By Moiz Rehan, 2012 Youth Exchange & Study (YES) alumnus
Reprinted with permission from Khabr-o-Nazar magazine, April-May 2014 issue
My name is Moiz Rehan and I went to the U.S. under the KL-YES Program in the year 2012.
I remember the day that my journey of change started – the bright sunny day when my plane landed in Chicago and the skyline took my breath away. I felt like it was a new beginning that would transform not only me but those around me as well. Every day since then has brought me something new, something that I will cherish forever. I can never forget the day when I first tasted Nutella, or the day that I went to a soup kitchen in Chicago and cooked and served a wholesome meal to homeless people.
What started as a determination to achieve the 100-Hours-of-Community-Service Award from the State Department quickly transformed itself into a passion to attain compassion. And this dedication took me to places that I never thought I would have gone to otherwise, such as a Jewish Synagogue, a Presbyterian Church, an Urban Farm, a humongous Health Expo for the Chicago Marathon, even the Obama campaign, and many more. Through my community service experience, I was not only able to experience America with all its diversity, but I also learned skills and gained knowledge about topics that no school would have ever provided me with. Since I have come back home I have been utilizing my community service experience to take part in volunteer activities such as the YES Ramadan Ration Drive, the Anti-Littering Drive by Green Volunteers, Youth Tech Camps, and an English Language Camp. I also just successfully finished a Cloth Collection Drive for Earthquake victims in Quetta at my school.
Only through YES was I able to appreciate the beauty of life, its brevity, and the need to grasp every moment. I sang, acted, and danced in the Fall Play at my school, discovering my passion for theater. I participated in my school community through clubs, student government and committees. I learned how to swim, even though I nearly drowned the first time I tried swimming in a big pool. And by attending the Francis W. Parker School of Chicago, I was able to instill in myself the qualities of a socially enlightened individual. I went to the Madison State Capitol with the Debate Club and I won the Best Speaker Award on the Palestinian-Israeli Debate because I used the diplomatic skills I had gained as an exchange student to make my point. Probably one of the best weeks that I had at my school was International Education Week during which I performed my role as a “Cultural Ambassador” and made presentations about Pakistan in my school.
On another note, I also cooked a lot for my host family, my teachers, my friends, and myself, homeless people , and everyone that I could share my culture with through food. As the months progressed, I also began to articulate my thoughts better by conversing with exchange students from all over the world. Even though at times I felt misunderstood, I came to know how important it is to be tolerant and respectful of other people to foster peace. Enhancement activities offered by the State Department such as the Better Understanding for a Better World Conference in San Diego and The Workshop for Youth Leaders in Teaching English in Washington D.C. not only changed my perception about inter-faith harmony but also provided me with the tools to become a Community Leader back in Pakistan. I also got the opportunity to travel to some other places including New York City; Denver, Colorado; Charleston, West Virginia; and Cleveland, Ohio, among others, which helped me a great deal in learning more about the diversity of American people.
Through this year, I’ve learned that life is an inevitable vessel of Change. And it is my life goal now to inspire change in people around me by using the experiences of my exchange year.
Learn how you can apply for the YES exchange program at http://yesprograms.org/country/pakistan.
