Photo courtesy of exchanges.state.gov

Edi Serban is a Romanian exchange student who has been living in Keota for the last four months. In that short amount of time, he has proven to be a positive addition to the southeast Iowa community. 

Voted the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program Student of the Month for November, Edi has involved himself in numerous fundraising and volunteer activities. Twice a week, he helps with the after school program at the elementary school. He also enjoys volunteering with the Keota Sesquicentennial Fundraising Committee, and putting on presentations in neighboring towns to share his culture with others. In addition to these endeavors, Edi has still found time to raise over $1,000 for homeless youth. 

Edi is scheduled to travel back to Romania in June, but certainly hopes to return to the United States. “I need to go back to my home country and finish my senior year,” he said. “After that, I would really like to come back and apply for a scholarship here in Iowa.” While still not decided on post secondary education, he expressed an interest in political science and biology. 

The FLEX Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, and includes 22 different countries. It operates with the goal of improving mutual understanding, and strengthening long-term relationships between citizens of the U.S. and other people and countries.