Host and Hope

When I first arrived, I thought that my host family was going to be very serious. I also thought that they weren’t going to be able to understand what I was saying and that I was going to have a hard time communicating with them. It was hard at the start, but I have come a long way since I have gotten here. I really like them. They are the sweetest people and are always trying to make us feel at home. They are also very funny. I really enjoy sitting down with them at the end of the day and eating dinner as a family. They aren’t serious like I thought; rather, they joke with us and help us when we are struggling to say something. Today, Martha offered to help us with our homework in the morning because it is difficult to tell the difference between the preterit and imperfect. I have also been able to hear and understand more of what they are saying. I used to struggle a lot, but now I feel like I can participate in a conversation—and that is really cool!



Today, I went shopping to buy the supplies and food for the school. This was an awesome experience. Buying the things took longer than I thought it would, but it was so rewarding to see the impact that it had on the school. I could tell that the owner and the children were very appreciative of what we did. These kids don’t live the same lifestyle that I grew up in. It is sad to see these kids struggle to have the basic necessities to be a student. It resonated with me so much because I am a student and I understand how important learning is and socializing with peers. Without these necessities of supplies and food, these students will struggle to be successful. Hearing the owner say how much he appreciates us donating to the school means a lot. It means that we are giving the children hope for the future—and that is huge. 

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