By Faiza Mahjabin (YES 2018-2019, Bangladesh, hosted by IRIS in Harcourt, IA)

Life is like a constant flowing river. A lot of events come and go in our lives like the current of the river. But sometimes the currents hit the bank with some small stuff which get stuck there instead of going back to the flowing water. In the same way, some events remain engraved on our hearts and memories while we move on. One of the most important events that will never leave my memories is my experience on the Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program, the new family I found through this program and my U.S. high school experience, new memories made with my Local Coordinator, Placement Organization, friends, etc. No matter how much time passes, I will always miss all the memories of my exchange year.

I was hosted by a family of two- my host Mom and my host Granny. They are really too lovely to be described with words. In my view, my host mom, Stacy, is just like a strong, confident tree that works hard to overcome all the obstacles and also provides shade like protection to everyone around it. She’s a hard working woman full of patience, endurance, confidence, love, happiness and always giving her best in whatever she does. Even though she works so hard and has a lot to deal with, she’s always there for her family, trying her best to help them in every single step and to make them smile and laugh. To me, she is a perfect role model whom I love so much as all her qualities helped me change many of my habits and also my point of view and eventually taught me how to be a better person. 

My Granny is someone just too incredible to be described through words. Her nickname is 'Mean Granny’ and no matter how many times she tells me that, I still find the old sweet, kind, loving Granny at the end of the day who can never move her head away from anyone or anything around her that needs help no matter how busy she is. All the things we did in the last ten months, starting from playing marble games, cards to riding bikes and going to church are all unforgettable to me. I just love the way Granny is and how she sees the world. I love and respect how she changes many people’s lives by doing things which are completely opposite of being mean. 

Besides my host mom and granny there was my aunt, uncle and their family living two blocks away from us who were always there for me too. They are just two sweet people with extended arms ready to provide love and care to anyone who comes. I love them very much as they are kind, loving people who’s always there for everyone even if they themselves don’t know that. 

My experience at my U.S. high school is a memory that I will never forget. I still remember my first day at Southeast Valley High School in Gowrie, Iowa, how nervous I was about everything, especially because I arrived a week after the school started. But the teachers and students welcomed me warmly and helped me so much to go through the new changes and environment. Everyday in the school was like a picnic and adventure. Having my own locker, changing classrooms with the exciting feelings about what will happen next, privileges to choose or change classes, playing games in advisory, getting football and soccer confused, doing labs regularly in Chemistry and Physics, dissecting frogs and worms in biology, having fun in the choir room and after-school activities, doing easy but a lot of assignments and homework, giving finals with the most satisfying mood, having lunch together with friends and the way we collected lunch in the cafeteria. 

My teachers and friends were always there for me, every step I took. They gave me the best experience of my first and last prom, homecoming, choir, musicals, robotics, speech contests and sports. I still remember how my coach and teammates helped and encouraged me so much to make a basket in a home basketball game and how they all celebrated my score, how my teacher helped me with my Individual Speech performances and how I received a rating in both District and State level all thanks to her. I also learned so many qualities like team work, patience, courage, being able to come out of comfort zone, participation, improvement of listening skills, finding happiness and adaptation. My friends also gave me the best prom experience in an enchanted forest one could ever have. All those enjoyable volunteering time in the concession stand at home games with friends, participating in workshops and conferences together, walking in my first and last high school graduation ceremony with them are memories that I will miss every day.

My local coordinator and placement organization played a huge role in my exchange year too. I made another family because of them. I met all the people from IRIS, except for my LC, only four times throughout the year but I feel like I have known them for my whole life. Having a great LC who helped me to overcome the obstacles of my life, all the friends I made from all over the world, all those great people from IRIS whom I could I turn to whenever I needed help, all those enjoyable orientations and trips we had, celebrating my birthday with them - all these are more than anything I could have ever asked for. I will never be able to forget any of these people or IRIS ever. 

Thus, my exchange year has a permanent spot in both my heart and memories because of these incredible people I met through the program and all those incredible moments and experiences I had because of them. There’s a lot more people I met in the program who helped throughout the year and they all have significant parts in my memories. I didn’t only learn how to be a better person but I also learned how I don’t have to do something really big to change the world, how I can make a change just through being the change first and starting by a small, good deed. If I was allowed to go back in time, I’d still go to this exchange program and meet all these amazing people again. At last I’d like to conclude by writing a quote of one of the IRIS alumni- 

“Don’t be sad because it ended, be happy that it happened.”