A YES alumna from Pakistan is featured guest blogger at Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times blog:
“Sher Bano is a 17-year-old Pashtun girl from Pakistan who spent last year as an exchange student in Evanston, Illinois, as part of the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program. She is now back in the city of Peshawar in the northwest of Pakistan, but is unable to attend formal school because of insecurity there. As a guest blogger, she’ll be writing about life in Pakistan from the perspective of a teenage girl who has spent time in the West.”
Read the full story here
Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company
by Baya Inggas, Indonesia
hosted in Kansas 09-10
If you think I never skiied before, you’re right, but nothing can stop me to try something new. Me, my host mom Mary, my host sister Alisa, and her boyfriend Dustin went to Colorado last winter break. We skiied at Keystone, and people say that Keystone is one of the best ski spots in the world, and they were right, it’s a neat place.
On the first day we just drove around the town, and went ice skating at the rink. I’ve been ice skating before, so that was fine. The next day we took a lesson as a beginner for skiing, the coach was Jim Curtis, and he is a really good coach, he taught us everything for safety in the bunny slope. The first day was pretty good for me, as I can remember the compliment that Jim gave to me at the end of the day : “You have the most skill has ever covered…”
Yes, that compliment makes me really happy, because I never saw snow before, nor went skiing, but I found out that I have skills in skiing! The second day skiing, at the bunny hill, I tried something new—backward! and yes, I did it. So Dustin and Alisa wanted to go to the mountain so badly, so I went with them. A lot more challenging track was waiting halfway up the mountain! I did fall a couple of times, but fortunately I didn’t break anything.
The second time we tried the same track, and I didn’t fall at all. The end of the day we made a decision to get to the top of the mountain, in the dark. And, yes! we did it! without any falling. and the view from the top is just really amazing! The last day we even tried a harder track, and I tried the tree track and the ramp; it’s just nothing but fun!
Before I didn’t know why people are willing to pay so much money only for skiing, but now I know, that skiing is really addicting. but Kansas doesn’t have skiing because it usually doesn’t get that much snow, but I love skiing and I miss it. last, I would like to say thanks to my Host Family who brought me to Colorado and the YES program to make this story possible to be written here. In other words, thanks for giving me a chance to try something new and to find a new life here, in the USA.
Photo by Baya Ingas, taken at the top of mountain, from left: Baya, Alisa Rotman, Dustin Pahls
by Salim Abdul-Razak, Ghana 09-10
hosted in Maryland
The celebration of International Education Week was one of the best things i ever did to contribute to international peace and understanding. It is an undeniable fact that i was nervous about my cultural presentation but i never imagined it was going to be so much fun.
The attention, interest and enthusiasm that was given me made me feel that my culture was appreciated, and at the end of my presentation, my american friends had learnt so much about my country, and vice versa. It filled me with so much excitement sharing my culture—including values, ethnicity, dress, food etc and also expressing a lifestyle different from what they knew, but the great part was how we both understood each other, lived and coexisted peacefully. we all had created peace, understanding and harmony that the world needs for global peace.
i had the feeling of not only the knowledge that i was sharing but also the perceptions and mysteries that i was unravelling about my own country. The love, support and cooperation given to me during my presentation has made it one of the best things i ever did.
by Ashreabai Sinarimbo, Philippines 09-10
hosted in Columbia, MD
Before the school start, I already went out for cross country in my school. They were very nice to me, they were very hospitable and friendly. They also have a lot of questions about my country. The day before the school starts, I’m kinda nervous because i thought I will be out of place in each of my classes and eat my lunch alone but it didn’t happen, I have a TEAM who helped me to meet new friends, they introduced me to their other friends. My first day of school wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.
My cross country team is like family. We treat each other like brothers and sisters. Evey night before meets we have a spaghetti dinner which is a lot of fun, we do crazy things like pillow fighting, sharing secrets, play rock band, personalize our shirts, and many things. We also had a sleepover which really rocks! During the meets, we support each other. I miss all of that.
When the fall season ends, i went out for Indoor Track. My Track team is absolutely different from my cross country team. But I hang-out with my friends in cross country who also went out for track. But a few weeks later, I started to feel the spirit of a team. Sometimes, we still run even though there’s snow outside. After we practice, we are staying outside and playing with the snow, have snowball fights, and a lot of crazy things. But the indoor track season is going to end very soon. Our state meet will be the 15th of February.
In spring, I’ll go out for Outdoor Track and I’m expecting a lot of fun things and memories that i will never forget in my entire life.
for those of you who haven’t joined the sport teams in your schools, Spring season is your last chance, don’t let it go. You will really have fun. And for those who already have, good job. just continue it and you’ll never ever regret this.
by Mochammad Sulfadli Arif, Indonesia 09-10
hosted in Kentucky
It was really fun to get snow, especially because i’ve never seen snow before, and also the reason i said that because it’s really pretty outside and we can go sledding.
one morning, after i took a shower and got ready to go to school, i was always waiting for my school bus, but at that time i was wondering why the bus didn’t come yet, and I called my friend. when my friend answered the phone, he sounded like someone just waking up, and i asked “are you ready to go to school ?”, and he said “are you crazy ? school is canceled.” I didn’t even know that we don’t have school, so since that day, I always turn on the TV when I wake up in the morning.
One and a half weeks passed by with snow days, nothing to do at home, and i can’t go anywhere, ‘cause the snow was pouring like crazy outside, so the only thing that you can do for fun is sledding. and that’s really fun.
well, sledding in United States is part of a kids tradition I guess when the snow season or we can say Winter! I’m very thankful to God, cause I’m here in USA where i got a lot of snow, since in my country I’ve never seen snow before.
One day, when school was out because the road was slippery and we couldn’t do much, especially outdoor activity since it’s too dangerous. but, I don’t like to stay home and be stuck like fish in an aquarium. So, I went to my friends house, the twins that became my really close friends in USA, and we just chilled out at their house, playing X BOX and so on, until actually midnight, they decided to go Sledding! and at that time, I’m about ready to drop my head in bed and I said “are you kidding me? it’s night. midnight, and it’s really cold outside.” and they just said “it’s gonna be fun! let’s go!” Well, I’m here in USA as exchange student to learn new stuff, and it’s kinda new, cause I’ve never did it before. So, “Let’s go!"
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