By Mehrab Ahmed (YES 2018 - 2019, Bangladesh, hosted by AFS in Clinton, MO)

Earlier this year, I received an exciting email:

“Congratulations! You are a winner of the International Education Week!”

This was a contest for highest number of presentations. As a contest winner, I was awarded the option to participate in the Better Understanding for a Better World (BUBW) Interfaith Dialogue Conference taking place in Orlando, FL on February 6-10, 2019. All costs were covered by the YES Program.

BUBW is an opportunity to give American high school students and international exchange students of diverse cultural backgrounds and various faith traditions, the opportunity to meet and learn from one another. The international exchange students are in the U.S. through U.S. Department of State sponsored programs. The program’s objectives are “to facilitate dialogue that fosters mutual understanding and cooperation between youth from diverse economic, social, religious, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds; expose youth to the beauty of diverse faith practices in a pluralistic world with emphasis on respect, common values, and our shared humanity; to cultivate ties of friendship; and to encourage future leaders of tomorrow to foster and seek out a better world and a better future for all.”

I was most excited about the fact that BUBW was held at the famous Walt Disney World. I stayed at the Disney’s Pop Century Resort and it was amazing and felt like summer again. I met a lot of exchange students from different parts of the world who are living in different parts of the U.S. I attended sessions for leadership; discussed conflicts found in different countries; and considered how we, as a youth, can make a small change in the world for a better place. As part of the program on understanding the world, I went to three different holy places: a synagogue, a church, and a mosque and learned about the different religions.

The closing ceremony was a banquet and a graduation certificate was issued. I watched several different cultural performances. BUBW will always be in a part of my heart and the experience will be in my memories forever.  

After the conference, my perspective has changed in vast ways. My passion to learn and understand cultures and for doing community service has increased. The most iconic moment of the conference was the fireworks in Epcot theme park.  The fireworks were stunning and beautiful! Attending the different theme parks was magical. If I had to describe the trip in one word, I would say it was: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

I can’t thank my host family, the Umlands, enough as they have done a lot for me and helped me prepare for this conference! This was one of my best experiences in America and as an exchange student from Bangladesh, I’m glad to share with everyone!