Each year, Dallastown hosts students from around the world. This year, one of those students comes from an unexpected place. Leen Albraik is from Saudi Arabia, a country in the Middle East that many only know from the news. 

Albraik is 17 years old and is from Al-Ahsa, one of the largest regions in eastern Saudi Arabia. At home, she lives with her parents, twin sister, and younger brother

Describing herself, Albraik says that she is a person with dreams who would like to achieve them.

Albraik as been in America since August 7 and remembers being very excited in her first few days.

Albraik’s education was primarily in international schools which taught more of an American curriculum than the Saudi curriculum, or national schools. 

“I’ve learned the American curriculum since the first grade, so it’s nothing new to me, only the names of classes are different,” Albraik said. 

She has learned English since the first grade, and has been educated by teachers of many nationalities: Americans, Filipinos, and Indians. Her entire family have been through international schools, with her mother being the principal of many schools in her city.

Here at Dallastown, Albraik enjoys her classes.

“I enjoy all my classes: American cultures, Chemistry, Biology, Physiology, Precalculus, all of them.”

After high school, Albraik plans to study at a university in Saudi Arabia to become a geneticist.  Despite the perception of women’s rights in her country, Albraik says she has many options open at home, such as going to medical schools or normal universities.

Albraik believes that there are many things that Americans don’t know about her and her country. 

“People may think I’m totally different from them or that I don’t speak English. They may also not understand my traditions or how I live. I feel like, in general, the American culture doesn’t know a lot about Saudi Arabia, but I am willing to let them know,” Albraik said.

In the short term, Albraik wants to join clubs like diversity club at DHS, and she wants to explore and meet people. Most importantly, she wants to be an ambassador.

“I want to be an ambassador for myself, for my country, for my school, for everything, but especially, I want to be an ambassador for all youth.”

The sentiment is certainly ambitious, but she has already started sharing her message.

She has done presentations in several local school districts including Lebanon and Ephrata.

Albraik  is excited to be here and experience all that is America. She wants to meet people, she wants to explore, and she hopes to teach others about her culture.