She currently lives in Chicago, USA, with her family. Aydana is studying psychology and conducting coaching sessions to gain practical experience.
“I was born in 1997 in Osh and received my education in three different schools: first at the V. Tereshkova boarding school until the 5th grade, then at the Kurmanjan Datka secondary school, and I completed my studies at the U. Salieva school. My academic achievements have always been at a high level, and I actively participated in school life. Since childhood, I was inspired by announcers and dreamed of being on screen. After finishing the 11th grade, I decided to study journalism. I remember my grandmother smiling and asking, ‘Are you going to become a TV presenter?’
I enrolled in the Kyrgyz-Turkish University “Manas” in the journalism department.
Then I had the opportunity to study in Turkey through an exchange program at Selçuk University. Starting from my third year, I began working in the media, hosting a youth program for four years. This experience became a real springboard for me: I made many useful connections and learned to communicate with different people. My interest in the inner world of people eventually led me to psychology, and I decided to continue my studies in the master's program at AUCA in this field. During the day I worked, and in the evenings I studied.
In 2022, I married my college friend, and we moved to America together. My husband is passionate about startups and dreams of creating his own company, and the USA is the perfect place to realize such ideas. I also wanted to deepen my knowledge in psychology, and here we are,” Aydana shared.
Comparison of Kyrgyzstan and the USA
The weather in Chicago is reminiscent of Bishkek: there are also four seasons, but in America, there is more humidity and wind, and the winters are colder.
Americans spend much less time cooking and work more. They usually buy groceries for 1-2 weeks, unlike us, where it is customary to go shopping every day.
My husband and I traveled around the USA in a motorhome and were amazed by the beauty of American nature: deserts, lakes, mountains, and canyons. Since childhood, I was told that the nature of Kyrgyzstan is unique, and I believed that nothing similar existed in other countries. However, America surprised me with the diversity and scale of nature, especially the forests and well-maintained parks in cities.
We live in the suburbs of Chicago, and here they joke that if Moscow is the 8th region of Kyrgyzstan, then Chicago is the 9th, because there are many Kyrgyz people here. We live together harmoniously, support each other, celebrate national holidays, and play games. There are no problems with food — there are about 30 cafes here that serve dishes from Central Asia, including kumyz and chuchuk.
Laws and Rules in the USA
In America, you don’t feel like a “foreign migrant” — you live freely, just like everyone else. However, the laws are quite strict.
For example, children must be transported in special car seats. Domestic violence is strictly prohibited: if neighbors hear screams or see a child being harmed, they can call the police, which can lead to the loss of parental rights or deportation.
Meeting My Husband and Moving
We met through a Turkish scholarship program. My husband was already studying in Turkey, and I was just about to apply and contacted him on social media. That’s how our long-distance communication began. We dated for over five years.
Initial Difficulties in the USA
“When we arrived, we rented a place for a month and bought a car, and then we almost ran out of money. It’s difficult to get around here without a car. We had only about $400 — which is very little for America, even for a week’s worth of groceries. We started everything from scratch without any connections. We worked in logistics and quickly adapted. We didn’t face serious difficulties, perhaps because we approached everything with interest.
Real challenges began after the birth of our child. There are no relatives here to help, and we do everything together: studying, working, and taking care of the baby. My husband is very supportive — he even attends classes with me; while I’m in lectures, he stays with the baby.
Many women here stay at home, fully dedicating themselves to their children. It’s not easy: the lack of communication and development. If you don’t know English and don’t develop your skills, it can be tough — the competition is high.
America values hard work, and the costs here are high. Many focus only on earning money, forgetting about expenses.
During my pregnancy, I continued to work and study. Two weeks after giving birth, I returned to classes since the studies continued. Since then, my son has been “studying with me.” The teachers joke: “Our youngest student!” During breaks, I step out to breastfeed and then return to class. Our days are spent in constant rush between studying and working.
Funny Stories
“When we had almost no money left, my husband and I worked for a week in a delivery service. One day we were delivering an order — and it was dog food! We laughed: ‘We studied so much just to deliver food to dogs now?’ But we took it with humor, not as a difficulty.
Another incident happened in California, at Lake Tahoe. We stopped to grab a bite, and suddenly we saw a bear approaching us. At first, my husband didn’t believe it, but then he saw it too. We got scared and started slowly backing away to the car, and when the distance closed, we ran and locked ourselves in the car. It was a large bear, and it turned out that they often come out in search of food in the evening. We saw signs about bears but didn’t think they would come close.
Then a photographer approached us and said that this was one of the largest bears in that forest, which he had been trying to photograph for several days. We were in shock. America is a country where you can see everything.
Work and Future Plans
Currently, I am studying how to apply psychology in business — this field is called Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and it is mainly developed in the USA.
We study how to improve employees' mental well-being, increase their efficiency, and develop talents and leadership qualities. In developed countries, it is no longer possible to consider work separately from the person: it is important for employees to feel good, and for that, balance is necessary.
After graduation, I plan to gain experience in the USA and apply my knowledge in Kyrgyzstan, helping companies and people through coaching and psychology.
My husband dreams of becoming a Kyrgyz who creates a unicorn company, inspiring others for global projects. We both strive to use the knowledge and experience gained here for the benefit of our homeland and are making every effort to do so.
