by Annie Zhang, executive editor

The Roar spoke with Imane Majid, a youth ambassador from Morocco for the YES (Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study) program, on why she chose to study abroad in America, and her experience away from home so far.

To begin with, why did you decide to choose the U.S. as your host country?

In Morocco, we have opportunities, but here, there are more opportunities. It’s always been my dream to travel around the world, and I thought that America would be a good start. I want to learn about the American culture, and also about other cultures, but the American culture is already filled up with other cultures, and so that’s why it’s a good start.  Studying in the U.S. helps me a lot in terms of practicing my English because I not only study the language but also get to speak it and hear it all the time so that my ears absorb the accent and the new words, so it gets me used to using them. And it helps me in terms of experiencing the American way of life by giving me the opportunity to live within an American family and studying in an American high school and being able to watch, live and analyze the Americans’ way of living.

Your English is impressive for a foreign speaker.

I’ve been learning English since I was nine. My mom enrolled me in an American language center, and there, I wasn’t just studying English, but I was also learning the aspects of the American culture and practicing with American people. In Morocco, we have a lot of American people, so I talked to them.

What languages do you know besides English?

I can speak Moroccan Arabic, classical Arabic, French, Berber (another Moroccan language), English, and some Italian, Spanish and Korean. I’m currently learning Spanish with  Mrs. Salvato.

Wow. Eight languages. What makes English stand out from these other languages?

I love how casual the English language is. It’s simple. My language is a mix of languages. Also, it’s not stable like English, where what you speak, you can write. But in Arabic, what you speak and what you write are different things, so it’s a bit complicated.

Did you experience much of a culture shock?

No, I didn’t have a culture shock at all, which is surprising because most of my exchange students friends did. It’s because I have a host family, and they’re great, and they make me feel at home. I don’t feel like an outsider; I feel like a part of the family. And that’s one of the exchange goal–to feel like a part of the American family.

Is school formatted differently in Morocco?

School here is very different from Morocco. High schools here are bigger and rely on technology a lot. The homework system is also different because in Morocco, our assignments aren’t in the form of writings and papers to fill, but are usually short exercises.

Have you learned anything memorable yet?

I have, so far, learned that my parents wouldn’t always be there to guide me and show me what’s right and wrong or how to do things, and I learned to manage my time and be organized or otherwise my life will be a complete disorder. I also improved my English and learned some special Texan words.

So what are the benefits of studying abroad?

I believe that the benefits of studying abroad are many and unlimited, from meeting new people to gaining lifetime friends, from improving one’s language to understanding the culture’s aspects and last but not least, from learning self-reliance to being able to adapt to any new situation and environment faster.

And what would you say is your favorite thing about being here? Or least favorite?

My favorite part about it so far is living with my host family, and my least favorite part about is that I have to miss one year of high school back in my country. Although I know it’s worth it.