One of the major reasons I wanted to go on exchange was to
be a part of a huge global family. I wanted to have friends from all over the
world and be a part of something that spanned continents. Now I have that. I met
so many people at language camp and they were from all over the world. The
Brazilians and the Mexicans taught us how to dance, the Taiwanese taught us
some great card games, and us Americans introduced everyone to the absolute
perfection that is s’mores.
There were so many things that happened that I felt like I
had been missing since I arrived. I missed laughing. I had chuckled and it’s
not like I wasn’t happy, but I didn’t understand most of what was going on.
Meeting with the other inbounds that were feeling the same things as me and
laughing until my stomach hurt was so great. I love how musical our group is.
There are at least three guitar players and they all play different styles and
one violin player who plays fiddle style. When she first played fiddle with one
of the guitar players, we all sat there in stunned silence as their styles
melded together into the most beautiful thing I have ever heard.
We walked down to Lake Balaton almost every day and took
part in the exchange students’ favorite pastime: taking pictures. There are
beautiful sweeping landscape shots of the lake from the boat we rode, there are
great group shots with all kind of flags, and then there are goofy selfies. My
personal favorite is the goofy selfie that turns into a group shot when more
people add themselves to the selfie.
It took less than 2 days for me to feel like I’d known these
people for all my life and they were my family. We could sit in a circle and
talk about serious and difficult things and then the next night, we could stay
up until midnight dancing. I hit my one month mark while surrounded by these
wonderful and loving people.
The actual language classes were helpful and I got a
workbook that I will have my classmates help me with, but I couldn’t wait for
them to end just so I could hang out with my new friends. My new family.
Lake Balaton
Me with Hayden from Cali
The best organ player I've ever seen
The best of the best from California, New York, North Carolina, Brazil, and Taiwan
Ana from Brazil, Bonnie from Taiwan, and Cecilia from New York
We are goofs, but we are a family now.
I've been having a great time with my new family!
-Alina
No comments:
Post a Comment