I’m a Ghanaian exchange student sponsored by PAX — Program of Academic Exchange.  I arrived in Austin last August, and have been staying with the Bergstrom family and attending Austin High School.

As the school year will soon be over, I will return home to Ghana. I am writing to you to express my thanks to everyone here who helped to make my experience so great. First and foremost, thanks must go to my generous hosts — Rich and Sharon Bergstrom, Chelsea Kuether (ninth grade), Tanner Bergstrom (ninth grade), Michael Bergstrom (fifth grade), and Karter Schaub (fifth grade) — who opened their home to me. They made me feel like their real “son/brother” this past year, and to them I will always be grateful.

Thanks, too, to everyone at Austin High School, especially Principal Bradley D. Bergstrom and all of my teachers who have helped me so much.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank my PAX community coordinators, Tracy Smith of Adams and Tami Fett of Lyle, who arranged my placement here, finding my great host family and high school for me.

Finally, I’d like to thank the people of Austin and all my friends who welcomed me into the community, showed great interest and curiosity about me and my country, and did their best to make me feel at home away from home.

I hope other PAX exchange students will have the opportunity I have had here in Austin.  You are very special people and I will always remember you.

Inusah A. Taimako

GHANA, West Africa