I am an exchange student from Ukraine, who spent 2015-2016 year at Bob Jones High School on a State Department sponsored exchange program, Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX), staying with Osadcii-Lee family. I enjoyed my stay here, and I want to share my experience in this letter.

The best year in my life so far, my exchange year, is coming to an end, but the strong bonds I developed in this school will never. This is my letter of gratefulness to everybody at Bob Jones High School for making my experience unforgettable. Bob Jones is the place where I made more friends than there are rules in the English language. The place where I smiled more times than there are students in this school. Here I learned how important our support to each other is. I realized that it’s good to be unique and different. I’ve had the best teachers, who are not only lecturers, but also mentors. They are people who helped me get through all the challenges I faced, starting with not being able to understand the language, ending with not being able to understand the language…or the new rules and schedules if to be serious. Here I started believing in the power of teamwork, after many successfully finished projects and 1st places.

Have you ever had this feeling when you are far away from your home, but it still feels like home? I now do. This is the place where I trust people, where I am treated as an adult, and where my opinion matters to  others. I was inspired and led by an example of many students to become friendlier and kinder. A lot of things changed within me because of experiences at BJHS. Thank you for this opportunity to have a second home!

Mariya Turpak (aka Masha)