Thriving in an environment far from my home has changed me as a person. Thailand is my home country. At  16 years of age, leaving my family, friends, and country was very difficult. However, I’m glad to be in the United States because I have grown physically, mentally, and intellectually.

Living in Katy, Texas with the Wiederhold family was a pleasure. They have been very nice to me. They made me feel at home. I have been living with them since October. They treat me as their real family member. I feel very comfortable living with them. They care about me so much. Every time  I get homesick, they will be there beside me. When I am about to give up, they will be there to cheer me on and encourage me. They always support my decisions. I love them as if they would my real family. Without the Wiederhold family, I would not have this positive experience. It has been such an honor to have them in my life as my host family. I am going to miss them next year. I wish I could take them back to Thailand with me or have my parents from Thailand move to Texas.

Honestly, at first I did not want to come here at all because of my poor English. I decided to be an exchange student because I saw the importance of the English language. My first week in the United States, I did not understand anything. It was very difficult for me. I worked hard to improve my English. With the help of Mrs. Moore, my English teacher, I love learning English. Mrs. Moore is always willing to help me either inside or outside of classroom. She made me love English. I never thought that I would love English, but I do. If I had not taken classes with her, I would not be able to write or read English. I am very thankful to have her as my English teacher. What an amazing teacher she is!

I used to be an indoor person. I preferred spending hours on the computer rather than doing things outsides. America changed my hobby habit. Now I enjoy spending time outdoor. I used to play tennis in Thailand when I was 14 years old because my mom needed someone to go to the tennis court with her. I didn’t like to play tennis at all. In the beginning of my exchange student year, I decided to join the Tennis team at school. I joined the team because I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to develop my communication skills. It turned out that I enjoyed tennis. And I made a long lasting friendship with my teammates as well as developed my language skills. I practiced tennis after school every day, and I played tennis with my friends on the weekend. From all of the hard work I put in, I finished the season with the 2nd place on the junior varsity team.

I am so glad I decided to be an exchange student. I still remember the first time I got here, I could not wait to go home. Time went so fast. Now, it is almost time to go home, but I do not want to leave. I am really excited to go home to see my family, but at the same time I do not want to go home because I will miss my life in America and every here.  

My life experience of being far away from home at this young age of 16 and not knowing anyone has given me accountability for my situations It has opened up my eyes. Now I see the world differently than before. I am more independent, grown up and ready to move on to the next chapter of my life. I would like to thank everyone that has helped shape, support, and encourage me. My experience in the United States inspired me to continue working hard to accomplish my education and career goal.