At just the ripe age of five, two new people were coming to live with my family for the summer. I had never met anyone from Japan before this moment, so I was extremely excited. This would have been the summer of '02. At this time, technology was discovering wireless headsets; America was not too advanced in the field just yet. These two girls from across the world would walk around our house carrying tiny little devices in their hands. I remember my mother asking hundreds of questions trying to figure out how they had something so small playing music in their ears. We later learned it was an MP3 player. Continuing on our journey of welcoming new friends into their American home, we came to know many more girls from Japan, each one was so loving and we still get letters from them now, 14 years later.
When people come to live with us, this isn't just a place, it's a package deal; a home and a new family. Beyond the lovely country of Japan we have had students from Macedonia, Ghana, France, Bolivia, Bahamas, Germany and China. It is so fascinating to me when a new country is represented here in our home. I love to learn the language, taste the food and experience the traditions. One girl in particular has left a lasting impression on my life: my best friend and German sister. At the age of 15, she hopped on a plane alone and flew to America to experience our culture and education. I was 16 at the time and this would be the first time a girl my age was coming to be my roommate. We knew almost immediately after her arrival that the two of us were destined to be best friends. After 6 months of having her by my side, it was time for her to fly home. We knew we would see each other again. A year after she left, I hopped on a plane and flew to Frankfurt, Germany. It is experiences like these that traditional homes don't get the chance to cherish. I am so grateful to my parents for opening our home and allowing us to learn about the world. To all of my brothers and sisters around the world; you will always have a home and a family here in America.
