VOL. XIII, NO. 10
MARCH 24, 1972

Hamid Rahim Compares Countries, Finds Major Differences in Both
Hamid Rahim, Maine West's A.F.S. student, left Afghanistan last August for a year's stay in America. He left behind his childhood friends, four brothers, four sisters, his parents, and many memories.

Mr. and Mrs. Rivard, who have two daughters who attended Maine West, are Hamid's adopted parents for the year. He likes living with them very much but said, "It is very different from my home in Afghanistan."

Hamid likes our school very much. He has many friends. English IV W, music practice, anthropology, and government keep him busy during the day as well as the two periods a day which he spends in the library. Upon returning to Afghanistan Hamid would like to attend college and to become an engineer.

When asked what he would most like to see in America he answered, "Everything. I would like to see everything because it all is so interesting."
 In comparing Afghanistan to the United States, Hamid has found that this is a much lesser opportunity for students in his country to get such a high education. "In Afghanistan people want an education but cannot afford it."

It bothers Hamid very much that in his country so many students who are very smart cannot go to college and many times cannot go to high school. He is glad that here there is such a good opportunity for education.

Hamid finds the biggest difference in the United States is the amount of industry. "The United States has too much industry, and Afghanistan has too little industry." He feels that if Afghanistan had more machines they would be more prosperous.

Hamid misses his family and his friends most. He will be leaving sometime in the middle of July. "I hope to come back to visit my friends and my family here and also to see more of the United States."