An IEW Treat in Washington
Lili prepares Hungarian cookies for her classmates
I'm a citizen of a country that's half the size of the state where I live. I'm a native speaker of the fourth-hardest language in the world...
These realizations came to me when I was preparing for my International Education Week presentation. This presentation not only gave knowledge for American teenagers, but I also learned a lot about my own country: Hungary.
When I started my first presentation, I couldn't stop smiling. I felt proud, and the spirit of my Hungarian nationality filled up my body. In the first few minutes of my presentation, I decided that I would like to really give my best for the American teenagers and do as many presentations as I could. By the end of the week, I ended up with six presentations. Each of them is now a memory that I will never forget.
I wanted to show the American students every amazing thing about my country. I showed them famous Hungarian inventions. And, of course, I talked about my culture (food, celebrations, traditions, superstitions, etc.) and how I lived my teenage life before I came to America—they were especially interested in that.
International Education Week made me realize that sharing and giving is a great thing. I would like to do it more during my exchange year!
I also presented the geography of my country and things that are involved in our everyday lives, like money and language. So that they could get "hands on," I made a small table with souvenirs, coins, and our famous "half moon" cookie (which I baked myself!).
During International Education Week, I also shared my culture with my host family, baking cocoa snails and sharing lots of videos and pictures. International Education Week made me realize that sharing and giving is a great thing. I would like to do it more during my exchange year!
—Lili (FLEX, Hungary), hosted by the Heeter family (WA)
