At Cultural Vistas, we like to practice what we preach. Besides working with more than 1,000 U.S. companies every year to facilitate internship and training programs through the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, we often host international interns ourselves.

This summer we are very excited to welcome Alidzhon “Ali” Yatimov to our Washington D.C. office to work with our Edmund S. Muskie Internship program team. Ali will be learning about the American work place, developing new skills and knowledge, expanding horizons and building the bridges between countries and cultures.

Fast Facts about Ali

• Where he is from:  Dushanbe, Tajikistan
• Where he studied: Tajik Agrarian University
• What he studied: Business and Marketing
• Interests: sports, reading, travelling

What motivated you to pursue your internship in the United States?

I have clear professional goals and I believe that interning in the U.S will help me become closer to achieving these goals. I think that the U.S. offers a unique opportunity to work with a culturally diverse team where everyone has different background and skill set. The experience I obtain here will definitely help me in the future to find a good job at a well-known marketing company in Tajikistan.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

To be a good marketer means to be communicative, flexible, and confident team player. I want to become one of the most qualified marketers in my country and I hope that during my internship in the USA I will get a comprehensive growth at the professional level. Working in a team will allow me to develop my strengths, analytical knowledge, leadership and creativity, communicative and advertising skills. Besides my professional skills, I want to meet people from different cultures, learn new things about their countries and how they live.

How was your first month in the U.S. – what is surprising / different / interesting / exciting?

The first month in the US went as I imagined. I live in Washington D.C. and I’ve met a lot of good people here, especially at Cultural Vistas. Visiting famous monuments and museums is really exciting for me. Especially I like the fact that American society is very democratic and human rights are highly protected here; everybody is doing what they like to do. I’m really happy to be here, explore more and hope to visit other states as well.

What are 3 things people might be surprised to know about you?

1. I like extreme sport like BASE jumping. It is a great stress relief for me. I tried it first 2 years ago and absolutely love it ever since.
2. My favorite sports are tennis and soccer. I am a real Barcelona fan. Also, I was competing in a tennis championship in 2010.
3. I love to spend time outdoors exploring new places.

What do you want Americans to know about Tajikistan?

The name “Tajik” may derive from the name of a pre-Islamic tribe and means “crown” or “royalty.” Most of the area in Tajikistan is mountainous. Our official language is Tajik; however, Russian is widely spoken in business and everyday life. Our delicious national dish is plov – a dish consisting of rice cooked in seasonal broth sometimes with spices, meat and vegetables), and green tea is our national drink. We have very delicious watermelons in Tajikistan – sweet and juicy. And, of course, Tajikistan has a very long and rich history; it’s a beautiful country worth visiting.

The one thing you miss about home

Food. Food in America tastes different. Things are very different in general. Even the air is not the same.