I am John Moen, a simple country bumpkin from northern Minnesota, and I am going to Thailand. I suppose if I had ever been outside of the country before (excluding an overnight in southern Canada) this would be less gut wrenching but, having not, I assure you I am thoroughly gut wrenched. I am thankful for these pains, however, and my bittersweet indigestion would not have been possible without AFS, who have supplied me with the scholarship to make this possible. AFS was perfect for me because I not only wanted to go and experience another culture, but also share my culture with people like me, people who not under extraordinary circumstances find time and money to experience what I believe everyone has the right to experience.
My dream in high school had always been to be an exchange student, and to compensate I made a ton of friends who got to visit here, some of them becoming my best friends. I have never been to Yemen or Bangladesh, but I may have gotten a look into their life that I would not have had, had they not come, a look and psuedo-experience I am thankful for. If I am to teach English to students and give them a look inside my culture, I feel like I would be returning the favor in some way, passing the "baton" that I had received onto others like myself, who would be grateful to receive it.
I really cannot wait to go, I just hope I have enough Tums to make it another month.
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