By Astou Dembele (YES 2011-2012, Mali, placed with AFS-USA in Devils Lake, ND)

When I first got the news that I was going to be a YES exchange student in North Dakota, I was filled with joy and excitement but also confusion. I had never heard of North Dakota, let alone the little town of Devils Lake. My knowledge of the U.S. states was very limited to the ones I used to hear on TV. Naturally, I proceeded to go on Google for more insight. The images that I was seeing were not exactly reassuring. It was mostly snow, iced rivers, and a lot of fishing activities. However, I also remembered that when you Google my hometown of Bamako, Mali, the images that you see are not exactly a full representation of the life that I was living there. That train of thought made me stay hopeful that there was more to Devils Lake than what Google was letting me see.

On the day of my arrival, my host parents Chris and Alan picked me up at the airport. I was a bit nervous. Nonetheless, the couple’s niceness and willingness to make me at ease gave me the comfort that I needed. We lived in a nice suburban house with a big backyard. There were only the three of us as Anna and Timothy, Chris and Alan’s grown kids, had already moved out of the house and were in college and working. Alan was passionate about cooking. Every one of his meals was delicious! I always looked forward to dinner time and sharing a couple of my Malian recipes as well!

The first day of school was stressful. However, I got to meet amazing teachers and students that were dedicated to learning about my culture and putting me at ease. I was even convinced to join the speech team, which turned out to be an amazing experience, and I even won a couple of trophies. What stood out the most to me about Devils Lake, ND is that, although it seemed like a big community, everyone knew each other and was very kind and willing to help each other. That made my stay there a very joyful experience.

Participating in the YES program made me realize that there are a ton of opportunities out there for me in terms of education, but also in terms of giving back. While in the program, I got the opportunity to be selected to participate in the Civic Education Week Workshop in Washington D.C. The experience gave me so much insight into the impact that social change projects can have on a community, especially a community within a developing country. As alumni of the YES program, we get opportunities to participate in many projects. The one that I participated in was the “Change is Me” project, which was funded by the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund. The project was dedicated to helping young women refugees from the northern part of Mali build sustainable businesses. 

I am now a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and I am currently working as an auditor in asset and wealth management. While I love what I am doing, I have a feeling that my next career move will involve working within international organizations dedicated to making a positive impact in the field of education or women empowerment within developing countries.