By Ahla Ayesha (YES 2022-2023, Pakistan, placed by American Councils in Burleson, TX)

In honor of YES Appreciation Day, I can safely say that two whole months into my exchange experience have given me countless things to appreciate. Top of the list though, are the people, who among others, made everything possible for me, which would be my host parents.

Arriving at the DFW Airport in Washington D.C., was absolutely overwhelming, but as soon as I heard my host mom calling out my name and saw her standing there with a huge smile on her face, along with a big poster saying, “Welcome to our family, Ahla,” I instantly felt better. Being given such a warm welcome still remains one of my most cherished memories during my exchange experience thus far.

Her warmth, care, and eagerness to get to know me and my culture hasn’t diminished a single bit since then. A moment that I appreciated a lot was when she took a 50 minute drive to a Pakistani restaurant to try food from my country. She tried every single thing we ordered; her curiosity and willingness to learn was amazing to me.

My host dad is a firefighter, so even though his job is extremely demanding, he always makes time for the family. His efforts to make memories with his children and to try new things and experiences are highly commendable. To put it mildly, I am not the most skilled person in the world when it comes to the culinary arts, but my host dad  has been super patient, teaching me a little bit at a time. I am also taking part in the school theater play, and he has helped me through the entire audition process as well as with memorizing my lines.

Both of my host parents have been integral to my exchange experience. I was aware that I would be a part of an American family upon arriving here, but I did not realize I would come to care for them to this extent. From picking out homecoming dance dresses with my host mother, to practicing for the theater play with my host dad, little (and big) moments like these have made me feel incredibly loved. My host parents have made me realize the wonderful reality of having a second loving family halfway across the world from my home country, and for that I couldn’t be more grateful.