The background of my life.

So here I just the letter which states that “Sonam, you are selected for the YES program for the US.” This was the best letter of my life. I felt like I am flying up in the air! This won't be so amazing for the rest of the students but it was so astonishing for me because my life is full of challenges. I am not like the other exchange students of Karachi (a big city of Pakistan). Want to know how's my life different?

  So, here comes my story: My life is like a fairy tale, full of surprises and miracles. My arrival to the US was really weird for me because I am not from the big city Karachi. I was actually from a small town. Five years ago I moved to Karachi.
 The small town I belonged to is full of the people who are against education. Even my own father used to believe that being a Hindu in Pakistan( that's a Muslim country) I can never be successful in any field of education. Even though my father himself is well educated but since he was living in the town with those narrow minded and pessimist people,He started thinking like them too. My mom was a little more educated than my father so she wanted me to become a doctor. But it wasn't possible in that conservative small town.

I was on the other hand being totally against the small town people, working very hard at studies and proving my interest to make my own identity. Realizing my passion for education,my mom decided to migrate to a big city in Pakistan that's called “the city of lights-Karachi”! It is a metropolitan city with great schools,colleges,beaches,malls every luxury of life. We all were really happy on the decision except my father; he didn't believe that I can become something in my future.
 He was never against my education. He always did whatever he could do to make me feel comfortable at studies. He was the one to pay all my charges for academics. He just didn't expect anything from me which was very hurting for me. Sometimes it used to feel like I am useless and the whole effort that I was giving to my studies was meaningless to him and futile. I just wanted to yell sometimes and say that “No, I'm strong enough to do it all. I will make my own identity.” But unfortunately it was also idle to do. So I just decided to prove my father wrong and do something to make him proud of me one day and it became my mission in life.

When we moved to Karachi, our family was happy but the small town people were against us. Actually, against my mom because she was the one to decide it. They were passing sarcastic comments or her and disrespecting her by saying that “This woman is dis-obedient to her husband and she is in Karachi because her relatives live there”. I knew she was suffering from all this because of me and she had no choice! I fell like I was killing her by to making her go through all this non-sense. I felt terrible and wanted to just shut those people's mouths.

Thinking about my future and the obstacles in my way, I was waiting for a miracle to happen and release me. And wow, The miracle actually happened. I got a form for a scholarship for the youth exchange and study program to the US. I wasn't confident that I would get selected.I don't know why, My mother was imagining me into the US already. I don't know how she got such confidence on me but seemed like she has seen the future. And guess what, I got selected for the program.

God has filled my life with surprises. I felt like I've got a way to rescue my mom from the evil natives of the small town. I must not forget that those people were actually my own relatives from the paternal side. They have always envious about us because none of their children are good at studies or got a chance to live in a spectacular city like Karachi.
 The basic reason behind this jealousy is illiteracy . Its actually not that the community was stopping us from live there but our own relatives were. Which made me think that friendship is better than blood relations. My life was just full of barrier. I must say that I don't know about the other kids in the world but my life was not a bed of roses. And I had to make it up for my family and myself. And this scholarship really was a shining sun in my dark days.

When the selection confirming letter came to my house,I showed it to my mom. I have no words to explain how happy and excited she was. I saw here lips spreading her beautiful smile all around her innocent face.Her eyes were filled with tears-of happiness.She looked at me like I am the apple of her eye, like I was the angel to save her in the bad times.I could see the energy in her body that she was getting from the joy. She hugged me and I felt like I am at the most safest place in the world one can be. I still miss the warmth of that hug here in America.

When the news reached to my relatives that “Sonam is going to the US”, They were all shocked and amazed that how can this happen. They are not so educated so they don't know what is an exchange program. Going to the US will may not be a big deal for you all but for an exchange program which covers all your expenses.It is a really big deal and honorable thing.For the natives of the town, it was much more enormous pleasure because none of 'em haven even thought of going to the US because its all really expensive and they used to think that education is fruitless so they never supported their children to study and get educated-Draw back of our society.

We saw a drastic change in the minds of those people after my selection.The children who used to study with me or were friends with me started fighting and blaming their parents for not permitting them to study high school.Their parents also realized the value and importance of education.It was proved to them that you can achieve a lot from education if you really try. Their thinking is totally changed now.They have started sending their children to high schools now, joining English language centers and trying to get awareness as much as they can. It was unbelievable but I really inspired them. They also want to be successful and do something for their future, which is just great. Everyone was talking about my scholarship.The best thing I ever heard was when my relatives who used to degrade my mom and say that she's wrong, told me that “your mom is the best in the world, she beard it all and made you successful" , said my relatives. Which were just wonderful. I felt like i released her. I changed people's minds which was just impossible! I heard a lot of comments while I was going through the selection process from my own cousins that "you can't get selected. You are not good enough. You are a small town girl etc. etc." But I just kept on moving with confidence and ignored all those sarcastic and meaningless remarks because its all fake. Just try and you can do anything! And I just proved that.
Those people are valuing education now, My mom is considered as the one of the most respectful ladies. And Peace is all over around me! :)
I know how YES program changes lives because it changed my life. I really wouldn't be as happy as I am not if I didn't have YES program. I highly support more spread of YES program all around Pakistan. So that it can change more lives like mine.

Introduction

Hello, I am Sonam Chawla, an exchange student from pakistan. I started blogging before the startign of my exchange year but I didn't have any idea what to blog here.
I won't say that view my blog because its awesome. I ma a great writer and you'll love my posts bla bla because that's a lie! I am terrible at vocabulary so I am not a good writer. But the advantage of my blog is that it tells the story of an exchange student, her experience, activities, US high school, American culture, culture shocks, comparison between the two cultures, the challenges that an exchange student faces  and how to cope up with a whole new world from your home. there will always be advises in each post for exchange students to make their experience successful and fruitful! which is what an exchange student looks for! :)
So if somebody is interested in knowing about exchange experiences, or even want to know that hoe we see america, you're always welcome to visit and comment or question and enjoy knowing about my exchange experience!

Regards,

SOnam CHawla
From Karachi (Pakistan) to Michigan (USA).

 I am with a bunch of exchange students from different parts of Pakistan. its the pic that we took befor eour travelling. I am the third from left at the bottom.

So here I get started!

On last Sunday we had a community service program. It was suggested to all the AFS exchange students.8 of us were there. It refreshes your mind and then you do new stuff and new things outside. We got to know many new people and got to know about many new things about the US. This is the goal of our exchange program to spread awareness and know about others too. When we told those people about our country and culture they were happy and interested to know!
It was a farm where we worked. We worked for about 5 hours on the field . We helped in taking out the crops which were ready. It was a little hard work and a lot of fun! Because "Friends are awesome.. Everything's fun with friends!".

Will keep on updating about my more community services. Enjoy reading about my exchange experience.

She cries...

I can guess that she's gonna cry when suddenly her face becomes expressionless and I can see her eyes questioning me.Her body having goosebumps and then she folds her arms and puts her head down on the table. Her face turns red and her eye lashes come over her watered eyes.As the tears roll down her cheeks they turn her cheeks and her lips rosy pink.She lifts up her head and  then moves her hair from her face using both of her hands expressing that she can't take it anymore.

I can say that she becomes more beautiful she cries..