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Ex-Soviet student becomes business major at PSU after seeing breakup of Soviet Union Portland State Univer­ sity is known for having a var­ ied student body and for hav­ ing a higher than average stu­ dent age than that of most colleges and universities. At 28, Chris Raiskin, a Business major, represents the average age of the PSU stu­ dent body. In 1990, Chris moved to the United States from the Ukraine — part of what was then the Soviet Union. He de­ cided to come to the U.S. for his political beliefs, freedom and "the opportunity to do what I wanted to do, not what I was told to, by whomever tells you," said Raiskin. Raiskin adapted quickly to Americanisms and not only has an excellent command of the English language, but also under­ stands our customs and idioms. Leaving one country to come to another is complicated and time-con­ suming, according to Raiskin. From one country, you have to get an exit permit, from the other you have to get an entry permit. Raiskin said that before Gor­ bachev, it was very difficult to get an ex­ it permit. To complicate matters, in the Soviet Union, all non-disabled men have to serve in the military. There are exemptions for medical students and sometimes for other students. Once one is in the military, it became even more difficult to get permission to leave the country, since the officials could claim Suzanne Levinson Above: Former Soviet student Chris Raiskin is a business major at PSU. Above right: Chris says he occasionally finds something to read in the Vanguard. Right: Chris has adapted easily to the PSU smdent lifestyle. that the soldier knew state secrets. "Higher education is free in the Soviet Union, but it doesn't mean every­ one attends. You have to pass strict en­ trance exams," said Raiskin, who went on to explain that Soviet high schools do not provide students with college en­ try-level knowledge. Many parents hire tutors for their child..(Incidentally, most Soviet families have only one child; some have two, but one is the most af­ fordable, says Raiskin.) Occasionally a brilliant high school student can get into college without the aid of tutors, just by reading books from the library. Raiskin didn't come from a priv­ ileged family; he was in the Soviet mili­ tary for two years, then worked his way through college to be an interpreter. In the Soviet Union, the average student had six one-hour classes per day, and is not allowed to skip classes. Now, though, restrictions are loosening with the breakup of the Soviet Union. "I expected that it would hap­ pen, but I didn't think it would be such a wimpy coup," Raiskin said of the coup. "I left because 1 was expecting such a coup." Raiskin's future plans are up in the air — he wants to visit his family, but his former citizenship with Kiev, Ukraine is of uncertain status. "It's very tricky," said Raiskin. "I'm a man with­ out a country." —Suzanne Levinson 80