I applied for a student exchange program to study at USA for 6 months through American Field Service (AFS). It was on scholarship and as soon as I got back from Missions Camp, I got a letter informing me about an interview.
Frankly speaking, I did try to do some homework aka googling around about previous interviews. Oh boy, little did I know how different the questions could be.
22 June 2010 - the day that could very well change my life.
There were about 20 of us going for the interview. It all started off with some AFS returnees introducing themselves and then it was our turn to introduce ourselves.
I started the ball rolling with
"Good afternoon, my name is Hor Sue Xian and I study at Sri Sempurna. I'm applying for the YES program to USA. A special thing about myself - I like to take pictures and I brought my camera with me"
I was once again the first few to get called for the interview.
It was just the interviewer and you in an empty classroom.
I was scared I tell ya, but you just gotta do what you gotta do. Break a leg.
My interviewer was an Indian woman. I could sense her professionalism from the way she carried herself - her posture and her speech. She started off by reading my application form, my certificates and then a testimonial.
Then, the questions came.
To all you hopeful future AFS interviewees out there who stumbled here while doing your 'homework', remember what you wrote in your application form. Every preference you think can and WILL be used against you. You've only got a few questions to make or break it.
Some other tips include, do some research about Malaysia, not just about who the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin is, or what the capital of Selangor is, know your races well.
Find out everything about them - everything ranging from their food to their festivals and even their 'pantang larangs'. Don't just know what it is about, know it's purpose and its history.
Last but not least, don't even try faking your answers. As smart as you are with all your As in PMR, the interviewer is always smarter.
After being interviewed, it was more games and mingling around.
Don't worry, the people there are as friendly and outgoing as they can be. Chances are, someone might have already came up and talked to you. A really good opportunity to make some new friends.
We were all then asked to do a sketch about Malaysia, how you would portray Malaysia to your host family. We had very, very little time to prepare but like the returnees said "Your not going to say 'I'll come back in an hour with a super demonstration for you' right?"
We all took our turns expressing our actors and actresses within us.
As for me and my team, I thought we could have done better.
The session ended with the AFS returnees sharing their stories while being abroad, about how they had to cope with the life there and how they are all trying to relive their memories by being volunteers.
This is Nilo, one of the AFS returnees, sharing her experiences while she was an ambassador.
Just before all of us left, here's the obligatory group shot.
and because everyone squirmed when someone spoke about GLEE, here's one showing our GLEEKINESS
To all the people that I've met during the whole session, NICE TO MEET YAH!
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On a more personal note, I thought I really should have done better than I did during the interview.
The good part is, even if I did not get accepted to be an AFS ambassador, I am truly thankful for this opportunity handed over to me. Like Sue Xian says it, ONCE IN A LIFETIME.
At least I brought home the experience, the relationship and the pictures =)
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