“I really learned to make the most of an experience…not only did I build confidence, but I learned to trust myself,” Zimbabwe exchange student Liz Banda explained, flashing her charismatic smile as she began to reflect upon her almost year long stay in Cannon Falls. On January 11th, she left Cannon Falls to fly home to Harare, Zimbabwe. Although she loves many qualities about America that the typical American enjoys, she also appreciates a lot of the aspects that many teenagers seem to take for granted.

Similar to any other Minnesotan, Liz enjoyed travel and the plethora of outdoor activities Minnesota has to offer. Sledding, ice hockey and ice skating were a few of the highlights Liz mentioned as she spoke about her favorite outdoor activities. “Adrenaline-filled” and “breathtaking” were the words that Liz used to describe her absolute favorite winter activity: skiing. She grinned from ear to ear as she explained that what she loves about skiing is that it is simple enough for a beginner to learn, yet difficult enough to provide a challenge. Another favorite part of her exchange was discovering new places and creating lifelong bonds with the people there. “One thing I really loved was just the travelling, you don’t realize how big and different the United States is until you get here” she said while describing her travel experiences in the US. During her visit, Liz got the opportunity to take three different trips. These trips featured an abundance of places, such as New York City, Biltmore Estate, Washington D.C, and Florida.

There are countless aspects that Liz loves and appreciates about the United States, American students may not notice. “One thing I will miss from the school system here is the attitude they have towards every student. They treat every student with the same with the attitude, the attitude that any student can make it,” Banda said, later explaining that in Zimbabwe, the top 50 percent of students are prioritized and the bottom half are left behind. Another aspect that Liz adored about the United States was the inexpensive food. One example she gave was that in Zimbabwe is a package of Oreos could never be sold for two to three dollars in Zimbabwe, it would be about eight dollars.  When asked what foods she would miss, Liz responded that salted nut rolls and donuts from the local bakery were her favorites.

As she steps off the plane back to in Zimbabwe, Liz has several goals for herself in the months to come: attend an American university in the fall, start a blog that can highlight some of her adventures while on exchange, and continue to excel at her favorite sport, Karate. “One big thing I definitely have been thinking about is doing something to help people who don’t have the same opportunities in Zimbabwe. I feel, as Zimbabweans we don’t help our country enough,”  Liz explained as she told about how inspired she was by seeing some Americans desire to help each other out. She finished the interview by quoting an excerpt that she feels has outlined her experience in Cannon Falls and her life as a whole: “Once the travel bug bites, there is no antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life”.