(Luka from Georgia studying in Texas)

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 Luka from Georgia, who is studying in Texas on a scholarship sponsored by the US Department of State’s Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program. Read his letter to his host family below!

I still can’t believe how fast the last 8 months have passed and that I only have approximately 6 weeks left till my departure from here. Surely, it was the quickest year in my life. It’s extremely sad when it comes to leaving something so special and saying goodbye to everything and everyone that affected not only the year but your entire life itself.  Before that, I want to thank people who made this year so special, people who gave me a humongous amount of opportunities, people who taught me, people who learned from me, people who loved me.

(Luka and with his host family in Texas)

My host parents who are the best in the world! I honestly can’t imagine if there can be better host parents than them. Thank you, Sherri and Brian, for everything you’ve done! You guys are people who inspire me every single day. You are the ones who teach me love, respect, and generosity on the daily basis. It’s just unbelievable how a wife and a husband who already have 4 kids and 8 grandkids can open their hearts to a complete stranger, coming from thousands of miles away and have him as their real son. Sometimes, I realize how blessed I am to have you in my life and think about what my life would be like without you. It’s kind of strange when you see people doing everything they can for you and the only thing you can say is ‘thank you.’ My words are not enough to express what I feel towards you right now. My hands can’t type what you guys mean to me. My mouth can’t pronounce how much I appreciate every single moment I’ve spent with you.

Thanks for opening your heart and house to me and letting me stay in such a great state – Texas! Thanks for letting me try all kinds of food from all over the world starting from Mexican Enchiladas, continuing with Italian Lasagnas, ending with Chinese frog legs. I’m so thankful for every single place, every single town, and state you’ve taken me to. Thanks for taking me to Pittsburgh, which is on the border of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, where I got to see a completely different culture and lifestyle from the state where I live right now. Thanks for taking me to New Orleans which I love everything about and California which is another world itself. Thanks for getting me a guitar for Christmas which was probably the best Christmas gift in my life. Thanks for asking me a lot of questions about my country and culture and being curious and wanting to hear more and more. Thanks for sharing so many hilarious moments with me such as when we all made fun of how I pronounced ‘guitar’ as ‘guidar’ and when I always say ‘best ever’ about everything. (Meanwhile, everything I get to see or try is actually the ‘best ever!’)

(Luka taking in a baseball game with his host family and friends in Texas)

I’m so grateful for my host siblings which I have 4. Each of you are so special to me. I will never forget times I spent with you and the things we shared with each other. You guys are awesome! I want you guys to know that this is definitely the best year in my life and it is just because of y’all. I want you to know that I will never forget your effort and that one day you have to come to my country and I will host you then.

Y’all have given me another world.
Now I have 4 parents, 5 siblings, 2 homelands…

As you call me – your boy
Luka

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.