Recently, the Okawville student body was surprised with some very exciting news; we would have a foreign exchange student joining the Rocket family. This student is participating in the FLEX program. To be eligible for the program, students from Turkmenistan take a test. 1,141 total students take the test, but only the top 25 are eligible for the FLEX program. She was one of the top 25. Introducing Gulshat:

Q: What is your name?

G: Gulshat Roziyeva, but you can also call me Rose. In Turkmenistan, a man’s last name will end in a “v,” while a woman’s last name ends in a “va,” even if they are part of the same family

Q: Who are you living with during your stay in Okawville?

G: The Cook family.

Q: What are you looking forward to while you are staying in America?

G: Eating turkey and Thanksgiving.

Q: What was school like at home?

G: I went to school six days a week, Monday-Saturday.

Q: Who makes up your family?

G: My mother, Ayna, is a chemist. My father, Akymyrat, is in the military. My brother, Allaberdi, is a pilot and my other brother, Bayram, is an artist, who is also studying to be a lawyer.

Q: What is your favorite class?

G: Foreign language. I speak three languages.

Q: Will you be participating in any clubs and sports?

G: I am running cross country; also, I helped pick up trash along the highway with Science Club.

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Animal: Cat

Favorite Food: Apples and Soup

Thank you Gulshat for allowing us to interview you. We welcome you to Okawville!