Jun 14 / Experience is the Best Teacher

by Suad Rashid, Ghana 07-08
Hosted in Hood River, OR

At the age of sixteen, I made a decision to leave my family for one year. It was the most difficult decision I have ever made. Leaving home for a different country, with different ways of doing things—this wouldn’t be easy, but I knew I would be taking a step ahead in my life. Experience is the best teacher and so I wanted to experience something different in my life by traveling to the United States as an exchange student from Ghana.

So much is said about being an exchange student, but only when you experience it do these things make sense. It is definitely not easy, but you do end up growing and changing. As I was about to enter the boarding gate of Kotoka International airport in Ghana for the United States, I looked back and saw my family and friends waving and saying goodbye. I became sad; I felt really bad, like not going at all because I would miss them so much. I would miss the food I liked best and I would miss the weather. I would miss everything here because things were going to be different and there I realized I would even miss the things I didn’t like. But then, life is all about challenges and being able to overcome these challenges shows who you really are, what you are and who you can be. I told myself, “Others have been able to make it so you can also make it.”

I arrived in Portland. I was met by three complete strangers who said they were my host family. At that instant I knew it would take a lot to live with people you don’t know for one year. I told myself if I am brave as I claim, I should be able to live with them like my real family. As we came to Hood River, I was shocked because almost everything was different, the environment, shops, houses, food, the people and even the English accent. Although I spoke English, people found it difficult to understand.

I have been in Hood River for the past ten months and I am really proud of myself. I am now happy and used to everything around; I am also getting used to the cold weather because Ghana is very hot. I am glad I came to the United States. There is a lot of fun at school, and I have friends; the people are friendly, and I love my host family. I am content with my life here and I am happy because I didn’t know things would turn out like this.

I have also made a lot of friends from all around the world which is the most exciting part of my exchange. I have friends from Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, and Germany and a lot of other countries. Recently I traveled to Disneyworld which was the most amazing trip I have ever been on. I know being an exchange student gave me the opportunity to go on such a trip. I really had so much fun. It is an experience I will never forget in my life.

I know that after my experience, I will not be the same person I used to be and my family will be proud of me. Remembering this makes me want to complete my exchange experience without getting into trouble. I know I will be able to overcome this challenge because that is what life is about. I know my experience is going to form a memorable part of my life and so I’m working to make it a good memory. I also know I will be very sad to say goodbye to all my friends and my host family. This goodbye is different from the one I said before coming here, because this can be forever. I am proud of myself because I’ve been able to take a step ahead in my life and I am happy to be an exchange student.