A foreign exchange student from North Africa is saying ‘yes’ to new experiences.
Since arriving in Burlington in late August, Sarra Yahyaoui has been making it a point to try something new every day.
“I’m trying to do as many new experiences as I can,” Yahyaoui said. “I’m trying to say ‘yes’ to everything, and I’m trying a lot of new stuff.”
One day, she ate alligator. Another, she went to a football game.
“It’s only in America that you watch football, and I got to do it,” Yahyaoui said with a smile.
Yahyaoui is from Keff, an agricultural town in the North African country of Tunisia, where Roman ruins can be found alongside European, Islamic and Greek architecture.
“It’s a small country, so a lot of people have never heard about it,” she said, pulling up pictures on her phone for reference. “I think it’s very beautiful. We have a lot of beaches and deserts and monuments, and we have a lot of history.”
Yahyaoui is among 30 students from Tunisia who were awarded a competitive foreign exchange scholarship via the Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, which was established by Congress in 2002 to promote youth leadership development and lasting ties between Americans and the people of participating countries.
It provides high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations the means to study abroad in the U.S. for an academic year, during which time they serve as youth ambassadors. A sister program, YES Abroad, provides a similar experience for U.S. students to spend an academic year in participating YES countries.
“The entire point of the program is a culture exchange between a lot of countries,” Yahyaoui explained. “They mostly take from countries with a significant amount of Muslim people to let the American people know more about other countries and other cultures and to show them that at the end of the day, we are all teenagers and we are all the same, even if we are different.”
After being awarded the scholarship, Yahyaoui was assigned to the Iowa Resource for International Services program, which placed her with a host family, the Hopps, in Burlington.
“They mostly assign to small towns because they have less international populations,” Yahyaoui explained.
And so she prepared to leave the wheat fields of Tunisia for the cornfields of Iowa. After bidding an emotional farewell to her parents and younger sister (her older sister is studying in Germany), she boarded a flight to the U.S., making a pit stop in Washington, D.C., for orientation.
It was there that she was first surprised by the largeness of things.
“The cars are so big. Why do they have seven seats?” she said with a laugh while describing her first impressions of life in the U.S. She was similarly surprised by food and drink portions. “The drink cup will be bigger than my head. At first, I would be surprised if I drank it all, but now I like it.”
After completing orientation in D.C., she was off to Iowa. She arrived at her host home to meet her host parents and sister, Ruth Conteh, who is here from the West African country of Sierra Leone. Though Sierra Leone and Tunisia are two entirely different countries with different cultures, Yahyaoui is grateful to have a host sister who can share in new experiences with her as the two adjust to various sources of culture shock. The adjustment was difficult at first, but it didn’t take long for her to feel welcome.
“At first I did not know anyone,” Yahyaoui said. “I was just a foreigner who came here and I knew no one, but everyone was really nice to me and super supportive.”
On her first day at school, she was surprised by the casual attire worn by her classmates. The high school Yahyaoui attends back home, she explained, has a fairly strict dress code that does not include Crocs or gym shorts.
The school structure is also different. Back in Tunisia, students pick a major in their second year of high school.Yahyaoui is a math major, and all of her classes since have been STEM-related. Here, she has more flexibility.
“I’m a math major, so my entire life is like math and physics and science and stuff, so I tried to take more fun classes,” Yahyaoui said. “I never drew or anything and now I’m in art class and I’m really good at it and I just found out that I like art, which I never knew before.”
In addition to 2D Art, she also is taking American Studies and English classes, which she is required to take as part of her program, along with other electives like tennis and woodworking. She decided to take an engineering class, too, since she wants to pursue a career in engineering.
Yahyaoui has been enjoying her first trimester of classes at BHS, as well as the shorter school days.
“(In Tunisia), we go to school from 8 to 6, so it’s more fun to go here because you get to go home early,” she said.
She also remarked on the difference in how events are hosted.
“I noticed that the school here organizes a lot of events, like football games and dances and stuff, and that’s really fun,” Yahyaoui said. “In my country, it’s not school-organized. It’s more private clubs and stuff. It’s not the school that organizes events.”
Yahyaoui has been taking full advantage of those events, as well as school activities and clubs. She’s a member of both the BHS Dance Team and Leo Club, membership of which is helping her to meet her goal of reaching 100 volunteer hours before the end of the school year. She’s also been volunteering with Bridges Out of Poverty.
She’s learning as much as she can from her teachers, as well as her peers, and each night before she goes to sleep, she thinks about the new things she tried that day and what she wants to do next. She keeps a running list of things to do and places to go before she returns in June. Among them are skiing and visiting Chicago.
She looks forward to giving presentations about her culture and country to various groups during International Education Week, which is Nov. 18-22.
Celebrating International Education Week
International Education Week first was established in 2001 as a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education in an effort to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment, as well as to attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences. This year, International Education Week will be from Nov. 18-22. In observance of this week and to help celebrate global education, we asked each of the other five foreign exchange students attending BHS this year to answer a few questions. Here’s what they had to say:
Paul N. Zoway Jr.
Where are you from?
Monrovia, Liberia
What program are you here through?
Kennedy Luther Youth Exchange and Study Program
What classes are you taking at BHS?
Algebra 2, PLTW Computer Science Essentials, Beginning Speech, Government, Honors Chemistry, and Outdoor Recreation
What’s something about your home country and/or culture that people might be surprised to learn?
People might want to learn what we eat, what we do, our language, how do people get married and how we learn in Liberia
Why did you want to come to the U.S.?
I wanted to come to the U.S. to experience new culture and make new association.
What has been the biggest source of culture shock for you?
The food is the biggest source of culture shock for me.
Sara Santamaria
Where are you from?
Madrid, Spain
What program are you here through?
J1
What classes are you taking at BHS?
Art, Biology, American Studies, English, Algebra and Psychology
What’s something about your home country and/or culture that people might be surprised to learn?
We have “free healthcare.” For example, if you need an operation or to see a doctor for any reason, it’s totally free. Another thing could be that a lot of stores and businesses close for “nap time.”
Why did you want to come to the U.S.?
Because I wanted to know a new different culture and feel the experience of being away from home, my friends and family, all I know, and start over a completely new life meeting new people and learning a lot from them.
What has been the biggest source of culture shock for you?
The food and how you need a car for everything.
Natalia Lopez-Gonzalez
Where are you from?
Madrid, Spain
What program are you here through?
International Experience
What classes are you taking at BHS?
Culinary Arts, Biology, American Studies, English, Outdoor Recreation, and Psychology
What’s something about your home country and/or culture that people might be surprised to learn?
We have lunch from 3-4 p.m. and dinner from 9-10 p.m.
Why did you want to come to the U.S.?
I needed a break from my home country and because I wanted to make new friends and live the experience.
What has been the biggest source of culture shock for you?
The food because it’s different.
Rebecca Imbimbo
Where are you from?
Pescara, Italy
What program are you here through?
International Experience
What classes are you taking at BHS?
AP U.S. History, Honors English, General Physics, CAD I, and Physical Education
What’s something about your home country and/or culture that people might be surprised to learn?
Some of our police cars are Lamborghinis.
Why did you want to come to the U.S.?
I decided to come to the U.S. to know a new culture and to improve my English.
What has been the biggest source of culture shock for you?
Food.
Ruth Aminata Conteh
Where are you from?
Freetown, Sierra Leone
What program are you here through?
Kennedy Luther Youth Exchange and Study Program
What classes are you taking at BHS?
Human Development, Health Career Occupation, Culinary, Choir, American Studies, Algebra 1
What’s something about your home country and/or culture that people might be surprised to learn?
Sierra Leone is known for it diverse cultural tapestry. The nation is a home to 17 ethnic groups and also known for its rich history and vibrant culture. Sierra Leone boasts one of the largest natural harbors in the world, situated in the capital city of Sierra Leone. The harbor not only serves as a crucial port but also serves as the history of the abolition of slavery, for it was a significant location for repatriated Africans who returned from the Americans. My country is also known for natural beauty nothing short of breathtaking. From the stunning white sand beaches along the coastline to the green hills and magnificent rain Forests island.
Why did you want to come to the U.S.?
To know how it feels out of your comfort zone and the chance to experience cultural, personal growth opportunities, and to engage in diverse academic subjects extracurricular activities, and also tell them more about my country.
What has been the biggest source of culture shock for you?
In the U.S., there’s often a more casual approach to social interactions. You may notice people are friendly and open, but the way they communicate can be less formal compared to some of my cultures.
