Eccomi everyone!! So che è passato tanto tempo da ottobre e mi dispiace, veramente.
Comunque visto che questo è il mio ultimo post vorrei scriverlo in inglese..anche perché vorrei proprio rivivere un po' le emozioni pensando in inglese.
First of all..I want to thank my parents who allowed me this experience, who supported my choice and gave me this opportunity.
If you are a follower of my blog you already know that I had a wonderful host family and I also want to thank them..even if they don't know about this blog.
Now I want to talk a little bit about each of them.
The most important person I met is Mandi. She is my host mom, my friend & my buddy. She has been welcoming when I first saw her, helpful when I was in need, friendly when we talked, opened when I asked, etc. We have done many things together and we have laughed, smiled, but never hated. She is really similar to me and we have very close opinions about things or people and we like a lot of the same kinds of food. She is the one who made my exchange year become amazing, who planned many things to do together, who decided that we could be more than just simple host mpm-exchange student relationship. I couldn't have asked a better person in my exchange year,
Eddie is my little host brother. He is sensible, lovely and a little bit disobedient. He is the kind of kid that constantly needs attention and I know that he would have liked a boy better than a girl but I also know that he loves me just like I love him.
Trista is always really hyper and she is sometimes disobedient too. She could also be considered crazy..but in a positive way.
My two host siblings are actually really nice and generous. There have been some moments when I actually wanted to slap them because they didn't listen to their parents or didn't eat what they had to, but well...they're just kids. Mandi actually told me in these days that Eddie has been really good since he started middle school. They have done many things for me and let me feel loved, as like I was the only person they wanted to be with.
Then there's Sean, my host dad. He hasn't been with us for the whole time but I love him too. The first moment I saw him I was actually a little bit scared (not really scared but still didn't feel 100% comfortable) because he never laughed, he was really severe with the kids and even Mandi has to pretty much as everything to him because he's like the boss of the family. After some moments I got used and we got to know each other and I discovered that he isn't that scaring. He has always shown respect with me and asked me about my opinions and what I wanted. He is the one who I always joked with even about stupid things and we have fooled each other many many times. Although he might not have been the best host dad in the world, he is the best host dad for me and even if I had the possibility I wouldn't change.
Overall I found, yeah they found me but anyway, the best host family I could ask. They bought me things, they brought me to visit many places, they shared their house and their love, they made me feel at home.
Well..now that I have finished to talk about my family I'll briefly talk about friendships (not my friends though..just in general). It's not that easy to make friends even when you say you're an exchange student. Some people might show interest and become slowly your friend and share with you this experience but some others are very interest to you in the first moment but then, even just the second day, they become immediately strangers. It's hard to make friends because you see them just once a day for 45 minutes (even if this is not for all people..because you could have same classes, or lunches, etc) so it takes a lot of time to know each other better. But if you are a good looking person (yes..I'm sorry to say but that's how the world works most of the time, more people will want to talk to you and will be interested in you), if you are the kind of person who talks a lot, if you find the friend who introduces you to his friends, or if you just are good in making friends, just ignore what I said before. It might be really easy for you to find friends. But if you are the kind of person who need to be with a person who talks a lot in order to talk a lot as well..then it might be hard for you. I said hard not impossible. I have made some friends and sadly I have to say that most of them (I actually just made a few friends because I wasn't able to enter the world of those Americans, I didn't have many classes in common with them, and I wasn't the kind of person to ask them to go out after knowing each other for just a few days) are not my real friends...I mean that I stayed with them just because I didn't have any other people to be with..such as during lunch. They are nice and we actually talked sometimes but it was always pretty "cold". My best friends during the exchange have been the other exchange students and maybe a few others. Because I stayed most of the weekends with my family I didn't even go out that much with friends, but I'm glad it was like that. Anyway, my advice is try to talk to as many people as possible since the very beginning and try your hardest to find the best friends that have the same interest as you and that will be patient. Never give up!
Then..maybe I should give some advice (maybe you already know them).
Before going there make sure you check how's the weather like there before you go so that you know what kind of clothes you need (for example I brought some high neck shirts and a kind of boots that I never wore).
Remember to give tip after you eat in the restaurants because that's like mandatory ahhaha
Try to talk a lot even if you are shy and don't be afraid to make mistakes because that's how you learn.
Sorry right now I don't remember other tips ahhaha
You fall down, you get up. Be strong. Be bold. Be brave.
The exchange year is something that changes you, not only physically but in your deepest sould something will change for sure. I became braver, I talk more now and I'm no longer afraid to speak English. You might not have the best year in your life and you might face a lot of difficulties of problems but remember that you are growing, even in the hardest moments. When you cry remember that feeling, remember what made you cry and next time be stronger. Remember also that when you don't give up you win, even if you're not the first, even if you don't succeed, even if you feel awful. You won yourself and that's what counts. You have to make your year worth of your energy, the money your parents (or even you) spent, and the hope of others. You are living for yourself, of course, but you are not alone and remember that your exchange year depends on you, only you. You can turn bad moments in good memories. Don't give up, never, ever.
Now..I wish you good luck and hope you'll have a wonderful, awesome, amazing year.
Byeeeee and thank you for reading (and following my blog)!!
