Asadbek Urakov

Final Decision. Some of you know that I have been blessed to get into Yonsei University's Underwood International College, which takes pride in its American Liberal Arts Approach. Moreover, I was humbled to be awarded a full-tuition scholarship for four years, which makes it even foolish to reject. However, I decided not to. Yet, as we say, this is what it is. There are solid reasons for this decision. However irrational it may seem, I pursued a different path, which is not attending to the college. As of June 14, I have talked to many people, including Yonsei students, Ivy League students, Ivy League student mentors, and those who never went to college or attended locally. As Maimonides put it, "The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision." The decision was not made lightly. Still, I don't know whether it was right or not, but the question is not in its accuracy but in my rational choice of opportunity cost, which is all about trade-offs. Now, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who contributed, believed, and supported me along the way. I could include the names, but it is so extensive that I am afraid I can't fit them all into one passage. With this message, I want to say that it is not about the family, college, country, or the world; it is about us who are in them. It is us who make all the difference. It is the little things that are satisfying. I'd say don't depend solely on any option; set yourself free, as it is the ultimate destination of all teachings. Make the decision that you think is right but beware of the consequences to the circle, which is more than you. Yes, it sounds foolish, but as Forrest said, "Life is a box of chocolates; you never know what you will get.

I am speaking on the topic you can see above here. It starts at 9 p.m (after 2 minutes) @classof2028bot

🏛A Day in the Life of an Admissions Counselor at @satashkent. Our community member Sayid and Admissions Counselor Ozodbek (@ozodbekeshboboev) met at a cafe to discuss admission goals for the upcoming year as part of our SAT program. It is amazing to see how far we have come. Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far.

Welcome, everyone!

stay hungry, stay foolish, -Steve Jobs Tashkent 2024

Beginning of the SAT era! In the pictures are Bekzod aka, my closest friend and brother, and me. Winter, 2021.

29.05 I have read enough biographies of people—more than I can count on my bare hands: Pushkin, Franklin, LeBron, Levrone, Caesar, and many more. Yet, I never read about my dad; I never got a chance to talk to him about his life. That was the glimpse of experience I could not get. It was too late. Now, three days before his three-year farewell, I came across an article by a journalist writing about my dad and how it all began. Yes, I have heard many short stories about him from different people: mom, brothers, teachers, and people in politics. However, I never came across a comprehensive biography in one place. Reading each line, filled with mixed feelings, I related back to my origins. It felt like I was finding the missing parts of the puzzle of 'me.' I was too young to understand that he was an embodiment of what I want to achieve in life. Starting from just an ordinary position, with no solid background, he made it to the top, not by the support of people behind him, but by his show of empathy and responsibility. I never realized I was living with such a person from whom I could gain a lot of insights on life. He did not talk much to me about his life; perhaps I was too young to know that. But, he would take me to his daily job tasks with him. Yes he did not, but I was there. I remember he was arguing with a representative of the Ministry of Health to renovate the maternity hospital. It took three years for them to allocate finances for that, which, after successfully completed, saved tens of mothers and allowed them to have their babies happily. He built an amazing family and balanced it with stressful work, which involved the everyday threat of going to prison, taking the responsibility for 280,000 people not just for one year, two years, or three years but for the entire 13 years from 2004-2017. He was hated and loved at the same time. So many people thank him for the things he did for them, even after he is gone. I carry on his legacy. I carry on his existence. It is his blood that runs through me: to be among people and contribute to the common good, not just to be distracted with something that takes all life in vain. To be honest, I can’t be any better or equal to him; This is the first time I am publicly reflecting about my origin and life; thus, I want to finish this post with one of my private reflections about him: "I have distinct memories of us visiting houses where people were bidding their final farewells to their departed loved ones. When someone passed away in our town, it was customary to hold a special farewell day with religious leaders offering prayers and bidding them farewell. My father attended nearly all of these ceremonies, and perhaps upon his own passing, more than a thousand people attended his farewell. He was with people and among them." I have no word to say: it all enough for thinking how life is this way and never reaching a conclusion. thank you, dad. see you soon.

📹Bilganingizdek biz @unlockuz’ yana bitta podkast joyladik. Bu epizod biz uchun juda muhim edi, chunki 6 oydan buyon na podkast chiqardik, na insonlarga tayinli yordamimiz tegdi. Umuman olganda, UNLOCK biroz sekinroq ishlayotgan edi. Lekin, oradan shuncha vaqt o‘tgan bo‘lsa ham, Abdulaziz va Sayfullo bilan miriqib suhbatlashdik. Ko‘p narsalar haqida gaplashdik; o‘zim ham juda ko‘p narsa o‘rgandim. Sayfullo va Abdulazizga chin dildan o‘z minnatdorchiligimizni bildiraman. Rozi bo‘lib, vaqtlarini ayamasdan, hammasini ochiqchasiga ulashganlari uchun. Juda samimiy suhbat bo‘ldi. Siz u bizga yordam beraman naqd 1 yarim soat kutib qolishdi, epizod boshlangunicha. Podkast allaqachon Youtube’da. Bemalol kirib, issiq choy damlab ko‘rsangiz bo‘ladi. Video havolasini shu yerda qoldiraman. Ko'rish uchun bosing. Lekin allaqachon ko‘rganlar bo‘lsa, fikrlaringizni qoldiring. Qanaqa bo‘ldi, yoqdimi sizlarga? @asadbekurakov

👩‍👩‍👦‍👦You be strangers; you be coursemates; you be community; and, finally, you become a family. The morning of Friday, the usual weekday before SAT day, has singular importance for our test-takers, or in general. This time, we, unprecedentedly, we advised our students to take the exam in one Test Centre and, dealing with center administrators, were able to go there to see the real exam rooms, with the vibe in it, beforehand. It let them to feel free of the unnecessary emotional burden. However, I could not get a glimpse of the idea that they had already become one family; we became a family. In the pictures above, you can see them, independently, organizing a picnic with their family members to celebrate the day, the moment, and the story we built. I think it is what defines us - a sense of belonging, a sense of friendship, a sense of warmness. And this is what we enjoy, and crave for months. And so was our language; I think we are being able to find a friend, brother, sister for our community members with whom they will go on a long journey, supporting each other. That's what I call community. That's what we call vision. That's what we enjoy. Thank you, guys... (sorry, brothers and sisters; have an amazing time together) @asadbekurakov