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Shared Success Builds Shared Bridges

Israelis Playing Soccer

By Atef Seman, YES 2015-2016, Israel (Arab Communities), hosted by AYUSA in Columbus, Ohio 

My name is Atef and I am a 17 year old Christian Arab exchange student from Israel, currently being hosted in Ohio. In the past few months I was invited to join an indoor soccer team to play with my American peers. I accepted this offer without hesitation because I want to be as involved as possible in my American host community!

Indoor Soccer

The season was so remarkable for me and I ended up being very successful on my team. I had an average of four goals per game- something I certainly could not have done without the support of my great teammates and family! Playing next to my American friends was such an honor for me,the unimaginable chemistry we had while on the field made me feel like we had known each other for years. That is one of the many unique joys of being an exchange student!  

Most importantly, the audience was obviously having a good time watching me and my team play. And that is all I intended to do in joining the team- add some joy to my community and make friends for a lifetime! 

Realizing the impact exchange students can make on their host communities makes all the homesickness completely worth it. It is through these seemingly every day activities that we are cultural ambassadors and bridge-builders, as we show our host communities the sameness of all humanity. 

I would like to thank the YES program and its incredible staff for giving us this great opportunity. We as exchange students are lost beyond appreciation for the immeasurable effort you put into supporting us and helping us making a difference during our exchange year!

Indoor Soccer2

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