Students exchange their interesting experiences in the United States after a six-month stint.
THE experiences they had were interesting and insightful and participants of a youth exchange programme could not get enough of sharing their stories with others in the group.
The 50 youths who had each spent six months with host families in various parts of the United States (US), were part of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) programme.
Happy and smiling: Participants with their certificates after completing their six-month programme.They had been shortlisted by AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia (AFS Malaysia) which was involved in the selection process of the programme’s participants.
For Malacca student Thulaja Thessa Vasudhevan, 18, living on a farm in Gold Field, Iowa, was as an “eye-opener”.
“I wanted to experience living out in the country and away from the city. I really wanted to see a part of America I don’t often see on TV.
“To top it of, my host family even took me on a holiday to Arizona, where we went horseback riding in the desert!”
Thulaja said she found out about the programme from her Mathematics teacher and subsequently through an AFS Malaysia road show held at her school.
Thulaja wanted the experience of living out in the country because of her love for nature.She added that she was glad to be selected for the programme and grateful that her request to be located in a small town had been granted.
Thulaja said she was amazed by the advanced technology in agriculture, adding that machines had replaced almost all manual functions at the farm.
With a host sister to go to school with, Thulaja said she had no difficulties fitting into her new school.
“It is also quite easy to get good grades there because you get points for being in class, and performance is not just exam-based like it is in Malaysia.”
Her trip was also made extra special when she and several other AFS students were selected for the Public Service Department scholarship interview at the Malaysian embassy in Washington, DC.
“We went for the interviews after the first month with our respective host families and it was great meeting and sharing our experiences first-hand with fellow participants.”
For David John Au, 18, from Kuching, Sarawak, his first visit to the US proved to be extra special, since he got to meet Kobe Bryant, his favourite NBA player.
“I have been a fan of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers since I was 10 years old, but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I would get to meet him in person!”
Living with a host family in Lakefield, Minnesota, David must have thanked his lucky stars when he found out that the Los Angeles Lakers were going to play there, and quickly asked his host mother to get him tickets.
Manminder Kaur’s American teachers suggested that she take up teaching as a career.“We managed to catch the game, and when I saw Kobe Bryant on the court, I simply could not believe it. I was close enough to run up and touch him if not for the security guards!”
Apart from the game, David said living in a small town was unlike what he had ever experienced.
“The town has a population of 1,720 people and people would greet me on the streets. “Even though the weather there was cold, I felt the hospitality and warmth of its people there ... everyone was just so friendly.”
He added that school was just like what he saw on television, except with a smaller population.
“ I ended up being friends with the other foreign exchange students there.”
While some were placed in smaller towns, others, like hearing-impaired Pan Wai Ling, 18, had the chance to live in the Big Apple.
Through a translator, Wai Ling said, “I didn’t want to live in New York at first, because it seemed like such a common place to be but I had a really good time.”
Wai Ling, said since her host mother was also hearing-impaired deaf, the whole family was able to communicate with her effectively. “I hope to go back there in the future,” she said.
Another hearing-impaired student, Maninder Kaur Gill, 18, who was placed in North Carolina, said that she saw many opportunities for deaf people in America.
David never imagined that he would meet his favourite NBA player in person!“At school, my American teachers said that I should be a sign language teacher because they believe I have the potential to teach.”
She added that she hopes to go to university in America after she finishes her studies.
Presenting certificates to the students upon their completion of the programme, US Ambassador to Malaysia Paul W Jones said that one could only understand the culture of a place when they had lived with a family and experienced things for themselves.
“It is nice to see each student come back with their own story of the community they lived with, and share the experience with others.”
He added, “In a practical way, the experience of studying and living within a foreign culture also helps when they are applying to higher education institutions, and even for employment.”
Jones said he hoped that the students would look at the possibilities of furthering their studies in the US and encouraged Malaysians to apply for the scholarships available.
Launched in 2004, the programme started off with maximum of 20 students from all over the country but the number has since increased to 50.
AFS Malaysia is the only country which also selects students with hearing or vision impairment for the programme.
