By Boris Rifel Nde Fogan (YES 2022-2023, Cameroon, placed by PAX in Manchester Center, VT)

My name is Boris, and I was hosted in a little cute town called Manchester, which is located in the center of Vermont. I would love to express my gratitude to the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program for the amazing opportunity they gave me!

When I learned about the program, I was like, “why not?” I was so passionate about English, and I wanted to improve my language abilities, as well as discover new horizons and climates. When I learned that I was going to actually travel, I was probably the happiest person ever and I couldn't figure out if I was dreaming or not.

From the first day I arrived there to the last, I felt very welcomed by my host family and the rest of my host community. My host school was Burr and Burton Academy, and there I did cross country and tennis as extracurricular activities. With those sports, I made a lot of friends, because everyone there was pretty sociable and kind to new people. Those friends also included international and exchange students, and I had amazing and memorable moments with them, and built strong relationships that will last forever.

I was hosted by an amazing family of four members (the parents and two girls). I really enjoyed being with my host family because I had amazing moments and we exchanged stories about our respective countries and loved to try our country’s dishes. My host parents always made sure I was enjoying my stay there, and we often traveled to states like Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and many more. With them, I had unforgettable memories.

The most memorable moment of my exchange was International Education Week (IEW), when I had to give a presentation about my country to my host school. My school really liked the presentation, and I was thrilled that day because almost everyone in my school learned something about my country and tried a dish. I also had the opportunity to attend Civic Education Workshop (CEW) in D.C., which was funded by the U.S. Department of State. I really liked attending, because it helped me to improve my leadership skills and discover new people from different countries that I had never talked to.

The challenging moment of my exchange year was in the beginning when I knew almost nothing about the country. It was difficult for others to understand my accent. I was new to the place. To overcome these challenges, I tried socializing more with people and talked with my host family more to get used to the new environment, to seek help from others, and to get a better pronunciation of my words. I did that and after one month, I got used to the new place.

As the year came to an end, I still can't really imagine how precious it is to be a YES alumnus and an ambassador to my country who will change the future! As a member of the Cameroon YES Alumni Association, and the global YES network, I will always use the leadership skills I developed in the USA through grassroots activities and lessons to impact my community on issues we are facing.

If I were to rate my experience, I would say it was a really good one. My experience in one word was just: incredible!