May 2023: Diloro from Tajikistan
Doing “amazing things” in Wisconsin
PAX - Program of Academic Exchange is excited to nominate Diloro, a FLEX exchange student from Tajikistan, and Williams Bay, Wisconsin to be the May FLEX Student of the Month.
Diloro is a wonderful student with excellent grades who always challenges herself. She takes challenging courses (including Business and Marketing) and made the academic honor roll in her first semester. Outside of academics, Diloro participates in drama club and history club. She bravely tried out for and performed in the school musical, hoping to develop her leadership and communication skills.
In a dual role, she volunteered at the school concession stand to not only fulfill her volunteer hours but to also raise funds for the history club’s excursion to the Medieval Times show. She accomplished her goal of raising funds for all 41 members of the club to attend the show. Diloro says her favorite quote is, “Don’t wait for opportunity; create it.” She is an excellent example of putting words into action.
Diloro has immersed herself in volunteerism and has been a great help to the local community. Currently, she has completed 113 volunteer hours and is determined to continue volunteering for the simple pleasure of serving others. She says, “I was always in search of an opportunity to somehow help the community.”
Diloro has volunteered at many places, including a nursing home. There, she assisted the activities staff. Diloro has also helped maintain the grounds at a local nature preserve, served meals at youth camps, and organized children’s events at the library.
While making pies for Thanksgiving with her host mom Pam, Diloro exclaimed from the kitchen to the rest of the household, “We are doing amazing things!” The family got such a thrill from this exclamation that they had an apron embroidered with that statement on it for her as a Christmas present.
The faculty advisor for the history club said, "Diloro was one of my top volunteers for history club concessions. She volunteered every time I asked for help with concessions and any other project that needed volunteers. I am very appreciative." Diloro has been praised everywhere she's volunteered for her solid work and cheerful attitude in addition to her leadership skills.
Diloro has also worked hard to acclimate to her host family and American culture, with all of its unwritten rules and expectations. What’s more is that she has done it with grace. Diloro’s host father reports that while teaching Diloro how to perform household tasks as they do, he has learned from Diloro that there are better ways of doing things that they'd never have considered had they not been able to see themselves through her eyes.
He also shares that they had to learn how to navigate being from two different religions (Christianity and Islam) and how to maintain practices without making the other feel uncomfortable: “Diloro has been faithful in her commitments but has been gracious in learning about ours. We in turn have learned more about hers."
Despite the differences, the Rees family and Diloro share a special bond. Both parties accepted their differences with graciousness and approached the challenges with open-mindedness and a sense of humor. The Rees family shares a very special anecdote that stands out for them. While making pies for Thanksgiving with her host mom Pam, Diloro exclaimed from the kitchen to the rest of the household, “We are doing amazing things!” The family got such a thrill from this exclamation that they had an apron embroidered with that statement on it for her as a Christmas present.
Although Diloro will be missed a lot by her host family, they are proud of the many projects Diloro has planned for the near future. “She is always going to do amazing things!”
It is in this spirit of all the amazing things Diloro has accomplished that PAX nominates her as the May FLEX Student of the Month.
—The PAX Sponsored Programs team
