Hi, my name is Saida Ayupova, or as most of my friends call me, Sai. I'm originally from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. I am obsessed with traveling, which is one of the reasons I chose to study outside of home country. People usually think I'm Russian. I'm not, although that's my native language. (My ethnic background is a mess that I shouldn't get into). I love the fact that Grinnell is so diverse considering its small size. It offers students a lot of opportunities. For example, while at Grinnell, I got a chance to study abroad for a semester in London. Grinnell also sponsored my internship in Albania as well as my research in China. I also love how open-minded and forward-thinking the college is on various issues. Now that I have one year left, it's time to decide what to do next. The only thing I know for sure is that I most likely will not settle in one country for the next ten years. I want to try living in different parts of the world, be it South America, Australia, Eastern Europe or Africa.

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