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Ayusa Students Take Home the Blue Ribbon in San Antonio's "Battle of Flowers" Parade
San Antonio, Texas Read Story

Ayusa Students Awarded for Beautiful Display

For months, Ayusa students and staff members in San Antonio, Texas have been preparing for their participation in the Annual Battle of Flower Parade. The parade is in remembrance of the Battle of San Jacinto and fallen soldiers of the Alamo. Each year, carriages and floats are constructed around a central theme – this year's was "Hats Off to Texas!" Ayusa students, dressed in native costumes, entitled their carriage "International Hats Off to Texas!"

On April 24th over 300,000 people gathered to watch this unique and entertaining parade, which is one of the largest in the nation. It is tradition that onlookers in the crowd yell "Show us your shoes!" to those in the floats. Ayusa students had a variety of international footwear to show in response including wooden Dutch shoes, Pakistani slippers, homemade Iraqi slippers, Japanese wooden shoes and more!

Ayusa students represented 7 different countries in the carriage. In honor of Global Youth Service Day, two groups of students volunteered as "Pooper Scoopers," following horses in the parade. In total, 18 students, four adults and two students in bands participated in the Battle of the Flowers Festivities.

The hard-work and dedication paid off! Out of 206 entries, Ayusa's c arriage won 1st Prize!!!! The students were all amazed and excited to be part of such a big and memorable event.

Congratulations! Our hats go off to you!

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Ayusa Student Reflects on the Importance of Strength of Character
Tina Talks about Learning and Growing in the US Read Story

Lessons from an Ayusa Student

When I became a teenager and could be independent in the world, my father always told me: "Be an honest person no matter where you are. This could be your most prized possession. Never give up when you still have something to give, because nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying."

I am still so young that I can not say I have done all that my father has told me, but the experiences I have had make me realize the meaning of my father's words. Integrity has become that which I deem important. When I was the class monitor in our senior high school in China, there were always a lot of problems to solve and I had to learn a lot. I know that I am less than perfect. At any moment, someone may show their criticism. I would like to perceive this criticism as a challenge, though that may make me feel bad in the beginning. Furthermore, I am very glad to get this criticism for I can find where my weak point is. I believe this is what binds us to each other.

Integrity teaches me another important trait: reliability. As a class monitor, I usually organized some extra-curricular activities. If the key person did not come on time, it kept the others waiting and wasted their precious time. Worse, I had to deal with every angry face with nothing to say. From then on, I told myself that I would not break any rules or any promise I had made.

Honesty has also come to my study. I know what I've learned is only a little—especially since I came to America to attend the exchange study. I remember when I was new here, everything was strange to me—an English speaking surrounding, a different type of teaching, and a lot of new courses. These difficulties once made me have a headache, but no matter how difficult things became, I always found a way to handle it, and to figure it out. When I first arrived in the US, I remembered my father's words: "NEVER STOP TRYING!" Then, I made a schedule and acted. From A.P. Calculus to Business, from Physics to Bible, I have asked everyone who could help me—my teachers both in the US and in China, all my classmates, and my whole family here. During this half-year of long hard work, I am very glad that I can grab hold of these setbacks. As a result, I now have the same high achievement or even better than I had in China. There are also many things I have learned since living here that I didn't learn in China—such as overcoming loneliness, a different culture and environment, and learning independence. I have to thank everyone who gives his/her help to me. I know how precious this is. I will prepare myself to help others, and will show my appreciation.

I will be persistent toward this kind of character and living my life one day at a time. I will never stop learning and never stop trying!

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Ayusa Student Beautifies his Host School Cafeteria
An Ayusa Student from Hong Kong Creates Art to Share Read Story

Student with His Painting

"This is my masterpiece, Shine On Me. "Shine On Me" is my first creation in USA, also, it will be hanged out in the Whetstone Cafeteria forever. The Picture size is 6ft X 2.5ft. It totally took more than 100 hours to paint that picture, and spent 40 hours to design. Indeed, the picture was received so much great commend by students and teachers."

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Reflecting on 6 Months of Studying in the US
February 29th - March 2nd 2008 Read Story

Mid-Year Weekend in San Francisco with CBYX

Hello! My name is Darla Migan and I began my journey with Ayusa's Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program in January, 2008. Working with David Beiser, Director of Grant Programs, I helped to organize the Mid-Year Weekend in San Francisco for the 2007-2008 class of German scholarship recipients. Several Ayusa staff members joined in the fun as we toured the must-see sites in the city. We spent a picture perfect day out on the town crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, ambling down Pier 39, and of course riding up and down the hills in one of San Francisco's famous cable cars.

The thirty-three students who attended this jam-packed, fun-filled and sunny weekend in San Francisco landed at SFO (San Francisco's International Airport) with the huge smiles on their faces! The happy faces and fierce enthusiasm that I encountered upon meeting these students set the tone for the entire weekend. Additionally, this Mid-Year weekend was especially exciting because the CBYX students were joined by International Education Week winner Sohaib Amjad from Pakistan, who quickly made new friends with his fellow exchange students.

What I will cherish most are the vivid personalities of each of the particular attendees. For most of us here at Ayusa, it is impossible to not want to share the stories of these students with the world at large. The personal growth that they undergo in such a short time makes clear how vital the CBYX scholarship is to the future of cross-cultural understanding. Over the weekend I took the opportunity to hear the students' stories, reactions, and deeply felt emotions - first-hand.

For instance, Anabela Matysiak-Quiala a CBYX student from Hanover, Germany told me about how close she had become with her host family. Her voice broke with emotion as she described a conversation with her 4 year-old host brother in which he questioned whether Anabela would be at his 5th birthday party. As she tried to explain to him that she will have already returned Germany by then, he went on to ask her if she could come back from Germany especially for his party! The bonds formed between exchange students and their host families are just this strong. The students also spoke excitedly about their plans to return to America for college, their plans for continuing to travel the world, and how forever changed their perspectives would be because their year in the U.S.

The students who are selected as CBYX scholarship recipients are some of the most interesting, active, and emotionally mature young people that I have ever had the opportunity to meet. I feel so lucky to have been able to celebrate the mid-point of their academic year here in America and I do wish them all the best of luck as they make plans for the future.

Darla Migan, CBYX Program

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