by Ramo, YES12-13, Bosnia-Herzegovina

In this article about my experience during the program, I would like to write about my going out with friends to a football game in my school football stadium. By the time I got invited for the game I will be talking about, I had a few friends, where some are exchange students, and some are not. I am a part of a double placement with a student from Thailand, who I consider my best friend and my brother at once. So, we got asked to go see a homecoming school football game. My brother was really looking forward to it, but I have to admit how I wasn't really the happiest about it. I was afraid of a new experience. Firstly, I am not a sportish type of a guy and never in my life before I was interested in a football game. But I had a thought that this has to be an experienced exchange year, and I have to be a part of everything I can. So, I said yes.

When we got there, we met with our friends. During the period before the game, we were talking about homecoming that is coming that weekend, and talking about ourselves, and it seemed pretty fine. As the game began, we all started cheering and we all relaxed more. As the time passed, I have started to make friends more and more at the game. So I met a lot of people,and we were having so much fun that we even stopped paying so much attention to the game. I kept meeting new people all around me, and I was hearing their stories as well as I was talking about my story. Everyone was very much interested in my experience as a foreign exchange student. I feel very proud when I say I am an exchange student. I think it&#39;s a privilege to be one! I kept having fun at the game, and we kept cheering and screaming, and me and all my friends had our faces painted in colors of our school football team.<br />
After the whole night ended, I was happy and sad because it ended. I was happy because I saw that having friends and making ones is not that difficult at all and now I love it! Also, if I had to make a message for all future exchange students, I would just recommend them all face the experiences, make friends and not to be afraid. The more relaxed you are, the more fun you will have! Trust me. I was going with my host brother, and one of my friends. We went to it because we wanted to experience something really new.<br />
I am grateful to YES and all volunteers who I have met and who have helped me with everything to get to my host family. Thank you,everyone!&nbsp; I love YES!</p>

Photo courtesy of Ramo. Ramo and friends at Homecoming