by Himaannii Gangakhedkarr, India 07-08
hosted in Shaftsbury, VT
Shortly after returning back to India, on completing an exchange year in the U.S, my parents organised a presentation and get-together party for our family and friends here in Pune, India.
It was great seeing the audience of 100 very eager to hear about my experiences of American living and the culture. I told them about host family, school, friends, cookies, Ameican values, country-living and more of the core-cultural stories.
I was also happy to clear some of the stereotypes. I told them that Americans deeply value hard work, honesty and social service. They were also very curious to hear about Graduation, Christmas, Thanksgiving, prom etc.
I feel very satisfied to share my host experiences with my natural people, thus completing the cross-cultural exchange. The whole program was followed by bhajan- a traditional way of singing devotional songs in a group. It felt very spiritual after a year.
by Kay Sutt, Santa Fe, NM
My husband and I have hosted YES students the last two years. Jessica from Indonesia was our first YES student in 2006-07 and Cansu from Turkey was our second in 2007-08. Our years with both girls were wonderful! Both students were excellent ambassadors for their countries, helping dispel the misunderstandings between our cultures, and both will be wonderful ambassadors for the U.S., as they explain their experiences to friends and families in their home countries.
But more important, they were wonderful people, making many friends and becoming valued members of their family and school communities during their year in New Mexico. Both girls matured and grew monumentally during their year, as we grew to love and respect them as individuals and as members of their countries and cultures. I highly recommend anyone who is thinking of hosting a YES student to do so without fear. The friendships and experiences to be gained are life-changing, not only for the students, but for their American families as well. We look forward with pride to the future of both “our” girls, and to the YES program.
by Farimma Maharuddin, Malaysia ‘08
hosted in Hagerstown, MD
“Improving my English” ... that was my expectation.
Before i came to the United States, i didn’t really know about the United States and what it looked like; i thought that the United States is a country for “white people.” I knew a little bit about the United States from television and media. When i watched a movie or anything about the United States, i told my parents that “i will come to UNITED STATES one day”, but now my dream came true!
I’m so happy with my life in the US and i have a nice host family, a lot of friends and everything. I want to say thank you to AFS Malaysia because they gave me a chance to come to the United States, and thank you to AFS America because they welcomed me and all the exchange students. I also want to say thanks a lot to PAX and YES Program because they sponsored me when i’m here. I’m so lucky because i can join this program and come to United States.
When we first arrived in the US, i was so sad because I was still homesick and having trouble adapting myself to the new environment, weather, everything. But now i can adapt to new environments and new people.
After we finished orientation, I was so excited to meet my host family, but at the same time so scared that my host family will not welcome me to their family and life. But I was wrong, that was just my imagination! Actually my host family was so very nice, kind, caring and lovely. They welcomed me to their family and they said that i was a part of the family!!! I’m so close with my host family, especially my host brother. sometimes we go to the mall together and have a lot of fun!!!
After several days in the US, I was still home sick.. but so excited to see my school and meet my friends. My school is a Christian private school with 78 students. The first time at the school, I was afraid to meet people, scared that they would not want to be friends and not understand what i’m talking about. But actually they all were so friendly, nice, kind and caring about each other. They all welcomed me at the school and helped me if i needed help. I have a lot of sweet memories with all my friends. My school has a lot of activities such as Food festival, Meet the Press Night, Trip to Hershey Park and everything, i had a lot of fun with my friends and my teachers!!
Now i just have 1 week and a half left in the United States. It’s really 2 sad to leave people that i love, especially my host family and friends. I will never forget them. They all helped me when i’m here and I appreciate them so much. But the sad thing is i will be leaving soon and they all make me cry when we all hang out together.
I had a lot of experiences here in America and i will never, ever and forever forget my host family and friends with our sweet memories, funny stories and everything!!! I WILL MISS ALL MY FRIENDS AND MY HOST FAMILY…!:(
by Suad Rashid, Ghana 07-08
Hosted in Hood River, OR
At the age of sixteen, I made a decision to leave my family for one year. It was the most difficult decision I have ever made. Leaving home for a different country, with different ways of doing things—this wouldn’t be easy, but I knew I would be taking a step ahead in my life. Experience is the best teacher and so I wanted to experience something different in my life by traveling to the United States as an exchange student from Ghana.
So much is said about being an exchange student, but only when you experience it do these things make sense. It is definitely not easy, but you do end up growing and changing. As I was about to enter the boarding gate of Kotoka International airport in Ghana for the United States, I looked back and saw my family and friends waving and saying goodbye. I became sad; I felt really bad, like not going at all because I would miss them so much. I would miss the food I liked best and I would miss the weather. I would miss everything here because things were going to be different and there I realized I would even miss the things I didn’t like. But then, life is all about challenges and being able to overcome these challenges shows who you really are, what you are and who you can be. I told myself, “Others have been able to make it so you can also make it.”
I arrived in Portland. I was met by three complete strangers who said they were
my host family. At that instant I knew it would take a lot to live with people you don’t know for one year. I told myself if I am brave as I claim, I should be able to live with them like my real family. As we came to Hood River, I was shocked because almost everything was different, the environment, shops, houses, food, the people and even the English accent. Although I spoke English, people found it difficult to understand.
I have been in Hood River for the past ten months and I am really proud of myself. I am now happy and used to everything around; I am also getting used to the cold weather because Ghana is very hot. I am glad I came to the United States. There is a lot of fun at school, and I have friends; the people are friendly, and I love my host family. I am content with my life here and I am happy because I didn’t know things would turn out like this.
I have also made a lot of friends from all around the world which is the most exciting part of my exchange. I have friends from Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, and Germany and a lot of other countries. Recently I traveled to Disneyworld which was the most amazing trip I have ever been on. I know being an exchange student gave me the opportunity to go on such a trip. I really had so much fun. It is an experience I will never forget in my life.
I know that after my experience, I will not be the same person I used to be and my family will be proud of me. Remembering this makes me want to complete my exchange experience without getting into trouble. I know I will be able to overcome this challenge because that is what life is about. I know my experience is going to form a memorable part of my life and so I’m working to make it a good memory. I also know I will be very sad to say goodbye to all my friends and my host family. This goodbye is different from the one I said before coming here, because this can be forever. I am proud of myself because I’ve been able to take a step ahead in my life and I am happy to be an exchange student.
by Carishma Menon, Malaysia ‘08
hosted in Pennsylvania
Expect the unexpected. That was what I was told before I came to live in St. Thomas, Pennsylvania for six months. My preconceived notions of participating in an exchange program to the United States were based on what I saw on television. The glitz and glamour of high-rise buildings, Hollywood red carpets and designer clothing lines! Unfortunately, all that blinded me to what the U.S. truly had to offer me as a world citizen. That was the unexpected part of the picture.
While the idea of fitting into a new family halfway across the world may strike someone as a nerve-wracking and intimidating thought, I for one felt blessed to have been placed with an extremely loving host family: the Murrays. Steve and Robin, or as I would call them, Mom and Dad, were two very caring individuals who sacrificed a lot of their time to make my experience in the U.S. a memorable one.
Mom had a very fun and outgoing spirit. She was a born creative mind with spunk written all over her. Daddy was more of a gentle character; his jokes could sometimes make me laugh when the rest of the family did not find them funny at all! My sister, Allyson, and I had so much fun doing everything inside and outside of school together. We became very close in a matter of weeks within my arrival and although there were unavoidable petty fights to be endured, we loved each other dearly deep down in our hearts (I am just waiting for her to admit it!). As for Clay, my little baby brother (okay, so he’s 11!), he was one of the most adorable and sweetest boys I have ever met. We would play on the playstation, jump on the trampoline and watch morning TV shows especially over the summer. I can happily say that I am lucky to have two places to call home now; one on each side of the world!
I entered James Buchanan High School as a senior; partially petrified and clueless to the attitudes of an American student body. However, the majority of students were just so welcoming and friendly, it was overwhelming at first. Although I initially did feel homesick for my friends back home, I knew that if I wanted to fit in, I would have to step at least a yardstick away out of my comfort zone. Simple gestures such as the first hello, a smile and even striking up a simple conversation face to face or online helped me with making new friends most of the time. This was my first lesson dealing with Americans—while they will open your hearts to you, you have to put your foot forward first. Of course, being involved with the school musical and a sport such as track & field allowed me to make the friends i eventually became closest to. Although a few months may seem a short period of time, i made a lot of friends that became very dear to me and I will definitely miss them!
As for the American education system, it is very flexible and allows students to specialize with subjects of their choice in high school itself (lockers are definitely a plus!). Exams are also very much semester-based and the famous Malaysian-style “mugging” is mostly alien to American students. Technicalities aside, I made some very sweet memories at JB High School. The spring musical “Guys and Dolls”, the spring chorus concert, track & field, Prom, student trips to Baltimore and graduation were among the highlights of my schooling experience and I loved every minute of it!
Throughout the six months of my stay, I went to Lancaster with my host family for Easter, my first ice hockey game in Hershey, snow tubing, Bethany Beach, camping at Cowan’s Gap, Hershey Park, New York City and Creation 2008 (a large scale event incorporating Christian seminars and concerts). I have definitely learnt a lot about American culture from this experience. For one, the majority of Americans are mostly open-minded with their politics and social patterns. Also, athletics especially in high school is considered to be a very big deal and is taken seriously.
Teenagers in the U.S. are also encouraged and are expected to be very independent. I was surprised to note that more than a large chunk of the student body had jobs to help them pay their own bills, while in Malaysia students usually do not start working until after high school. They also have a lot more freedom compared to Asian teenagers. Americans are straightforward people and usually say what is on their minds, something I had to adapt to from the self-keeping Asian mindset.
I did my fair share of volunteer work during my time under the YES program, incorporating the goal of the program itself, cross-cultural exchange. Through church, I made quilts to be used in a camp for abused children. I volunteered my time for a carnival for the mentally disabled as well. I also spoke to the members of a local Kiwanis branch, addressing them about my experience as an exchange student. In school I also gave PowerPoint presentations to my English and social studies classes, enlightening them from the common misconception that Malaysians still live in trees!
Among other things I did, I also spoke to my host brother’s elementary school class about Malaysia; fascinating them with pictures of orangutans and the Petronas Twin Towers (I also took in chicken curry puffs for them to try, made with love by my host mother!). Through volunteer work, I was certainly exposed to the reality of the world and have become more appreciative of the life that has been given to me.
This experience also helped me grow a lot as a person. I am more confident with myself now; I used to be a very shy person (I have a feeling that certain friends of mine are going to have a hard time believing that!). I have learned to be bold and to take risks because it is definitely no fun at all if you decide to live in a conch shell for the rest of your life! I have realized that it is perfectly fine to make mistakes, however big or small because regardless of the circumstances, you are the one who will benefit from those mistakes in the long run. I have also come to face the fact that petty things are not worth fussing over because life has so much to offer and the simpler things appear prettier to you if you look close enough.
I truly enjoyed my experience in the U.S. having made so many new local and foreign friends from other countries such as Germany, India, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. I was also able to tour the capital, Washington D.C, see snow for the first time and have rekindled my love for food! Thank you YES, for giving me the experience of a lifetime.
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