KAZAKHSTANI STUDENTS DISCUSS BORAT AND OBAMA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000236 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL SOCI KDEM KPAO KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTANI STUDENTS DISCUSS BORAT AND OBAMA ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: As part of our Public Diplomacy Outreach program, PolOff recently gave a talk on American culture and U.S.-Kazakhstan relations with students at one of Astana's elite high schools. In general, the students had very positive views of the United States. They were particularly interested in President Obama. The students' ability to converse in English was impressive. Though the school uses a Kazakh-language curriculum, some classes, including the sciences, are taught in English. Only eight students in the entire student body of 1500 are ethnic Russians. END SUMMARY. UNITED STATES: "SYMBOL OF FREEDOM" ¶3. (SBU) PolOff recently gave a lecture on American culture to 25 students, three teachers, and the school's principal at Astana's School No. 48. This Kazakh-language high school, which is located in a new and rapidly developing part of Astana, has more than 1500 students in 11 grades and appears to be well-funded, with many English-speaking teachers and good facilities. Students were all well-dressed in neat black and white uniforms. ¶4. (SBU) The 25 students from the ninth through eleventh grades, who had been hand-picked for their strong English skills, told PolOff that for them, the United States is "a symbol of freedom." They enjoy watching American movies, and, in their view, the biggest cultural difference between Kazakhstan and America is the freedom that American youth enjoy to choose their careers and live on their own. The students were particularly interested in whether most Americans believe that the movie "Borat" represented Kazakhstan accurately. The students were enthusiastic in demonstrating their knowledge of U.S. history and current politics. One student asked about the global financial crisis, and another student asked why the United States sent forces to Iraq, but the questions were phrased objectively, without a hint of a negative attitude towards U.S. foreign policy. Only one student asked a question critical of the United States, shouting out, "Why is the United States targeting Russia by installing a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic?" (COMMENT: The students seemed more interested in asking ordinary questions, such as whether or not PolOff had tried and liked besparmak, a traditional Kazakh horsemeat dish, than in raising controversial topics. END COMMENT.) Some students asked whether Americans would be able to understand the British English the students are learning, and several inquired about study-abroad opportunities available in the United States. POSITIVE IMPRESSIONS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA ¶5. (SBU) The students were particularly interested in President Obama. When PolOff asked students about their impressions of him, the students were uniformly enthusiastic and positive, saying they like Obama because he appears to be "open, friendly, and peace-loving." Several students said they were glad McCain had not won the election, because they felt his way of thinking was shaped too much by the Cold War. SCIENCES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH ¶6. (SBU) Following the class discussion, Principal Saule Khozhamuratova met privately with Poloff in her office, where she congratulated the United States on its historic election and expressed her hopes for continued positive U.S.-Kazakhstan relations. When PolOff congratulated Khozhamuratova on her students' excellent English skills, the principal explained that although the school is technically a Kazakh-language school, biology, chemistry, and physics are all taught in English. Khozhamuratova, who teaches all the physics classes, said that she has lived most of her life abroad due to her husband's career in the sciences. After having lived for long periods of time in the United States, South Africa, and Israel, Khozhamuratova said she is comfortable teaching the students in English, and also understands western-style teaching methods. Khozhamuratova acknowledged that since most classes are taught in Kazakh, there are very few ethnic Russian children in the school. During this school year, there are ASTANA 00000236 002 OF 002 only eight ethnic Russians among the entire student body. (COMMENT: PolOff was very impressed the students' ability and apparent comfort in conversing in a wide range of topics in English, as well as the students' openness in asking questions and expressing their personal opinions. END COMMENT.) HOAGLAND