate and Phi Theta Kappa.”
Avdeyeva also enjoys the activities the college provides. She has participated in theater and Phi Theta Kappa. She is vice president of the Southeast District chapter. She applied for president at Allen’s chapter.
“I like that the college is small,” Avdeyeva said. “I can get much more attention from the professors and everyone knows each other.”

The first semester Avdeyeva came to the school she stayed in a dorm, but it was costly since she was an international student. When Mammedova joined her in the dorm the next semester they began looking for an alternative living situation. They attended the First Baptist Church in Iola regularly and became close with the people there. They began asking the congregation if they knew of anyone who would be willing to help them. Terry and Cheryl Sparks knew the girls from church and agreed to let them stay at their home.
“They treat us as their daughters and they are like a father and mother,” Mammedova said. “They are so nice to us and they care about us and support us.”
Avdeyeva has one semester left at Allen and has begun looking at four-year universities. She is considering Kansas State University or Emporia State University so she can stay in Kansas and still be close to the Sparks after she leaves.
Mammedova has two semesters left and is looking at colleges in Texas or Kentucky.
The two often are asked why they chose to come to Iola of all places.
“Whether it’s a big city or small, America is freedom and you can express yourself,” Mammedova said.
Mammedova loves the feel of big cities. She was able to visit Washington D.C. over a school break. Seeing the national symbol meant the world to her and brought tears to her eyes.
“I was crying in front of the White House because I had always wanted to see it,” she said. “I had a poster of it in my room at home.”
Avdeyeva said she loves living in America.
Ashgabat’s population is one million. She likes the small town feel but knows she’ll end up in a big city one day.
Going home will be difficult for her.
“I want to get my bachelor’s degree first,” she said. “After living here in this post-industrial world and then to go back is so hard. I want to absorb as much as possible here.”
The two are extremely grateful for the opportunities that have been given to them.
“We are very thankful,” Mammedova said. “We love it here.”