ROCHESTER—
On March 22, the New England Language Center hosted a potluck dinner to welcome a delegation representing the Kyrgyz Republic. The group consisted of five Parliamentarians and two interpreters from Kyrgyzstan visiting New Hampshire for four days to explore the issues of government and conflict resolution.
The delegation included representatives of five major political parties in Kyrgyzstan. According to the delegates, 99 political parties participated in the recent presidential election, held in November of 2011. There are 120 members in the parliament, including 26 women. While there are areas of major conflict among the political parties, the members of the delegation said that they have been enjoying their tour to the U.S. and have come to know, understand and appreciate one another on a human level, politics aside. They were also very interested in American educational system and culture. After dinner, one delegate suggested that everyone form a circle on the floor to facilitate conversation to allow everyone to participate and exchange opinions.
Prior to their stop in New Hampshire, the group visited Washington D.C., and will continue to California and Florida.
The delegation is in the U.S. on a special program sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Washington and World Affairs Council of New Hampshire.
The event was also attended by a number of friends of the New England Language Center who offered their own insights into politics of Kyrgyzstan and international issues. This was another great opportunity to meet international visitors, learn more about their culture and their country and to create a lasting bond with them.
The New England Language Center offers highly interactive conversational classes in 16 foreign languages for individuals and small groups. Scheduling is very flexible to accommodate individual needs. Remote Internet learning is also available through Skype. The New England Language Center also offers annual focused cultural tours to Russia and the Ukraine. For more information about the New England Language Center and its international programs, contact Marina Forbes at 603-332-2255 or by e-mail at info@anylanguage.org.
