I have been blessed enough to befriend 2 incredible people within the past 2 years. They’ve changed my life without even knowing it; here’s how.
I met Marcel 2 years ago during my senior year. He was a foreign exchange student from Germany who was attending my high school for the entire year. I originally saw him as some foreigner who probably couldn’t speak English. Little did I know he would slowly become one of my best friends, or that he would end up taking me to my senior prom.
Amanda Hallesjö was the only 21 year-old to join my freshman soccer class last year. Amanda is from Sweden and she was recruited, along with the rest of my teammates, to play soccer in college. This girl is a great listener, as well as one of the most honest and down-to-earth people I’ve ever met. Her friendship has meant the world to me within the past year and I’m blessed to spend almost every second of the day with her. I’m excited to see just how close we become by the end of our college years.
Marcel and Amanda both taught me to appreciate things I’ve never appreciated before. As I introduced each of them to different American customs, I became more aware and appreciative of our community.
Marcel and I had an amazing time at prom, which was an event that I thought was boring and a waste of time and effort. It was actually one of the best nights of my life. This was because prom was something new and different to Marcel. I was able to take him through a new experience, and that was an incredible feeling.
I took Amanda to a water park during the summer. In Sweden, she said they had a similar water park, but nothing quite as big. Just seeing the looks on her face when we went down each ride made me incredibly happy and appreciative for a great friend and a fun-filled day.
From the small conversations to to the adventures we've enjoyed, Amanda and Marcel have provided me with amazing memories. I can only hope that their time here in America is as life-changing as my friendship with them has been.
So the next time you have an exchange-student at your school, or you meet someone from another country, do not hesitate to speak with them. Ask them questions about their home, their favorite things, and their customs. Amanda and Marcel have given me friendships for life. You never know when you could experience the same thing, and have your eyes opened by someone who is from a different country.
