One of the biggest advantages of being an exchange student is to get a lot of knowledge and experience, learn new traditions and try new things. I have already understood that the cultural difference between Azerbaijan and America is more than I could have imagined. For the first time in my life, I am celebrating the American holidays, and I like it a lot because it’s not like any holiday in my country. It is more interesting, more fun, and also Americans have got a lot of holidays, and everyone takes it seriously.

In Azerbaijan, I was also very interested in Thanksgiving because in Azerbaijan there are a lot of holidays like Thanksgiving. For example, we have Kurban Bayram, where there is a sacrifice of an animal, such as cows, goats and sheep. On Kurban Bayram, everyone gathers with their families and spends time together. Talking a lot, telling new things that we have done, and in Kurban Bayram, we eat a lot. We eat our country’s traditional foods.

Another example is Nowruz. Nowruz is the traditional Iranian festival and it is considered the start of the New Year among Iranians. The name comes from Avestan meaning “new day/daylight”. And as in Kurban Bayrami, we also spend time together with the whole family in Novruz Bayrami. Eating a lot, talking and laughing.