Jun 13 / Living the American Dream
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.
