The In Person Selection Event

One of the parts of the selection process for YES Abroad is the In Person Selection Event (the ISPE). The IPSE took place in Chevy Chase, MD, at the 4H Center. I flew from Detroit with my flight buddy, and we were picked up by the YES staff, who then took us to the 4H Center. Throughout the weekend, I met almost all of the semifinalists. I had made them all bracelets with Michigan colors (go blue!), and giving them out made me so happy! The weekend consisted of a lot of down time, which provided us with chances to connect with our new friends. I know everyone left with at least a few close friendships!

Of course, the weekend played a huge role in the process, so we did have to be evaluated at certain points. We all had one individual evaluation and two group evaluations, which took place at different times throughout the weekend. My individual interview took place Saturday morning, and I admire both of my interviewers (Shino and Kyle) so much for their work with YES Abroad. They made me feel so comfortable and we shared a great conversation. I enjoyed it, and apparently they did too. For Group evaluations, I was part of Group B. We were asked to work together and solve a problem, kind of like a team building exercise, and we were evaluated during that time. I loved all of Group B and I can't wait for our reunion D.C. We'll be the representing Group B in Morocco, Ghana and Oman next year! My weekend wrapped up Sunday morning with a short (10 minutes at most) French interview. This didn't count towards whether or not I advanced to the finalist stage, it just helped with placement.

Throughout the weekend, we could go to Country Tables as well  and find out more about each of the host countries. I spent a good amount of time there on Saturday afternoon, and I enjoyed talking with the coordinators! Saturday morning, we all participated in a workshop to get us thinking about our lives as Americans. We each drew a timeline of our lives, telling about the events that created our identities. Everyone was open to sharing, and I loved that!

 Not only did I have a ton of fun at the IPSE, I also shared many great conversations about current events, other cultures, and the futures my fellow semifinalists hoped to build. I found it easy to talk to everyone and I felt like I could strike up an amazing conversation with anyone I met. It reminded me that there are many teenagers in the world who share my interests, and that is a beautiful thing to realize. My last memory of IPSE is getting onto the airplane dead last because I was in the middle of this great conversation. I'm sad that I won't get to meet all of you again, but please know that no matter where you are, I'm confident you're doing something incredible there and that'll we meet again someday. I hope I will remember the IPSE as the weekend that will set the tone for the next year of my life--one filled with challenges, new friends, and learning!