Uzbek students attend class from Monday through Saturday-with Sunday as their only day off. They are also required to study three foreign languages beginning in the second or third grade. In addition to their native language (Uzbek or Tajik), they usually study Russian, English, and possibly German.

The most marked difference between Uzbek and U.S. students, however, occurs each autumn, from September until the beginning of December. During this time, many Uzbek high school and university students interrupt their studies in order to help harvest cotton. Sometimes the students who are told to "go to cotton" work through the entire harvest time, while other students will work a two or three week stint in the fields. During the cotton harvest, all university classes are cancelled, so all students-even those who are not required to pick cotton-miss three months of class. More...