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The American Abroad Student of the Month for April 2025 is Duyen N. in North Macedonia!

Since arriving in North Macedonia from Philadelphia, PA to participate in the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program last August, Duyen has endeared herself to her host family and community. Her open mind, initiative, and spontaneity helped her integrate and make a positive impact on her new hometown of Skopje.

Taking on the new role of a big sister to two siblings, Duyen has fit seamlessly in her host family. She inspired her host brother and sister to take part in new family activities, such as running a city-wide 5 km race with her. Duyen loves joining whatever her family is doing, whether it's playground get-togethers or meeting extended family. She also enjoys introducing her host family to dishes significant to her own culture by cooking for them.

One month into the program, Duyen became only the second YES Abroad participant ever to be competitively selected as a volunteer for the American Corner Skopje, a center sponsored by the U.S. Department of State that provides information about the United States and holds cultural and educational activities. Duyen manages the Instagram account for the American Corner and often leads events there. Her dedication to serving her host community doesn't stop there. Now approaching 100 hours of community service, she is also teaching English to Albanian children at a private language school, making arts and crafts at a children's center, and volunteering in a local breast cancer awareness campaign. Through her host school, Duyen joined a clean-up campaign, takes part in a networking event sponsored by the Coca Cola company, sold baked goods for charity, and organized a number of cultural presentations for her classmates. She held her birthday party in a park, and over 60 friends and family members came!

Duyen stands out in her host community as a Vietnamese-American and has experienced stares and comments. She embraces this as an opportunity to use the Macedonian language she's learned to make connections. She talks openly about her challenges and inspires others, especially her cohort of YES Abroad participants, to learn from their own challenges.

Duyen embodies the qualities of a young citizen ambassador in everything she does. She has made an impact on her host family, host school, and the community at large by approaching everyday life with a positive attitude and a desire to learn from those around her and share her experiences with others.

Congratulations, Duyen!