By Vesa S.(Macedonia, YES 2017-2018, hosted by AFS in Kansas City, Missouri)  

On March 21, I had the luck and honor to be chosen by the Kansas State Senate to work as a page on the legislature floor, which turned out to be one of the most beautiful and exciting experiences I’ve had during my time in the U.S. With support from my placement organization, AFS, a group of six YES students, including myself, gained the opportunity to be pages for a day. A page is someone who helps a specific Senator in the State Senate – pages follow the Senators to see how things work, but they are also assigned minor duties, such as copying documents for workers on the floor, sending things between offices, and getting food or water for the Senators. We were hosted by Senator Julia Lynn, who was brought to tears when she heard about the YES program’s mission, the stories of our exchange experiences, and, in particular, the struggles of winning a scholarship. 

This opportunity allowed me to learn more about the U.S. Government and engage in conversations with many people in the Senate about the YES program and my home country of Macedonia. The most amazing moment of the day was when Senator Lynn, in front of the entire Senate, introduced me and called our guest group of foreign exchange students "ambassadors" of our countries. She teared up while sharing our stories and the Senate Chamber gave us a standing ovation. 

A few days later, I received some mail from Senator Lynn. She sent me a copy of the Senate Journal from the day I visited and explained how I am now a part of their history because I am mentioned in it! This reminded me what a beautiful thing it is to be an exchange student and what an honor it is to serve as a connection between two different countries. Most importantly, however, it showed me how vital the YES program’s mission is both for our home countries and the United States.