The key facts

  • Komila Farriyeva from Georgia (USA) has lived in Uzbekistan for eight months and studies at the Samarkand Institute of Foreign Languages
  • According to her, she speaks 20 languages, 11 fluently, including Uzbek and Japanese
  • Her parents were initially against the move but then gave their consent

Moving to Uzbekistan

Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages student Komila Farriyeva was born and raised in the American state of Georgia. By the time of the interview published by the outlet Kun.uz on October 13, 2026, she had lived in Uzbekistan for eight months. According to her, at the age of nine she seriously began studying foreign languages — first Spanish and German, later others. Now, according to Komila herself, she can communicate in 20 languages, 11 of which she knows perfectly; among those she has mastered are Japanese and Turkic languages. She learned Uzbek in the USA while communicating with Afghan Uzbeks.

Her Parents' Reaction

The decision to study in Central Asia, rather than in a more conventional destination, came as a surprise to her family. According to Komila, her parents were initially against it. "At first my father objected, saying that bride kidnapping happens there. Then he looked into the situation and agreed to my move, saying: 'Just take care of yourself,'" the outlet quotes her as saying.

Studies and Life in Samarkand

Komila noted that she liked the teaching methods at the institute and that the environment is convenient for studying and practicing languages. However, it was not only her studies that helped her fall in love with Samarkand: she enjoys communicating with local residents and learning about local life from within. "Over the past few months in Uzbekistan, I have grown to love the Uzbek people very much. Very good people, they never hesitate to help. Especially the grandmothers in Uzbekistan — they are kind and sweet-spoken," Kun.uz quotes the student.