By Nabiha Atique (YES 2019-20, Pakistan, hosted by AFS-USA in Takoma Park, MD)

Family: A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household. That is the definition of “family” according to Google. However, family can be so much more. I never knew I would find a new and completely different family oceans away from my home in Pakistan.

When I arrived in Washington D.C. this summer, I felt a lot of nervousness and excitement at the same time. I was constantly thinking about what I would do when I finally met my host family. What if they didn’t like me? What if we didn’t get along? What should I do to let them know that I appreciate them a lot? All of these questions, all of my concerns, and all of my nervousness vanished when I saw my host mom and my host sister coming to pick me up. They had a cute poster which welcomed me to America and they were super excited to see me. I remember how I ran into their arms and hugged them tightly because I knew at that moment that I was really blessed to have such an amazing host family.

I thought that feelings of love and connection would be hard to find when I was away from my home but I was wrong. People who I didn't even know a month ago make me feel as though I have known them all my life. My host family has played the most important role in helping me adjust in the U.S. I am so thankful for a family that has been supporting me and loving me since the day I arrived. It’s quite amazing to think about how I have two families now and how similar both of my families are. It’s lovely to see how much my host family wants to learn about my culture especially how my host mom is always so excited to try Pakistani food.

Two days after I arrived, my family arranged a mini Eid celebration for me so that I would feel more at home. We invited some of our neighbors and I also did henna on my sister’s and her friend’s hands! It was an amazing opportunity to share my culture and having my host family and host community enjoy celebrating Eid the Pakistani way.

Five days later, my host family took me to Minnesota to visit one of my host sisters, who lives in St. Paul. Those four days in Minnesota were the highlight of my month of August because not only is Minnesota a beautiful place, I also got to visit two different sculpture gardens which I have loved since my childhood but never really got a chance to visit because there are only a few sculpture gardens in Pakistan. I also tried hiking for the first time in Minnesota! So here in the U.S., I have already done things that I didn’t have the chance to do back home in Pakistan.

The first weekend of September and right before school started, we went to Nashville, Tennessee to attend a wedding. I bet you would not attend a wedding while camping when you’re in Pakistan but here my first American wedding was such an amazing experience because of all the camping we did! And my first time dancing on a real dance floor! It is awesome to think about how many “firsts” I have already done in just two months while here in America!

And now, almost a month before Halloween, we attended another wedding in Colorado and it was freezing cold but it was completely worth it! A wedding inside a barn with horses and dogs all around and huge mountains in the back? It was perfect and I’m so glad that I got to be a part of it.

I want to take another opportunity to say that my host family is playing the most important role in making my exchange year so worthwhile. They are the ones showing me around, taking me on adventures, and in a way, telling me that anything is possible when you’re surrounded by people who love you. All the little things they do for me are proof of how much they care and how much they love me. From boosting up my confidence and telling me that there is nothing that I could not do, to loving me with all their heart, and making me feel like I never left my home, my host family is constantly trying to make my year here in America a life-changing experience.