When Valdo Palapessy, junior, came to America he was excited to get involved in the school activities. In Indonesia students don’t have the electives or extracurricular activities that students in the United States have.

“I have played sports, I am in choir, I have done a solo contest,” Palapessy said. “In Indonesia we don’t have programs for sports or choir classes so that is pretty much why I am doing it here so I can experience stuff like that.”

The biggest difference Palapessy sees between here and his city in Indonesia is that everything is bigger here, and there is a lot more fast food.

“Topeka is twice as big as my city and they have so many fast food restaurants, and also they have big building and we don’t really have big buildings,” Palapessy said.

When Palapessy first came he expected everyone to be self-centered, but was happily surprised.

“[When] I came here I thought [everyone] only thought about themselves and they wouldn’t care about other people,” Palapessy said.  “Now it is completely different.  I can see it’s not like that, people really care about eachother.  They really help each other when they need help.”

Palapessy loves the school spirit and is glad to have socialized more than he had ever before.  Since being here he has gained more courage and has made made many friends.

“The school spirit.  Everytime you go to watch football game or soccer game the students are always behind the team to support them,” Palapessy said.  “I can feel now that I am more socialized with people. [Since I have been here] I have the courage to talk to people, and to be friends with people.”

He has enjoyed so many things here and has a lot that he will miss, and the first thing he wants to do when he gets home is to encourage students from his school to become exchange students.

“I will miss my host family and my friends, especially my foreign friends, I will miss the food here, I will miss the school system, I will miss playing soccer, and choir, I will miss everything,” Palapessy said.  “I am going to encourage lots of students to be an exchange student.  I will tell them it is a once in a time life experience and you will learn so many things.”

Palapessy defiantly wants to come back to see the host family that he has grown so close to and relive his “American life”.

“I want to say goodbye to host family.  I want to show my appreciation for them hosting me.  It has been a wonderful experience.  I couldn’t wish for a better host family,” Palapessy said. “[When I come back] most importantly I want to see my host family and I want to feel the American life again.”

Palapessy has had a wonderful time and is grateful to everyone and everything for supporting him in all that he has done.

“I just want to say thank you to my program and American Field Service (AFS). I want to thank my host family, my friends, my foreign friends, my teachers, basically everyone who has helped me to experience the great experience [I have had] here.” Palapessy said.