A Smile Is All It Takes :)
Azizah Ramadhani Rismayuda — INA KL-YES to USA YP 23/24
As I look back at my memories of the first few months I’ve been here, in my ongoing cultural mission as an exchange student, I don’t know why I was so worried. Worried that I didn’t have what it takes to represent my country. Worried about what I should prepare, what I should bring, what I should show, when what I actually needed most was already with me all along.
“Isn’t it crazy cool that we have the chance to be part of the big world even as a kid who hasn’t grown up yet?” I thought to myself when I read about people’s exchange stories. “Oh, how I would love to be a part of it!”
A few years later it finally came true. A chance to be a part of the big world, to be an exchange student in the US and be part of the YES family!
After the euphoria subsided, it finally hit me. I am going to be an exchange student, in the USA, representing my country, representing my people. Too many questions rushed in my head. “What do I need to prepare? What do I need to bring? What should I show?” I tried my best preparing for what I thought I would need. But still, these worries never went away.
Then I finally arrived here, in Iowa, in the United States of America. Here, I met so many new people, each different from the previous. Got to be a part of the very welcoming Buckmiller family, my family. Started attending my new school, Waukee High School. Met with my teachers that helped and guided me here. And met with a lot of new people that I can now gladly call my friends.
Everything was so… new! I knew no one here and barely knew anything about this new place. But surprisingly, it wasn’t so.. bad? Everything was definitely different, don’t get me wrong, but it somehow felt right. The buckmillers were fun and outgoing, but at the same time very understanding and definitely experienced. A lot of the people at Waukee High School were happy to help me and make me feel welcomed here. The teachers always offered their help to make sure I could give my best at school. The new friends I made were also very open to our differences and each of them unique to themselves. I got to meet so many other exchange students going through the same thing I am, from countries all over the world, literally. From Egypt to Azerbaijan, to Romania and Kazakhstan, to Moldova and Bahrain, and many more! Being an exchange student from a far away country opens doors to a lot of opportunities! You get to meet all kinds of people. From people who are different from you and are interested in knowing what life is like in Indonesia to people who are similar to you who feel the companionship and solidarity in your similarities.
I got to share about what being Indonesian is like to tons of people through the presentations I did for IEW. I also went to a muslim community at a mosque and experienced being part of a Pakistani family there. Other than that, I became one of the speakers in the Waukee High School’s international panel.
Do you like being part of these kinds of fun events in your community? Being an exchange student here would be perfect for you. Volunteering here will be your best friend. I learned how to make actual apple pies for a fundraiser, learned how to sew to make reusable pads for underprivileged girls, even helped raise more than $400 to help the homeless youth in Iowa. You’ll always learn new skills in everything you do!
It all seems too good to be true doesn’t it? It just seems too perfect. I thought so too. I started doubting myself. Sure, I did all that good things, but did I help build a good image of Indonesians in people here? Did I share my culture enough with the people here? Those thoughts were constantly on my mind.
Until the people around me made me realize one thing. One thing I thought was trivial then. You see, culture is an abstract idea. It is basically what makes us, well, Indonesian! I can’t always wear my traditional clothes here or speak my language. Then what’s left for me to show?
One of my teachers made me realize. He said one day out of the blue, “Thank you for bringing your smile to my class, it always makes my day!” That caught me off guard. It was something I didn’t think about much back home. For us, smiling has become a habit, a custom some might say. But that’s what culture is isn’t it? A custom that a group of people have that becomes their characteristic. From what I see, that has become our custom, our characteristic. The generosity of our smile. Out of all the things I have heard from people here about how they see me, it was about my smile. The friends I meet, the teachers, the families, and even the once strangers.
This reminded me of what my parents told me, the one thing you can always give to other people even when you’re old and poor and have nothing to give is your smile.
So if you are worried about how you can bring an impact, but you feel like you don’t have anything to give when you compare yourself to others. Not the money, nor the skills. Just remember, what you need is already with you. Because you have a smile that can make someone’s whole day.
A smile really is all it takes :)
