TWI for the Children, Inc

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Bosnian Students Study 
in the United States 

1 October 1999 - 30 August 2000

  This page  provides information on the students from Bosnia, hosted by TWI for the Children,  who studied in the United States during 2000.

During the summer of 1999, TWI for the Children planned to bring three teens from Bosnia to America to complete a year of high school.  Through the gracious donation of funds to defer costs for transport, TWI for the Children brought students to the States in time to begin schooling  in September 1999.  However,  TWI could not accredit some of the schools in the States and the hosting organizations.  TWI for the Children was able to meet the requirements to bring one student to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, but were not able to complete  requirements for the other  students.  Through the great efforts of Eric Yoder, we were able to get Keko Seidic enrolled at Lewisburg High School.

KEKO SEIDIC

On 1 October 1999, Strel Sejdic (Keko) arrived in  Washington DC and spent five-days with the TWI leadership team becoming acclimated to American food, language and time difference.  At the end of this period,  Keko went to Lewisburg to meet his new American family. 

Steve and Sharon Stoltzfus are a young couple who live on a farm outside of Lewisburg.  We toured the city, visited the school and after ensuring that all was in order left Keko with his beautiful blonde young mother.  

It was always interesting to see the faces of people when they found out that Sharon was Keko's "mother".  The Stoltzfus family was wonderful to Keko.  They fed, housed, took him to school, helped with his homework, took him to the gym for workouts and ensured that he had a complete experience of living with an American family and attending an American school. 

            In February 2000, TWI visited Keko in Lewisburg and were able to watch him compete as part of the Lewisburg HS wrestling team.  Keko was an accomplished Greco wrestler, but not familiar with the American "freestyle" wrestling.  Keko pinned his opponent in one minute and two seconds and it was evident that he had been completely accepted by the school.  It was quite gratifying to see Steve and Sharon introduced as the American parents of Keko.  In addition to his wrestling, Keko did well in school and made good grades.  He felt that the American school system was a bit easier than the school in Sarajevo. 

            In April 2000, TWI took Keko  to Florida for a cultural experience.  Keko visited St. Augustine, Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville.  The high point of his visit to Florida was South Beach in Miami and all of the beautiful girls and nightlife.  This was a great difference from the small town experience offered by Lewisburg.    Keko said that he had reservations about returning to school in Lewisburg after his adventures in Florida.

           Keko graduated in June 2000 from Lewisburg HS.  What a wonderful experience to watch him cross that stage and receive his diploma with the other students and hear their acclimation.  It was evident that Keko was well loved at Lewisburg.  His American family had a wonderful graduation party and Jim and Lisbeth Willis  hosted him on a great visit to New York and Philadelphia.  Steve and Sharon showed Keko all aspects of American life from tending the farm to working in Steve's construction business.  They also saw to it that Keko learned to drive and received his international driver's license.  

  Keko returned to Sarajevo in July 2000.  He stated that his year in the States was a wonderful experience, but that he was glad to get home to his Sarajevo.  His English improved greatly as had his ability to express himself in writing.  He is finishing his study in University and is working in Sarajevo.

AMINA AND JASMINA

We were disappointed that we were unable to bring  other students to the States so in August 2000, we brought Amina Sisic to America for a month to experience some American culture and fun.  

As part of a pilot project to determine if short term study periods would be more beneficial than the longer one-year study periods, we brought Jasmina Hajdarevic with Amina to take part in an intern program at the National Rehabilitation Hospital.  Jasmina was a university student studying medicine at the University of Sarajevo.  Her one-week internship involved "shadowing" a doctor as he treated his patients at the hospital. (Jasmina is now married and is a doctor working in Sarajevo, BiH)

            Amina and Jasmina visited Washington and took extended trips to Florida, Philadelphia and New York City.  The cultural aspects were quite rewarding, but we found that the intern aspects of the short-term sturdy period need to be better defined.  We needed to have both aspects when we bring the student to the States.  However, we will cherish the memories of Keko in Lewisburg as well as Amina and Jasmina's short month in Washington. 

            Thanks must be given to our host family in Lewisburg, Steve and Sharon Stoltzfus and to Sharon's brother Eric Yoder.  Without these wonderful people and the great staff and teachers of Lewisburg HS, we could not have successfully completed this project. 

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Updated: 12/23/2005