What an incredible adventure!!
We have reached the 2 week mark with our host daughter Laura, from Italy. It's so difficult to really express the entirety of our experiences so far. So, I am going to do my best to explain our journey to date.
There is so much excitement that builds while waiting for the date your new family member will arrive. For my family, we had 6 months to build a relationship and bond. It really seemed like the time was dragging yet it was also slipping away as some projects we wanted to finish before she arrived. So, it was kind of tedious. Honestly, we put the final touches on the main projects the day before we picked her up! Anyway, we had 6 months to get to know Laura. We got to learn more about her, her family, and share our family and everyday lives. We didn't talk/text daily but realistically it was about every 3-4 days. We'd send videos back and forth, share text messages about events happening in our lives, and sometimes it was just a quick message to say one of us was really busy.
Living on our farm, was one of the shared subjects early on. We didn't want her to be disappointed that she would not be in an urban area. We shared that we have farm chores twice a day and lived in a very rural area. I thought it was important to understand that we do not travel often and rarely overnight. It was important to me that she knew we had dinner almost every night together and technology was not allowed at our table, that we wanted her to join into our activities and truly be a member of our family, and to make herself at home! Fortunately, we learned quickly that our family was not all the different from hers, just the farm/city lives were the main difference.
When the date FINALLY arrived to pick her up, I was super nervous. Honestly, I loved her before ever meeting her in person! I had already placed her in my heart with my own children. I think my main concern, was if she would love us as much as we already loved her. Needless to say, that concern was very misplaced! She's an incredible young lady!!!
Her adventure began 3 days before ever meeting our family. She had the long flight from Italy to Newark, NJ, then 2 days exploring NYC, then another flight from Newark, NJ to St. Louis, MO, and then a 3 hour car ride to our home. I can not speak for all the students but Laura was beyond exhausted by the time we got home! We added in a quick stop for lunch and to get soap and necessities she may need right away. The sweet girl slept most of the way home, and napped off and on all afternoon. Our local representative came out that evening to meet and welcome her. When she went to sleep that night, she slept clear through until almost 5 the next evening. She got up showered, at dinner and was back to sleep. The first 4 days were about sleeping for her and keeping my house quiet so she could sleep for me. After she got somewhat caught up and recovered from jet lag and exhaustion, we started really enjoying to know her. This sweet girl brought us some incredible gifts and I can not tell you how meaningful they were. It was like she just knew each of us! During one of the days she slept, I read the book she brought us about her town. It is such a beautiful town, full of history, amazing architecture and culture. I can not wait to continue learning more!
Our family gained such amazing young lady! I have cooked, we have eaten out, shopped for food and clothes, and the girls have attended multiple meetings with me. I was concerned if our foods here would fit the style of foods she was used to. To be honest, she is not picky at all. Here's a funny little side story. I plan my menu for 2 weeks at a time. The menu included a night that had spaghetti. American spaghetti, is just a big NO! Now, we are still laughing about this regularly because although she was gracious enough to eat it, apparently, American spaghetti is just all wrong! So, I am going to learn the art of making Italian spaghetti, the correct way!!! Another fun little tidbit, all these items in the stores that say "Italian," are NOT! It has been so fun to grocery shop with her and hear and see her point to these things and say....No, No, No. Those are NOT Italian! It's truly had me laughing so much! Clothes shopping was another great experience! I have not liked to clothes shop for more than 20 years! I never know if things look right, if the colors are right, if the styles work...and being my size, finding anything to fit right is a disaster! So, an afternoon shopping with Laura, reminded me of the fun shopping could be. It also included purchasing a few items, I probably would have looked over if she hadn't been there. Plus, we got to introduce her to cowgirl bots and Wrangler jeans.
As the days have progressed, I have looked seeing her open up even more. She has stepped in to help setting the dinner table, clearing the table, picking up after herself, getting after my daughter to keep her stuff picked up; she and my daughter have gotten so close! They have done arts and crafts, made a blanket fort, shared some hilarious attempts at my daughter trying to learn Italian words, so many giggles and out right laughter, and meal times...oh my are they never boring! Usually meal times result in everyone laughing, and so many times we have all laughed until we are crying. While my little family has been close and had so many blessings and laughs; adding our host daughter has just added one more blessing and forever member to our family.
This week, we got to attend the school orientation. We got to go to her locker, and each class while meeting the teachers. While I am was very impressed with the Principal, the Guidance Counselor, and a majority of her teachers, Laura was nervous. I truly expected this. A new country, a new school, and being in a new home and family, is a lot for anyone! Thursday was her first day of school. This poor girl was exhausted! She has to be on the bus at 7 am, then she has school all day, eating lunch at school which is different than she is used to, using a computer instead of books which is also different, changing 8 classes everyday is different, and her first bus ride home resulted in an hour and 20 minutes after school was done for the day. Fortunately, I believe that afternoon bus trip will be less after the first day confusions, but when she got home last night, she was ready to sleep! That sweet girl pushed through, had dinner with the family and even stayed in the living room with the family until after 9pm. She was still pretty tired this morning, but she was still up, ready to go, had time for her coffee and was ready for the bus.
So, here's another fun story, another learning experience for me. Apparently, coffee in Italy, is a LOT different than in America. She tried our coffee, and even tried Starbucks while in New York. It was another "spaghetti" big NO! When I asked if she was used to drinking coffee, she said yes but she would be fine without it. As a coffee drinker, that was not acceptable to me. So, I began searching. I found several coffees and coffee machines that were "Italian." Fortunately, she was able to contact her mom at home and find out which machine and coffee she was used to. A quick search through Amazon, a few clicks, and voila...they were on their way. Then we had to have her mom walk us through how to season the machine, and how much coffee to use. The first round, you could just see her eyes light up and her remark, "mmmm, this is good!" made my heart happy! So, now, we have this amazing coffee preparer, true Italian coffee, and the Italian milk frother. I will tell you, I had to try this coffee. I have yet to find a coffee that I don't like. Italian coffee, prepared as Laura drinks it, is such a savory thing! It reminds me of the coffee you would get from an old type percolator coffee pot, like my grandparents had. It's a coffee/espresso type of flavor, and you add in warm frothed milk and WOW!
Since Laura and my son have birthdays so close together, we having a joint birthday party for them. My son's birthday is the 9th, and Laura's is the 16th. So, a big birthday bash, bonfire and a chance for more of our extended families to meet this amazing young lady!
I can tell you, at this point in our adventure, it's been incredible! In my eyes, Laura is just as much in my heart as my biological children, her biological family has become an extension of our family, and hosting an exchange student is something that is not only remarkable but has the potential to change your life and views forever! Hosting an exchange student requires an open mind from both your family and your host student, but also requires making some adjustments by both, to make the experience work for all. The opportunity to grow, learn, share, and experience both your own lifestyle but also that of the host student is an opportunity that you will never regret.
I can't wait to share more of our adventures! Have a beautiful day!
Salli
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