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Reuniting at Johnny Rockets

Graphic promoting an Instagram Live event

After a long and packed year on YES, sometimes the main thing the newest YES alumni need is to kick their feet up and relax with other people who understand what they're going through. In Bahrain, YES alumni have been making a tradition out of this by getting together each year at their favorite American restaurant - Johnny Rockets.

Late this June, after Ramadan was finished, 15 YES alumni did just that in Manama. The older alumni welcomed the newly returned 2017 - 2018 cohort and they all shared their exchange experiences.

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The 2018 - 2019 YES students who are about to embark on their YES journey were invited as well! The alumni gave an informal pre-orientation for the soon-to-be departing Bahraini cohort covering topics like culture shock, building meaningful connections, and effective time management in the US.

The President of the Bahrain YES Alumni Association, Ahmed Ali (YES 2016-2017, hosted by AYA in Naperville, IL) gave a speech to the departing students: “You are leaving at the age of 16. If I was you, I would gather as many experiences as possible. You might sometimes feel like you’re lost in life, and that’s okay. However, think about it as a beginning of a journey. Life has just started. You’re challenging yourself, and that’s a great accomplishment.”

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The alumni also discussed implementing an agenda for volunteer activities for the remainder of the year. They are planning to visit Bahrain’s only elderly home center, the National Bank of Bahrain Elderly Home Center in Isa Town, and autism early intervention centers such as RIA Institute in Manama. The alumni are focused on being inclusive, so the worked together to brainstorm transportation solutions for future activities to guarantee all interested alumni can attend.  

Johnny Rockets has been the go-to destination for Bahraini YES alumni gatherings since 2016, and once again, it proved to be just the right place to create a friendly and productive atmosphere for this multifaceted YES alumni event.


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