Emrah, Turkey, Year Program

I’m Turkish and was an AFS exchange student in France in 1996, I spent the year in Maubeuge, North of France.

 During my year in France, I gained many things and, most of all, a “second” family, with whom I feel as close as with my natural parents. I like them very much and we keep seeing each other each year. They’ve done incredible things for me and my family after the earthquake that took place in Turkey in August 1999.

So even after 5 years, you can imagine how close we are ! I like the French very much and since I came back from France, every time people ask me where I come from, I answer I was born in Turkey but I am a “French-speaking Turk” !

January 2001