ENID, Okla. — There aren’t as many differences between the people of America and the people of Russia as we might think.

A group of Russian municipal officials are touring Enid as part of a national exchange program sponsored by Open World, through its affiliate Sister Cities program. Among the things that impressed the Russians is all the space Americans have, and the fact we live in our own homes, have a number of churches in the community, and above all, the openness and hospitality of the people.

Rustem R. Basyrov lives in the Republic of Bashkortostan, where he is a municipal official. He said his republic is a rural area, but there are a number of towns of similar size to Enid.

“For a community of roughly 50,000 Enid is a very spacious city. Most of the buildings are one story. Most of the people live in their own homes and have some land,” Basyrov said through an interpreter.

Larger buildings in Enid are business buildings, and he said in Russia people live crowded together in apartments and the population is much more crowded.

“It seems there is lots of air and space here,” he said

Both Basyrov and a fellow official, Lebdev Dmitriy, are impressed by the hospitality of Enid’s people. Basyrov said all of the host families and all of the people they have met are very open and hospitable. He said that is a value of the exchange program, to change the impressions of those who go. Basyrov said he hopes to respond to the friendship and professional contacts he has made for the mutual benefit of both countries.

“Some of the best local practices can be implemented in Russia,” he said.

Basyrov has the impression there is little difference between the people of Russia and America. The people in both countries keep an eye on income, he said.

“It’s a wonderful city and I wish prosperity to both the city and its inhabitants,” Basyrov said.

Lebdev Dmitriy said he likes American food, and that the food here is unusual, but delicious.

“People know the best way to cook meat,” he said.

Dmitriy said he is impressed by the variety of churches in Enid. There are many denominations and they each have their own building, he said. He also is very surprised at how clean the police department is and how friendly the police officers are. He said in Russia, it is hard to find a friendly police officer.

Dmitriy also is impressed with Vance Air Force Base. He said the group tried on compression suits and sat in spinning chairs and had quite an experience.

“I was impressed by the hospitality and the friendship at the Air Force base. From childhood in the Communist times there was a stigma attached to American military as a scary, aggressive people. It’s great to know those were stereotypes,” Dmitriy said.

Dmitriy also said he is pleased to see Enid residents are partisans of their own city and are trying to improve it. Thanks to his visit, Dmitriy said he knows what democracy in America really means. He has met a lot of different people, from city government, to Vance AFB to the Enid News, he said.

“We enjoyed the openness and honesty of the American people,” he said.

The  Russian exchange event is sponsored by Open World, which is affiliated with the Sister Cities program. Andrie Winters, city of Enid grant coordinator, is associated with Enid’s Sister Cities program. She learned of the Russians’ visit and wrote a grant to host the delegation. The group attended a number of Enid civic club meetings, the Enid City Commission meeting and the Enid Symphony.