I’m On My Own.
Virgie Gloria Pallangan–INA KL YES to USA YP 23/24
Hi people in internet! My name is Virgie, a 17th year old girl from East Borneo, lived in a small town called Berau. I’m the one from my town and from my school that got selected for the KL-YES Program and staying in USA for 10 months. I got my placement in Masshacusetts, in one suburban part called Wellesley, which is very close to Boston. I would like to share my experience here during my Exchange Student program. Well, I have so much things to write and share, but I’ll try to make it short. Hopefully you guys can enjoy to read my experience and can get in to feel it too!
Tuesday, July 18th 2023, one week before my sweet 17 birthday. That was my first time to got an email about my placement in USA, finally after waiting for a long time. Crying and happy at the same time, I have no words to explain how was my feeling at that time. Feel so grateful because a thing that I even never think will come true in my life. It feels like a dream–even until now.
I got hosted by a family that has one son (19th by now) and one daughter (16th by now). So I’m in the middle of them, same as well with my family in Indonesia. My host brother is going to collage in Colorado, and my host sister is a junior in Wellesley High School, same school as me (but I’m in senior grade). I arrived here and one week later my family brought me to Colorado– one new state was unlocked in 10 days, isn’t cool? So I’ve seen how Colorado looks like with the pretty mountains there.
Living on the other side of the world for one year, with people that I’ve never known before, in place I’ve never been, with cultures I’ve never felt. Everything is new for me, feels so unfamiliar. It’s a cool journey, but hard at the same time. I remember when the first time I was arrived here, I felt so amazed.
“It’s a prettiest place I’ve ever seen in my life”, I said. I realized, my new page in my life will start from here, and will always continue to my future.
At the beginning when I went to my school, I really didn’t know any people, I don’t have any friends. Well, I think it’s the hard part of my journey. But I always try to get close with them. It took times to get friends here, and finally I got my friends now. They’re from different country, not only America. And I think it’s a good opportunity to learn their cultures too. Not only about friend, but I wanna tell you about how good my school here. I’m so happy to be in this school, because all the teachers are very kind. They always support me, even appreciate the small things that I do. My teachers and my friends curious about my country, and I’m happy to share Indonesia as my country, through International Education Week. Not only explain about Indonesia, but I also brought some stuffs for them, and made one dessert called “Klepon” for them so they can try it. I’m glad they like it!
Not only shared about Indonesian cultures, but I also learned about American cultures. I had so much fun with Halloween (made pumpkin carving, made and decorate cookies in halloween theme, also did trick or treat with my host sister), volunteers (and it makes me know more people), Thanksgiving (I’ve tried turkey, and I made Indonesian food too), Christmas (I got so many presents from my family, I think it’s the biggest celebration that I had here), and with the New Year (I saw so many fireworks, which is very fun).
Well, it’s a wonderful life in my 17th era that won’t come again for the second time. Everything seems nicely, but there’s so many struggled behind this story, before I got selected. Taylor Swift was right, I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this.
Thanks for everyone who has read about my story. I hope you guys can learn from what I shared here and can get more motivation for whoever that interesting with study abroad. I’ll see you again, best luck!
