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Nika-Charlotte Ahlden
Nika has kept busy during her exchange year with various activities. One of her favorite activities was joining the track and field team. While Nika has always enjoyed running, she had never competed before. Not only did she make new friends by joining the team, but she also discovered that she loved participating in the meets. She also found out that she is really good at running – she broke her school’s record for the one-mile and two-mile races! She also tried volleyball for the first time and enjoyed making lots of friends through this team sport.
Nika has found many opportunities to volunteer in her host community. During spring break, Nika, her host father, and her two younger host siblings volunteered at a local homeless shelter by preparing food and cleaning. Nika says, “It was awesome to get to know the people there. Everyone has their story to tell and people often jump to conclusions about how people end up at a homeless shelter.” She also helped her host father coach her two host siblings’ basketball teams. While she had never played basketball before, she was able to help the kids do their exercises and she learned about the sport through the experience.
Nika’s relationship with her host father has had a profound impact on her life. From her arrival to the United States, she has had a very good relationship with him since he made her feel so welcome and helped her get engaged in her host community. She adds, “We have had some great conversations and we benefited from hearing each other’s opinion. She continues, “I’ve learned a lot from my host dad and look up to him. He’s very caring and honest and he taught me to listen to others and be more involved in my local community.” She wants to take these lessons back with her to Germany and explains, “My relationship with my host dad will even influence my relationship with my family at home – our relationship is based on pure respect.
Nika believes that her exchange experience has changed her for the better. Before coming on program, she was more introverted, but she has learned to be more confident and independent. She shares, “I’ve learned how important it is to talk to others and not worry too much what other people think. You only live once, so it’s important to have the confidence to step out of your comfort zone.” Furthermore, she believes that her year in the United States has shown her that she’s capable of doing anything she sets her mind to.
Congratulations, Nika!
