Komal’s exchange story is an amazing one! While living in Nepal with his parents who both have leprosy and are illiterate, he met Coleen, who was on a volunteer mission from Maui. After interacting with Komal and his parents, she found that they had big dreams for their son and all agreed that he should try to become an American exchange student.
Coleen contacted the high school back in Maui about bringing Komal to America. They suggested that she work with CIEE because an LC from the organization had recently introduced himself to that high school. Shestin Gibeau, first year LC obviously had made a lasting impression!
Back in Nepal, the application process for Komal proved to be a difficult one. He traveled to the capital of Nepal through protests and fighting and had to fight hard with the schools to get ahold of his transcripts. The school didn’t want him to leave because then he would no longer be a paying student. Finally, after organizing a protest at the school, he was given the transcripts that he needed. Curtis, an American teacher working in Nepal and helping Komal gather the necesscary documents paid an organization so that Komal could take the TOEFL, after losing out on the money, he found out that the test isn’t offered in Nepal. Finally, Komal took another English exam and scored 81%! In celebration of his high score, Curtis took him out for a huge chicken dinner and Pepsi float.
Donors came up with the funds for Komal’s exchange program costs and CIEE took him on as an independent student. Next week, he has his visa interview and then will be on his way to a very loving, thrilled host family in Maui! Colleen, his new host mother believes that he will be the first exchange student from Nepal!
This is why we do what we do…even on the hardest days!
