Guest. 10 minutes with alan France

Before I had a chance though to run away, Alan France entered and with a mocking-laughing smile, which is an essential part of his image, told me to come in. All my fears disappeared as I listened to his answers, laughed at his jokes, and understood that he is not simply an official at the university - he is our friend.

- Please explain the etymology of your last name? As far as I know, there are no Koreans with the last name, Japan?
- Let me look up in the dictionary what 'etymology' means (joking). I understand you want know why my last name is France. There are not many people with this name. As a child in school I used to be called Germany, as a nickname, or Paris, or even Japan, actually. Anything but my real name - it was supposed to be a joke. I think it has no relationship to the country at all. It is supposed to mean - a journeyman, which is a person who travels and that is what I have done. So I think my name goes by what I actually do, as I've traveled most of the world.

- So do you believe that a person's name can affect his destiny?
- There are not many people named France that I have come across apart from my relatives. I know they do not travel as much as I do, so maybe it does not make much difference. But it may be in my genes, if this is the case, it is something I have been born with. Nevertheless, it is a good name because many people remember it.

- Yes, it attracts attention.
- Well, I thought it was my personality, my good looks, but unfortunately it is not. (I laugh).

- In looking at what you have accomplished here at WIUT over the past three years, what are you most proud of?
- I think I am proud of the fact that I see in students a different mind set, a different approach both to life and to learning. I hope they go out of this university with a positive attitude towards life, an ability to think about themselves and an ability to be critical - positively - and therefore help whatever organization they are going to work for or help the country in terms of its development because people need a positive critical mind. And I hope that if over the past three years I have done anything it has been to influence the way in which that environment is being built. And, of course, the fact that Westminster has built a name and retained its name and reputation - the staff is proud that they are working here, the students - of studying here.

- You said that the students of WIUT are different. What is their difference?
- They have a different mind set from some of the young people I have met from other universities. They have an open mind, they hold themselves differently. They've got humour. I mean there are other young people who are similar, but I have seen WIUT students among other students from other good universities - they seem to stand out. We had visitors here who have seen our students as well, and they all agree that our students are open, honest, doubtless but also polite. They say what they think and that is the test where I think they are different.

- If you could take something from the culture here in Uzbekistan to England, what would it be?
- First of all, I see things here which are like they were in England 50-60 years ago. And to be honest, I would not take those things back. There are some things which have disappeared in England that I would take back and that's how the family network works in Uzbekistan. The fact that they have the caring view rather than the control view in the family is important. In the UK, we tend to be focused just on the children - that's what we call a nuclear family - and the extended family does not work. I, for instance, have lost touch with my cousins and my aunties - I cannot even remember some of their names while everyone here is everyone's brother. And this is good and bad. I feel that I have lost something - the bonding, bonding with personal friendship - and I have been trying to recreate it. But generally, I have to say as an answer to this question that I would not take anything, I am sorry.

- If you could take something from the culture in England and bring it to Uzbekistan, what would you take?
- I think what I have brought is this spirit of independence, being able to stand up and say, without fear of being criticized, that something is wrong. We do get criticized obviously in the UK but there is a tradition which is part of the culture. There are some parts of our culture which I do not approve - the Queen, etc. But independence and critical thinking is what I brought and people here can use it to good advantage.

- What affiliation does Westminster Abbey have, if any, with the University of Westminster?
- Only the name. Westminster is, basically, a city inside London and anything there can be called Westminster - Westminster fish & chip shop, Westminster funeral parlor. We certainly have a University of Westminster. Although the rector might be religious (he is not, really).

- Our readers should know that you are an avid rugby player and that you have your own team here in Tashkent. Let's say that a woman wanted to try out for your team. Would she be given a fair tryout and could she make your team and see real playing time?
- Actually we do have a separate women's team and we do play together. We do not treat them differently and that is because they don't lay back from the men. The only difficulty is when they wear G-strings and no bras and we are in a scramble and have to concentrate. And I think that is their advantage so probably women do it deliberately. Before coming to Uzbekistan I would not have played rugby with women. I thought it was impossible. I played hockey with women and they are violent, dreadful, they have no respect at all. So we do not lay back from women. If any one is interested in playing rugby, we play every Sunday at 11:00 o'clock at the Military Academy. If you are interested, please contact me.

- Most people know that it is a great honor to be knighted by the queen of England, but very few people know the person Alan France would most like to see knighted.
- I do not believe in knighting. I do not believe in this system. Politically it is wrong because it is a reflection of the inequalities of the past. Okay, now people can get it because of what they have done. In the past they used to get it because of what they owned and for political influence - it was a corrupt system. People should get it because they have served the community, but famous pop stars get it. Why? I have no idea. Someone travels around the world, enjoys himself and gets knighted. Who would I like to see knighted? Umm….(thinking)…They introduced a system in the UK for recognition for doing duties that most people would not do. One of these people, my mother, was called a lollipop lady - she used to have a stick with a little yellow thing which told the traffic to stop to let the children go across. I think this is the most dangerous job ever because she was practically responsible for a group of children crossing the road where cars could kill them. I would give knights to people like that because they don't get paid very much although they do work which is dangerous and also benefits the community.
Among politicians I would like to see Nelson Mandela knighted. How he handled the tradition in a country and after being jailed for twenty years came out and forgave people. I wouldn't have done that.

- If you had to choose one book that has had the biggest influence on your life, what would it be?
- There was this one book by Dostoevski, I forgot its name. I'll get back to you on it. No, I don't really remember its story. What made an impact on me is that this was the first time I had an insight to the Russian culture. This opened my eyes. I realized that there are other cultures which are different. And then I was in Russia, in the forest, surrounded by snow and imagining I am one of the heroes.

- You get to observe student life everyday through your work. Do you think it is different in comparison to the life you had as a student?
- I have to bounce from the fact that I am older therefore I think that students are not as good as we were back then. When I studied in university I was paid to go to university and I was in the top 3-4% of the population of the university, so I was in privilege. Certainly I think we had a different approach. Now about fifty percent of the population in UK think they have a right to go to university and they have a completely different lifestyle in which they are more materialistic. They are focused. They tend to do the minimum required for the subject as opposed to when I was a student. I wanted to read books, I wanted to know about politics though I did Economics. I think some of the students here are much broader in their view and I am impressed with them because they are able to debate, are interested in other activities, do things which will potentially help them but also broaden their mind away just from the subject.
And of course we were more handsome, bright, more sporty - we were better all round (laughs).

- Yes, and very modest.
- Well, we couldn't help being God really.

- Is there any student in WIUT who reminds you of you as you were when you were young?
- I was a very good student, I got top marks, did everything I was told to do, I studied at home (laughs). But I really enjoyed myself. And I have noticed some students here, I see them having changed and developed an attitude. I like those who fight back at me because that is what they should do. I suppose I have to say that there are a few students who have got that mind set that I had. I don't think I was that different. Of course, I stood out from the crowd, I was famous and all the rest of it. I was famous by my name (laughs). So I see the students who are developing and getting out from their mold and I smile and say: "yup, that is very similar to what I did".

- Do you have any hobby?
- Life is my hobby. I enjoy it, I am interested in it. In terms of what I like doing, well, first there is my work.

- So do you enjoy your work?
- Well, yes. After I have had the injection, and they take the stray jacket off me, I am pretty enthusiastic (laughs). I have had hobbies, I used to love gardening, I have grown Bonsai trees. I suppose they we hobbies in a way because they had nothing to do with work. I like social activities - theatres, music.

- Favorite Uzbek restaurant?
- Al Dolphine.

- Favorite English restaurant?
- Sardines in London.

- Favorite cuisine?
- That is hard to say because I am a foody. My favorite cuisine is the cuisine of the country I am in. In Italy, it is Italian, in China - Chinese, etc.

- Favorite Uzbek dish?
- Plov and pumpkin manti.

- Any wishes to our readers.
- I know 8^th March is coming up but I don't believe in Women's Day because women have got every day. We worship women. There should be a women's year, a women's century, not a women's day. To my students: bloody work, no cheating, no plagiarism or it's death (laughs). Seriously, just go out and influence society.