The power of words in the International Education Week

I tried to wait until Friday to share my experience in the International Education Week after giving seven talks in two days.  Seven talks, and a lot of inspiration to me as a person who was sent to a foreign country to fix wrong images about my country, and, make a change.  As the first Saudi exchange student in the history of North Carolina, I must say that those three past months weren't easy, but this is a great challenge, and I was determined to make a great change, and be a good representative of my country.

At the end of Monday some students said that they were very interested in visiting Saudi Arabia, they were very serious about that, and when I asked why they said it's because they liked my presentation.  I was succeeding, I was reaching my goal through talking.  I didn't even realize how powerful communication could be if was between knowledgeable people who basically seek for mutual understanding at the end of the talk.  Well chosen words and topics helped me in viewing my country in the best way possible, in the way that I view it and know it, a country of peace and wonderful people.

That day got better and better, and I was very lucky to see snow falling for the first time ever in my life.  It was very peaceful and magical, it looked tiny and unreal to me too.  But I had to convince myself that that snow was real as my eyes were tearing out of joy.  That was a perfect ending for the day, not only because I was freezing, but because I had a huge smile on my face.  That was the start of my dream of leaving a fingerprint in this world.

My second day was way more interesting, because the weather got cooler, and my spirit got higher to speak about Saudi Arabia and say something that's worth people's time.  I gave four presentations in four periods, and for a second I laughed at myself because I looked like a teacher who was giving a lecture.  Yet I believe that the students were really interested as they were listening and asking different questions about how I lived, where I lived, and what I ate.  I talked about different challenges that I faced when I arrived here and how my strength comes from the support of my families, both of my families.  My "real" Saudi family, and my second American "host" family.  I'm lucky to have grown in a great family, and I'm luckier to be growing between another wonderful family.

I am truly honored to be in the KL-YES Program, I'm privileged to be with FLAG, and I'm lucky to be in Marion, NC.  My coordinator said that it's the right place for me, and he was right, because I can now see a great difference happening.  I'm exchanging my culture with other people, and the respect that I had in those two days for the people who listened to me was indescribable.  This is what I wished upon coming here: making a difference and changing some wrong images about my country.  My nation is being viewed now by what I said today.  Through the opportunity that all of the exchange students now have across the country to present about our countries in the International Education Week we are able to reflect our lives through words and mutual respect.  And through these talks, the world will realize the power of small words and we shall have a greater future for the next generations.  Because we are the ambassadors, and we are the future.