Something that you will never know about exchange student #2
6 September 2017
Today is my host parents' 20th anniversary. They got married on the same day as today in 1997. I always have a free Wednesday afternoon. When I came back from lunch with other exchange students, they were there in the living room, talking. I sat down opposite them and listened to them.
They were holding their wedding photo albums, going through page by page, picture by picture, thinking back about their wedding 20 years ago. They still have their hand-written wedding draft planner. The colour of papers of that draft faded but their love do not. From what they told me, my host father (Patrik)'s handwriting doesn't change, still messy as the way it is. They requested their guests to write on a piece of paper about their own idea of family, love and so on. So, the guests did it and the blessings from families and friends have remained until today. Of course, they keep it well and I had a chance to have a glance at it.
There are some pictures on the wall when I climb up the staircase. They are just some scenery pictures as I thought. After 6 months, I finally got to know the origin of those pictures. They took it each year after their wedding anniversary. They went to different places and took those beautiful pictures. So, those are not ordinary at all. Those are evidence of growing old with the loved one.
6 months here, I have seen hundred times of my host parents kiss each other before one of them leave the house. They spend at least one hour per day, talking to each other. I never see them fight or argue. I see forever lasting love between them.
I mean, that's what I learn from my exchange year, something cannot be learned from travelling, something that exchange student will not tell you.
The definition of love.
Other than learning the language, trying out cheese and chocolate and travelling throughout the country, that's what I feel and I learn. Maybe not every exchange student will be so sensitive but that's what actually we learn. The words our classmates taught us, the friendships all over the world that we cherish and the moments we spent in our exchange year. Not just the lover kind of love but more friendly and pure.
I went to the AFS welcome dessert buffet last Sunday. Some middle-aged attendants were once exchange students too and they still keep in contact with their host families. How wonderful, isn't it? And then I wonder if I am able to my host family to my wedding. I hope I can do so haha!
Thank AFS for giving me this chance to be an exchange student!!
Thanks for reading too :)
Today is my host parents' 20th anniversary. They got married on the same day as today in 1997. I always have a free Wednesday afternoon. When I came back from lunch with other exchange students, they were there in the living room, talking. I sat down opposite them and listened to them.
They were holding their wedding photo albums, going through page by page, picture by picture, thinking back about their wedding 20 years ago. They still have their hand-written wedding draft planner. The colour of papers of that draft faded but their love do not. From what they told me, my host father (Patrik)'s handwriting doesn't change, still messy as the way it is. They requested their guests to write on a piece of paper about their own idea of family, love and so on. So, the guests did it and the blessings from families and friends have remained until today. Of course, they keep it well and I had a chance to have a glance at it.
There are some pictures on the wall when I climb up the staircase. They are just some scenery pictures as I thought. After 6 months, I finally got to know the origin of those pictures. They took it each year after their wedding anniversary. They went to different places and took those beautiful pictures. So, those are not ordinary at all. Those are evidence of growing old with the loved one.
6 months here, I have seen hundred times of my host parents kiss each other before one of them leave the house. They spend at least one hour per day, talking to each other. I never see them fight or argue. I see forever lasting love between them.
I mean, that's what I learn from my exchange year, something cannot be learned from travelling, something that exchange student will not tell you.
The definition of love.
Other than learning the language, trying out cheese and chocolate and travelling throughout the country, that's what I feel and I learn. Maybe not every exchange student will be so sensitive but that's what actually we learn. The words our classmates taught us, the friendships all over the world that we cherish and the moments we spent in our exchange year. Not just the lover kind of love but more friendly and pure.
I went to the AFS welcome dessert buffet last Sunday. Some middle-aged attendants were once exchange students too and they still keep in contact with their host families. How wonderful, isn't it? And then I wonder if I am able to my host family to my wedding. I hope I can do so haha!
Thank AFS for giving me this chance to be an exchange student!!
Thanks for reading too :)
<3
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