Welcoming Poly's AFS student

By Megan Tcheng '15 (Courtesy of The Paw Print)

At first glance, Mustafa Muthana looks like any other Poly student. He sits at a corner table in the Upper School Library, typing with concentration on his laptop. Next to him sits his backpack, already overflowing with textbooks, class handouts, and scraps of lined paper. As he looks up from his computer screen to exchange an inside joke with his tablemates and they break out into animated laughter, the corners of his mouth fold up into a priceless smile.

As the Upper School’s new AFS exchange student, Muthana has found his place in the Poly community with ease. Although he admits to first-day jitters, he recalls his introduction to Poly with enthusiasm, explaining “I didn’t expect everyone to say hi and clap for me [during Morning Meeting]. I was nervous to meet all the new students, but that day I knew I was going to like everyone.”

Since his welcome, Muthana has worked to situate himself into the school environment. From meeting students and making new friends, to combating language barriers in class, he has kept himself busy. Even so, the go-getter makes it a priority to get involved in the extracurriculars offered at Poly. Currently, he serves as a dedicated member of the cross country team with plans to join the soccer and track teams in the sports seasons to follow. He elaborates on his prior experience: “At home, I ran a lot. But when I applied for the AFS program, I had to stop practicing. Now, at Poly, I’m getting back and training with Mr. Caragher. I’m very thankful for him and my teammates—they support me.”

Last year, Muthana never could have imagined himself living and attending school in a new country. With hard work and dedicated planning however, he made the 9,000-mile trek from his home in Aden, Yemen, to the Poly campus. When asked about the biggest difference between the two cultures, he smiles before listing “the language, the way people meet each other, the clothing… oh, and the food!”

Muthana describes his life in Aden as one marked not only by social differences, but also by differences in education. At his school in Yemen, most class sizes reached 90 students, with up to three classmates seated per desk. The programs offered by the schools could also be restricting. Muthana, who always knew that he wanted to study English, met the limit of his school’s curriculum in eighth grade. However, he did not let the lack of classes stop him. Instead, he became involved in a program called AMIDEAST, an American-led non-profit organization that provides English language training to students in the Middle East. Through AMIDEAST, he learned about AFS and was encouraged to apply for a scholarship. After a grueling five-month application process, he he was accepted into the program and, as he says, “Now I’m here at Poly, living in a new life and a new country!”

His hopes for the upcoming year are full of optimism. “I’m looking forward to meeting more people…and remembering everyone’s names!” Then he adds, “I’m so thankful for my homestay family, my teachers, and for all the students here at Poly.”
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