Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in another country? Ever since I was a child, my biggest dream was to travel around the globe. Fortunately, my aspirations came true when I was given the chance to be a part of a high school exchange program. A few of the rewards that I have gained from the experience is a broadened knowledge, personal and social growth, and leadership skills.
Firstly, my knowledge was vastly broadened when I learned the American culture. I discovered that Americans are direct and straightforward in communication. Furthermore, I experienced a diverse academic system in an American high school. Specifically, I was given the choice to select elective subjects that were not offered in Malaysia such as weight training and show choir.
Next, the experience promoted personal and social growth within me. Particularly, I developed many useful qualities. For instance, my proficiency in English increased after living in America. Moreover, I built life-long connections with people from other cultures. During the program, I lived with a family who provided me food and shelter. Even until now, the bond is still strong and we are still keeping in touch with each other.
Finally, my leadership skills were greatly enhanced from the experience. In fact, I gained the ability to adapt in a foreign environment by being open to new things. Although I was having difficulties with food, I managed to pull through and immerse myself into their culture. Above all, I became a youth ambassador. As an exchange student, it was my duty to represent my country. Hence, I taught Americans about Malaysia by giving presentations.
To summarize, I gained many rewards from the experience. Therefore, I hope more youths would join high school exchange programs as it is would be beneficial to themselves and to their country. As responsible global citizens, we must establish good friendships with people from different countries as it would help strengthen the...