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The ASSIST Class of 2007/08 was a distinguished group of 133 scholars proudly representing 14 countries. We are pleased to share a selection of their reflections with you. We hope that you will support our work so that more talented and deserving scholars from around the world can undertake life-changing expenses – while enriching American homes and campuses with their grace and intelligence.

I didn’t know much about America at the beginning of the year. During my stay I have made a number of observations. I have found Americans to be very generous and open minded. Wherever I went, people asked me about my home country and told me about their lives. They also were very willing to invite me into their homes, even though they didn’t know me well. I also observed how proud Americans are of their nation. There are American flags everywhere and before every sports event they play the national anthem. In my US History class, I notice that my teacher uses the word “we” when she talks about the achievements of the nation. This pride seems very beautiful to me.
In January I gave an upper school assembly talk on China. It was about 20 minutes. I was really nervous at first. But all the people that sat in the front rows called my name and applauded me. What’s more, they all stood up to applaud after my speech. And for the following days, whenever people saw me in the hallway, they would say how much they liked my speech and how much they learned about China from it. That was really my happiest moment – not only because they liked my speech, but also because I felt that I had done something to let other people know about my nation, the place where I grew up.
When you actually know your teachers and they know you, you work extra hard to earn their respect, because you do not want to disappoint them. In this regard, my math teacher has always been really supportive. I enjoy talking with him, or borrowing books from him (he probably thinks I am a real math nerd, but that’s OK), or just stopping by whenever I find something especially interesting or have a problem understanding something I read. He is part of the reason why I think I want to go into math when I am done with school.
Thanksgiving dinner with my host family was one of the most beautiful moments during my year in America. It took my host family and me a long time to prepare all the dishes and decorations, but it was really worth it. Two other families were invited to celebrate with us. When we sat down at the table, my host dad gave a short speech and said that he was very happy that I was there with them. It was very touching. Then we started to eat and the atmosphere was so beautiful that I will never forget it.
This has been the best year of my life. I love my American friends, my American host family, my American school, and my buddy, Nova, which is my family’s dog. It has been an incredible experience where I have encountered different cultures, where race is not a boundary, and where people from all the different continents work together to make the world a better place.… I want to thank ASSIST for this opportunity . This is the best thing that could ever have happened to me.