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Five Things I’ve Learned During My Exchange

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By Malsore Jusufi, YES 2014-2015 Kosovo

It's been almost five months since I've started my exchange! They went super fast. It seems just like yesterday that I was with my family packing to come here to the U.S. But, when I look back, I actually see how much has changed; how much I've changed. So, honoring my five months here, I have listed five things that I've learned during my exchange!


1. Love comes first.

Being on exchange without my family made me realize how much I love them. Meeting my new, American family made me realize how much you can love new people that enter your life. I also realized that there is so much LOVE in you, that you have to give. There are so many people out there who need your love, and you need theirs. So, all you have to do is start giving love away.


2. You’re capable of anything.

I know you may have seen this before, but TRUST ME this is very true. What I strongly disagree with is "It's not meant for everybody." YES IT IS. As long as you work hard, as long as you put all your energy into doing something you love, you are going to make it. You are going to be HUGE. It is meant for you; it is totally meant for you. You just have to embrace this fact and let go of the negative.


3. Nothing good comes out of your comfort zone.

When I arrived in the U.S. it was just like starting my whole life over again. There were new people, and by new people I mean NEW PEOPLE. Okay, like very new people; people you've never known and never seen in your life and people who have been doing something in a different part of the world. Now you're with them! They are so different, yet so similar. So, you meet new people the whole time, you go places the whole time, you have opportunities the whole time, and that's where the good is. In your experiences, in your willingness to just go out there and see what the world has for you, what God has for you. This is something you'd never see if you were still laying on your bed, in your country, watching other people do stuff, yet not doing stuff.


4. Be an individual.

During my exchange, I've realized how special I am; how special everybody in this world is. How good we can be at something if we put enough work and effort into it. I've learned to be ME. It is very nice to have an "idol," to have an inspiration, a singer who inspires you, or an actor, or anything. But, the truth is, you will never be them. You can only love them so much, let them inspire you, but don't let "them" influence your inner voice and your heart. Your heart knows that you are very unique and you don't have to be someone else because you are very perfect in your own way.


5. The difference between knowing and understanding.

All the things I've listed in this post as reasons for my exchange are things I've known for such a long time. The only difference is that now, I understand. I understand how huge the difference between knowing and understanding is. The only way to understand is to experience. You can only know so much by reading books, by watching videos of people who inspire you, but that won't ever make you understand. You have to understand, because understanding is very beautiful. Meaning something very truly from the deepest of your heart when you say it; that’s understanding. That's my definition of understanding. My close friend (not really), Albert Einstein, said a "harsh" quote about knowing and understanding, but I fully agree. “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” P.S. He might've been my friend if I lived during his time.
 

 

 


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