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60 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 19, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 2, 2004 Afaf Zkhirt, 17, far right, an exchange student from predominantly Muslim Morocco, spends some quality teen time at the Rogue Valley Mall with friends, from left, Christine Boothby, 14, Mara Bauermeister, 14, and Brittni Keller, 14. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Exchange of views For three Muslim students, a trip to the United States clashes with their preconceived notions, and ours By BILL CHOY Mail Tribune Afaf Zkhirt was inundated with questions when she registered for classes recently at South Medford High School. A Muslim from Marrakech, Morocco, Zkhirt, 17, is one of three Muslim exchange students who will study in the Rogue Valley this year. "Americans are nice and friendly and ask a lot of questions" Zkhirt said. "They asked me where I was from and the differences between the U.S. and Morocco, and what we wear and eat. "Some people thought because we live in Africa they don’t think we have a television or a computer." Zkhirt and her fellow exchange students also noticed a few other differences, most notably the food American teens eat and the revealing clothing they wear. Advertisement Nabiha Tufail, from Pakistan, and Kaoutar Abbououcherif from Morocco, both, 16, are studying at Ashland High School, which began school this week. Zkhirt starts classes at South on Tuesday. The girls, who arrived on Aug. 7, are part of the Partnership for Learning Youth Exchange and Study, sponsored by Academic Year USA International, a nonprofit educational and cultural exchange program. The YES program is in its second year with the help of a large grant from the U.S. State Department. More than 200 Muslim students are in the program at schools throughout the country. The goal is to bring youth from countries with a significant Muslim population to America to learn more about the United States, while also educating Americans about the students’ home countries and culture. This is the first year the program has placed students in the Rogue Valley. Each student is staying with a host family. When the students return to their countries, they will tell about their experiences at their schools and communities to bridge cultural understanding. Zkhirt said she wanted to find out for herself what Americans are really like. "Moroccans have a very bad picture of Americans," she said. "But I think it is the fault of (George W.) Bush, not the Americans. ... It’s been a good experience. I want to present my country to Americans and I want to know more about Americans." Tufail had similar concerns. "When I came, I worried Americans would not be good to us, but everyone here has been so friendly and nice," said Tufail. She said there are many Afghan refugees near her country’s border with Afghanistan, and many people in her country are upset about the United States’ involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. "In Pakistan, people say if the (American) government is bad, the people are bad, because (Pakistanis) have a problem with Bush because they’re killing Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan," she said. "I wanted to see what Americans are really like and learn about their lifestyle." Ellen Eichamer, the AYSUA community representative in the Rogue Valley, said it is a vital exchange for these students and those they will meet. "I think it will be a good experience for students and others," she said. "I think it’s the real thing. Instead of being filtered through someone else’s eyes, they get to see for themselves what it’s about and what they are like." Jeans and ketchup all have been new discoveries for Tufail. "I was shocked by the clothing," she said. "I’ve never worn jeans in my life. I normally wear traditional dresses." Tufail said she’s also discovered an affinity for ketchup. "I put it on everything," she said. "Cucumbers, tomatoes, bread — everything, because it’s so flavorful." Zkhirt said she especially enjoys eating vegetarian hot dogs, which she had never tried before. She also has been surprised with the clothing many teen girls wear in America. "Here you can wear what you want," she said. "If it’s too short, it’s not a problem; but in Morocco you can’t." Jim Shames, Tufail’s host father, said it was important for him and his wife, Heidi Parker, an Ashland School District board member, to open their home to a student from another country. "There’s a lot of conflict in the world right now," Shames said. "We seem to be drawing lines between us (Muslims and Christians). "This is a very good opportunity ... to realize the obvious universal truth, which is that the things that we have in common outweigh the differences between us." Bill Choy is a reporter for the Mail Tribune and the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 482-3456. 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