Now they are all connected! My real Family and my Host Families. They have relationships stronger than I ever expected. I know the connections will continue my entire life. It’s cool to be able to say that my parents flew to Brazil to visit me after 300 days being away. But I’m glad to have these last few weeks of my exchange to spend with my host families and friends before I go back to the U.S.
I was nervous to have to translate everything back in forth because I know I don’t speak perfect Portuguese. There are a lot of words I don’t know how to say. And when it comes to my family, anything could come up at the dining table. But luckily, I wasn’t the only one there willing to translate. At times, I got to sit back and relax when my host siblings were around to translate. That was my favorite part!
It was shocking to see my family at first almost like a dream, but it becomes more real after they left and my host families continue to talk about them. Meeting my family made it more real for my host families and I believe they will come to the US to visit. My exchange friends were very curious to know if my parents noticed any change in my personality. My family thinks I have “stepped it up” and am a more mature young woman. Of course, when I am with friends and family, I am the same old sarcastic person when we stand alone.
It was awkward to see my parents reactions at first when my host families described me with words like calm and quiet, but then they got to see it for themselves and it made a little more sense. I think its normal as an exchange student to change the ways you act with your host family because you can’t express yourself the same way you do at home. Maybe because there’s no translation in your host language or you are just not that comfortable with them for a first impression to go a certain way.
At this point, I can’t wait for my host families to come visit me in the US so I can show them my country, Colorado and my town! Breckenridge!
