06 July 2007

About This Issue

I can tell you that this year was the most wonderful of my life. … I grow up as a person amazingly; I matured a lot.

Meet Lili, a 21-year-old from Mexico who came to the United States as an exchange student in 2003.

When you are there at the beginning, it’s very, very difficult. I had hard time over there during the first two or three months because everything was new for me. I had to adapt to a new life, new place, new people, food, schedules, etc. But then I got used to. I did it, and I made it as my normal and usual life.

Lili is one of many young people who helped us write this issue of eJournal USA. She, and others like her from many different nations, have shared their stories about international youth exchanges, learning about other cultures, languages, and ways of life. They have spoken from the heart about their fears, their successes, their joys, and their lessons.

Many have sent us their observations with apologies about their written English. So unnecessary. Their voices are as honest and candid as any we have ever published. A few grammatical slips just don’t matter, we decided, when the words ring with the truth of their experiences, their boldness, and, yes, their wisdom.

It is an honor to introduce you to the young people you’ll meet on the pages that follow, including Fariz, who recounts how his exchange student experiences have shaped his life in his homeland of Azerbaijan; Sara, a young Muslim woman who is part of a multicultural living experiment at Rutgers University; and Brian, an American whose teaching assignment in Rwanda became a learning experience for him. We felt privileged to hear their stories as they worked with us on this publication. And we are inspired to know that these young people are but a few of thousands everywhere reaching out to other nations with hope and optimism that their gesture helps to make a better world.

—The Editors

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)