Thank You Thursday – June 30th, 2016 |

Juliette from France with her friends in Illinois.

Aspect Foundation’s inbox is flooded with notes from students expressing their gratitude for the experience they have had on student exchange. On Thursdays, we post one of these notes, sharing the “warm fuzzies” with all of you!

Today’s Thank You Thursday features Juliette from France, who expresses her thanks for her year abroad in Illinois.

I left home and made it home, as weird as it can sound it’s true, I now have two homes, two countries, and two families. I wanted to say bye to a lot more of people, so sorry if I didn’t.

If I’ve been able to experience what I think I will always call the best year of my life or my new life in a year it’s because of a lot of you. First my parents, who as hard as it has been for them have let me go to another continent, and for that I’ll always be thankful, and no matter where I am in the world I will always love you with all my heart, to my organizations STS and Aspect who have help me going through all the steps, from building the project to finishing it. To my coordinator who has always been here for me, and will always. To my host family, aka the best host family ever, thank you for picking me, making me feel like at home from the very first day, thank you for all the memorable experiences, couldn’t name them all because everyday was an adventure. Thank you to the community, the school and the church you open your arms to me like I was one of yours, you didn’t know me but you’ve put time to it and made me feel safe and loved. And thank you to everybody at school, it was even better than what I was expecting it to be, I can say now that being an american student is way cooler than what people think, today I have gained friends for life and I know that. So thank you to all of you for making this year the best I could even ask for and expect! Its not a total goodbye, but a see you soon. America may be the best country. Love you all, see you around a fire enjoying the freedom of the US!

-Juliette from France, in Illinois

Interested in sharing YOUR corner of the world with an international exchange student? Learn more about becoming a host family at: http://aspectfoundation.org/host-families.