A year has passed and now we stand on the brink of returning to the world where we are surrounded by the paradox of everything yet nothing being the same. Soon we will bid our goodbyes, reluctantly fighting the tears, to the people who were once just names on a sheet of paper. The people who at one point knew nothing about me but still opened their homes and hearts to make me a part of their lives. The people who were randomly put in my classes. The people who showed me a whole new perspective of the word “ religion”.  We will leave our friends and family to return to our friends and family.
Ever since the beginning we are told that it’s not going to be easy. There are new challenges at every step we take. Beginning with the first day of school and not knowing how to open the locker. Eating new food for the first time. First time celebrating something without your family. First time doing your laundry. Wanting so bad to fit in. Meeting unknown faces, who become your best friends. Learning a new language. Doing as much homework you might never have done before. Trying a new sport. And all of this leads to goodbyes at one point or another.
There are tons of times when you face stereotypical questions about your country. And many other things that might lead to frustration. There are always the questions like, “ which mother?” or “ which sister? The real one or the host sister?”. And every once in a while someone might just say,” Gosh! you have changed so much!” which might or might not be nice to hear. There is also a lot of traveling to places you never thought you would get to go and do things you never saw yourself doing.
But that’s what it’s all about and that’s what counts. You need to squeeze in all the new things you can do in one year in a new country where people are not judging you. After all how many times do you really get to say “ I have never had sour patch before!” or “ I have never been camping” in America and be judged for it!
